how to do sociatry part 1

[Adam Blatner]

Responding to Regina's question about sociatry...How to do it:
    1. Promote the teaching of basic psychology in the schools, "social and emotional 
learning"-- see my webpage on emotional intelligence, google those words. Many 
organizations and books for this.
           a. Promote the use of role theory and the dramaturgical metaphor as ways for 
more easily talking about psychology, social psychology, etc.
        (What I call "psycholog-ization" represents the integration of the best insights 
and methods derived from psychology over the last century. It is beginning to penetrate 
our culture, but still fights against heavy stigma against mental illness and the weird 
jargon and myths associated with psychoanalysis. I see it as analogous to the introduction 
of mass literacy a hundred years ago. It needs a user-friendly language!!)
         b. make as a simple, non-pretentious norm the use of role playing to explore 
problems. (Under-emphasize the use of the full package of psychodrama.)
         c. Support as a norm the exercise of role-reversal and warming up to others' 
predicaments as a fundamental act of understanding and civility. Right now it is rarely 
taught, even by psychotherapists!

     2. Introduce the idea I've written about in Gershoni's book and in a monograph in 
1985 (now being revised) that many of Moreno's principles and techniques can be applied in 
everyday life. Model this. (Explaining this is a whole book at least.)

   3. Promote the use of sociodrama as a core method of teaching in middle school through 
graduate school, reinforcing the idea of 3-c as a core part of learning. Do it (as 
Bibliodrama) in religious after-school or parochial schools, retreats, church activities, 
etc.--all this fosters the development of the infrastructure of metacognition---i.e., 
thinking about the way we think, becoming more aware that there are many ways people 
think, process, etc.

   4. Draw attention to nonverbal communication, through exaggeration, replay, trying it 
again different. This is one of the components of psychological literacy, noted above, and 
can best be used through using action methods, role playing.

   5. De-construct the idea that psychodrama must be done as a "package," or that only 
psychodramatists should be qualified to use these methods. (More about qualifications in 
another email.) Under-emphasize "psychodrama" as the core, as this classical approach is 
extensive, time-consuming, requires the most training, etc. (I view it as equivalent to 
full surgery, whereas "minor surgery" includes cleaning and bandaging a cut.)  Most 
situations don't call for full psychodramas, and more time should be given to building the 
basic skills of role taking, role reversal, expanding spontaneity, fostering a knowledge 
of and familiarity with "role talk" (i.e., using role as a user-friendly language), and 
many other components.
      a. Promote interactive and improvisational drama in many ways, so that folks become 
more familiar with it (as I describe in my new book).
           (1) note and critique the over-use and almost exclusive use (i.e., "hegemony") 
of scripted, non-interactive drama. This is what Moreno objected to as a young man.
      b. Promote the basic concepts of sociometry... just sensitize people to thinking 
about the patterns of rapport, their own choice-making, how it feels to be chosen... 
sensitize them to these intuitive dimensions, and help them to de-sensitize to feeling 
hurt that they aren't always chosen. This alone is a huge chunk of the overall process of 
psychologization or psychological literacy.

  6. All this generates an infrastructure, out of which may arise a more widespread 
expectation that our leaders, representatives, teachers, and parents, clergy and other 
authorities become more psychologically-minded and mentally flexible. As it is, the 
culture still mindlessly idolizes those who proclaim the mythic virtue of strength, and 
associate with this word a kind of inflexibility, self-righteousness, and inability or 
unwillingness to re-consider one's position.
        a. Promote the idea of peace-making as a matter of high maturity and skill rather 
than wussy flabbiness and wishy-washy timidity. Big job, reversing these mythic images, 
but deeply necessary.
        b. Diplomacy, also---that's another idea that needs to be addressed.

   7. Promote other advances besides Moreno. Express an openness and generosity of spirit, 
inclusiveness. Promote, for example, Dan Goleman's book, "Social Intelligence," and 
hundreds of other efforts.
      a. Seek to merge and inform other approaches, like Satir's Family work, Gestalt 
therapy, etc., with Morenian ideas and techniques, rather than seeking to convert others 
to "our" field. Give this stuff away.
     b. Encourage the integration of action methods with other approaches. Present at 
other conferences.

   Puff, puff. Well, that's just a start. I hope these specifics stimulate others to 
respond with other specifics.
                Warmly, Adam Blatner
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "REGINA SEWELL" <sewell.2 at osu.edu>
To: <list at grouptalkweb.org>
Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2007 10:22 PM
Subject: Sociatric Creatocracy


> Adam and Adam (and anyone else with ideas),
>
> I totally groove with what you're saying about using Moreno's ideas to change the world, 
> not just for standard individual mental health, but to really impact society.  And yet 
> I'm stumped as to how.  How do we do this?  How do we "sell" this?  (or how do we market 
> this?)