conferencethemes

[Adam Blatner]

Thoughts stimulated by your re-presenting the issues for the forthcoming conference:
    a.. How our tools and techniques can be used to facilitate individual transformation 
and social change while promoting community building
      AB: first association is that as much as I think our tools are valuable, we should 
more actively embrace a wide range of other tools, also, regarding clear thinking, 
critical thinking, logic, semantics, rhetoric, logical fallacies, overgeneralizations, the 
power of rationalization and other self-deceptive maneuvers (also known as "defense 
mechanisms" by psychoanalytically-oriented folks), the variety of distortions addressed in 
cognitive behavior therapy, and so forth. We should aim at a more diversified, expanded, 
and integrated approach.

    b. Today’s challenging social, economic and political issues concerning social change, 
i.e. women’s rights, gay rights, countries at war; segregation within immigrant 
communities being reinforced; the rejection of unfamiliar cultures etc.
     ab: One way to creep up on these political issues is to address the power of power 
gradients in ordinary conversations and small group work. This involves not just the 
tempering of the more "powerful," but also the claiming of voice and the right to help and 
expressiveness of the less articulate, less assertive, more reticent. This is an important 
group dynamic that can be addressed openly, and aided through doubling and other 
techniques. It's not always for the more enthusiastic folks to tone down; sometimes, even 
when they do so, and invite the more reticent to chime in, the more reticent may not be 
sufficiently warmed-up, or skilful, or able to marshall their resources to respond. So 
empowering those who haven't found their voice may be an interesting component.

    c.. Facilitating conflict resolution in interpersonal, community and political 
situations
                  ab: I wonder how many of y'all have read my paper on conflict resolution 
on my website. I'd be open to your suggestions for improving it.

    d.. Individual treatment issues / Finding Inner Peace
            We invite you to reflect on the role of the psychodramatist in these times and 
to promote discussion and learning about how the methods of Psychodrama, Sociometry, Group 
Psychotherapy and Sociodrama can be used to promote peace and social change in today’s 
reality.
        ab: Re : inner peace:  Joel Gluck in drama therapy explores the synthesis of drama 
and mindfulness meditation. Building bridges with our related fields may help.

   ... just some ideas for discussion. Warmly, Adam Blatner