Sociatry

[Adam Blatner]

Dear Cynthia, regarding the scope of discussions on sociatry, you wrote,
          "I perceive Ed as posting his work, which is applying psychodramatic technique 
and theory in a most creative way toward sociatry..."
        Adam Blatner:  When Ed posts a long sceed on "8/18 , When ignorance isn't bliss
By Derrick Z. Jackson �|� August 18, 2007 NEWSWEEK  " ... this is not sociatry. As for 
applying psychodramatic technique and theory? I don't know what you're talking about.  To 
the extent he or anyone does what you say, then I agree with you.
        You write, further, "...and sending accompanying information about where/why his 
work is being applied."
           Whoa. The "why" could fill a thousand pages and that's where I want to put a 
lid on it as too much information, (TMI).   If Ed posts that he's doing a workshop, fine. 
That's not a long thing to read. An article---and there are thousands of them---about how 
we're in trouble ecologically, economically, etc.--- that is not sociatry.

      You say, "If he were working on child abuse issues, we know what that is about.  We 
have read about it, know how prevalent it is, studied it, have a variety of ideas and 
theories about how to help heal it." ... etc.
        Again, it would be unnecessary to post on grouptalk a multi-paragraph re-statement 
about WHY child abuse is a problem. The question, as you say (and I agree) is what new he 
may be doing. The focus is on praxis. We shouldn't fill grouptalk with long or even short 
discourses that essentially say, "This is terrible, something should be done, I believe 
Moreno's work might have something to offer." That is vacuous.

CG:  Psychodrama, sociometry, sociodrama techniques, etc. are tools that can be applied to 
unending issues.  What is lacking in sociatry vs psychology is enough theoretical 
development on which to form applications.
      AB: Indeed, I'd go so far as to question the meaning of the word. To my mind it is a 
general category, "the application of what has been harvested in psychology, psychiatry, 
the social sciences, etc. to wider social problems, rather than just to the treatment of 
the individual." It is so broad as to function as a noble goal: Hey, people, let's apply 
what we've learned in a wider sphere. I certainly go with that, and indeed, my present 
career trajectory fits mainly with this public health, preventive mental health, general 
consciousness-raising goal.

      The downside is that within this word "sociatry" I find nothing specific. There are 
thousands of component ideas and techniques, many if not most of which derive from nothing 
that Moreno's contributed---just to keep it in perspective. Sociatry is not about Morenian 
methods.
        I made this point before. The methods, such as applying sociometric techniques or 
principles, doing sociodrama, etc., are all good. I want to teach folks to role take and 
from that to role reverse. But there are thousands of other approaches that are good, too.

CG: There often have been discussions on this list on psychological theory, trauma 
healing, family dynamic applications, etc.  So why not discussions of sociatry theory 
development?  The same psychological theories are not applicable necessarily to social 
healing.  Eg, Robert Jay Lifton does excellent work psychoanalyzing societal dynamics. Yet 
in a talk here after the Iraqi war started, the audience asked him, "what can we do?".  He 
didn't have a clue and said so.
         AB: Yes, and I address this question in my chapter on meta-theory in the new book 
on Advances in Theory in Psychodrama.
        I await anyone proposing a single theory for sociatry. My hunch is that this is 
impossible, for the reasons stated above.

    CG  There is a large umbrella for applications of psychodrama techniques, that the 
ASGPP is continuing to support.  Although everyone has to study Moreno to pass the exams, 
not everyone is going to have the same resonance to his
sociatry vision.  Yet we are a diverse community in many ways.  I would hope we could 
support that and not put everyone in the same psychotherapy box.
    AB: That's not the tension. The tension is confusing long-winded and noble-sounding 
discourse about how the world is in trouble with sociatry. That's like confusing a long 
litany of complaints with psychiatry or medical treatment.

   CG   I think the fear is what Adam B (latner?). mentioned, that the list might dissolve 
from political debates, which is a concern.  How about people backchanneling those 
discussions/debates, or taking those debates to an ASGPP Forum track?
           ABlat: Yes. I wouldn't like to see the long descriptions of the problem on the 
forum, either, though.

CG.. And postings be relevant to the work we are doing applying psychodrama, welcoming the 
broadest umbrella of diversity.  If it's a unique topic/venue outside of psychotherapy, 
people could post where to get more information on
> that topic for people to access if desired....and do not read if don't want to.
          AB:  Postings about interesting techniques, applications, are welcome and 
informative. Postings about all the ways the world is in trouble are not helpful. And now 
there are some others beginning to speak up and say they don't want to hear all that 
either.

           Warmly, Adam