co-creation

[Adam Blatner]

Dear Marianne, hi, responding to your multi-part email a few weeks ago: 
    1. Re criticisms of souldrama. 
        a. I suspect that many people will like this approach and be helped by it. Others might not find the symbols used congenial. There is a degree of taste operating when it comes to personal symbols or semantic associations. 
        b.  The trademarking of a term is mixed for some folks. Generally people don't do this in medicine or in traditional psychotherapy, but I imagine there could be an argument for it. If I had a particular approach and didn't want anyone to revise it and still use the same name, maybe I'd try to trademark it. Perhaps I should have for the method described in my book, The Art of Play. 
       
   2. Re words: 
     MS: For me the word psychodrama is hard for people to take in this rural community where I live and work-- counseling itself  often has a bad name, not to mention anything with the name psyche in it, so I often wish and do use different names, but haven't found any that capture the essence yet to my satisfaction. What we are doing is not for everyone, nor is it painless. We try to make it safe, but that does not mean free of pain. 
      ab: yes, I comment on this problem in an article soon to be published in our Journal of Group Psychotherapy, Psychodrama & Sociometry. Some folks avoid words that have to do with psycho-   or -drama, calling it action methods, etc. Some people don't even like role playing. Semantics are difficult.

   3. MS (Marianne Shapiro): I am still seeking a way to use these valuable tools in a way that works for me and helps to keep my own spontaneity ignited.. So marketing for me is about finding my own source and streaming with it. I am searching for and getting closer to myself thorugh my study and practice of these methods. and for this I am thankful. the source.   ab: yes

    4. Back to marketing and the word soul, as it is always appealing. Souldrama is now trademarked by Connie MiIller, is that my real criticism? Can Soul or drama ever really be trademarked or controlled by anyone?  so I have some trouble there. Do I have to study with Connie to use this name? 
       ab: I think that is the point, exactly. Yes, to use that term specifically, you'd need to get her authorization. She associates it with again a fairly specific and elaborate method.  But then, Kate Hudgins does similarly for "Therapeutic Spiral Method."
        In addition, I have papers on my website about the historical distortions about the word 'psychodrama," and how that term is also often debased. Part of the reason we have the American Board of Examiners is that all sorts of untrained and unofficially or hardly-trained folks were setting themselves up as "psychodramatists." 
        Another term is "psychotherapy," and again, some states have laws about who can and cannot style themselves with this word. 

     4a MS:  This is a big world, does she have the name everywhere, all over the world? That seems grandiose. 
        AB: I wouldn't call it grandiose. It's more a desire to maintain some purity of what is delivered under the auspices of that term.
       MS: Is that the underlying complaint, as if the word psychodrama needs to be changed, but now it cannot be because connie has control of the trade name? 
       AB: Folks can use the term psychodrama, and they do. Admittedly, there is a little discomfort because the name of her approach is a little too semantically close to psychodrama in some ways---some have noted that the Greek word for soul is psyche-  for example. And trademarking soul work also seems a bit of an over-reach. 
        But Connie has been putting a lot of work in on promoting and conducting her workshops, and others have claimed to find this work impressive and valuable. So I'm reluctant to rain on her parade. 

   MS    Is there, or are there larger or different issues behind or beneath this envy? 
      AB: to call any reservations or criticism envy is begging the question. It may not be envy at all. 
 
  MS Will the other "critics" or critic please step forward, if you are there.
          AB: In principle, this idea of making any criticism specific and expressed openly is, in my mind, part of encounter, and generally a good idea---much better than whispering around the side, innuendo, etc. So I agree with you on this.

    MS To Co-create we need first of all to differentiate and be all that we can each be, while risking supporting the larger whole with our unique and valid viewpoints. So not only do I want the name souldrama I also want to travel all over the world and have a great website, none of which I have. And is Connie to blame? That would be convenient. So yes, my mind, my wanting could make a division between us, but that does not help. 
       AB: Really, Mariann, do you have some need to use that term, or are you saying that you just want to feel free to address spiritual and "soul" issues in your psychodramatic work?  I think you're suggesting that if there were envy, it still should not be put on Connie, but rather taken on as an issue to be worked through by the one who experiences the envy. Or did I not understand correctly?

   Well, thanks for raising some issues. Let's keep going for the light. Warmly, Adam
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