Psychodrama by any other name

[Adam Blatner]

Spontaneitist?  How about imaginatrician? Innovatologist?  Innovatist? Creatologist? 
Adaptive Facilitator. Coach-at-large.
    Delightful. How about neologician? one who makes up new words?

    The solid part of what you're saying---and I plan to weave it into my plenary 
presentation--- is that we might conceive of an interdisciplinary field aimed at promoting 
the capacity for imagination and improvisation, mental and emotional flexibility. It would 
be a field that recognizes that creativity includes the interpersonal, group, 
psychological dimensions as well as technical thinking. What good is an idea if you block 
your creativity for fear of seeming too assertive? Or can't sell it to others because 
you're too interpersonally annoying?
         And how can we get teams to work more effectively? So this slight re-focus from 
realm of application or specific method to broader vision and mission intrigues me.

     As for a forum, how about using our grouptalk for input. Have you read my paper in 
the recent journal? What do others think?  Warmly, Adam

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "thana ag" <anathga at hotmail.com>
To: <adam at blatner.com>; <list at grouptalkweb.org>
Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2007 2:07 PM
Subject: RE: Psychodrama by any other name



Hi  Adam,

Thanks for your  delightful response.

Yes. I am  coming to the conference, will give a workshop and will look forward to seeing 
you there,and everyone else.

As for the "Spontaneitist", a name I suggest for remarketing ourselves if we to survive 
let alone flourish:  I am  glad you like the neologism, idea. You say the name is a 
mouthful?! Come on Adam, not more so than a "gynecologist" or an "obstetrician" - and the 
term  so aptly designates what we are uniqly equipped to deliver: the birthing of the 
"new",the getting in touch with the "source" (if we want to appeal to  the "spiritual " 
bend),or maximizing  effectiveness, (appealing to those of the  rational ,quantitaive 
bend.)

In a world where technology is drowning us with innovations, choices -we need humans with 
maximum ability to adapt. It is a world  that did not exist 20 years ago.Humankind is in 
dire need  of people capable of presence and spontaneity. What I like about the  term 
spontaneits is that implies both concentration and playfulness.Now let's play with 
that....

 Remarketing  ourselves thus, we won't need to compete with  the  offshoots of Moreno's 
prolific offerrings:action methods,role playing,gestalt,empty chair,drama therapy etc 
etc-we would be the ones  offering training in  the "meta" : that which created this 
methodology and can offer more ad hoc... Hmmm.

As you can see I am warming  myself up to this new designation. I think I would proudly 
introduce myself as a Spontaneist (at least no cringe here for me):as I was so  proud of 
being " Dir of Psychodrama " in the seventies., being thus annoited by Morenos.
Connie Miller says she has  changed the name  of her offerring to "soul therapy":"psyche 
"and "soul" mean the same thing,but soul is " softer". much more marketable. Now. But can 
you imagine Moreno calling  Psychodrama  - Soultherapy then?!   Yicks. Up the cringe 
factor.  Then it was Psychdrama vs Psycho analysis, Moreno vs Freud..
 The times have changed. The landscape is changed.

 As Moreno says somewhere in "who shall survive?".: It's not the  not the Homo Sapiens who 
shall survive,but the Homo Spontaneous.
I think he'd go for the name. Us doing the Obstetrics....

What about a forum during our conference?  Far out again?

warmly,
anath  garber

> From: adam at blatner.com
> To: anathga at hotmail.com
> CC: list at grouptalkweb.org
> Subject: Psychodrama by any other name
> Date: Tue, 23 Oct 2007 21:23:56 -0500
>
> Response to Anath Garber.
> Hi Anath. I hope you'll come to the ASGPP conference in San Antonio April 10-14 next
> year, and hope all the rest of you will come, also. (Anyone from another country---make
> sure you tell me if you plan to attend! I may have a little something nice for you.)
> Now, today AG wrote: There is something "off putting " about the term "psychodrama".
> I agree with you, Peter.
> AB: I comment on this on p.162 of the Winter 2007 issue of the Journal of Group
> Psychotherapy, Psychodrama & Sociometry, in a section on 'problems in terminology' in a
> paper I wrote titled Morenean Approaches: Psychodrama's Many Facets.
>
> AG: Sheepishly admit, ,that I have been offering "experiential therapy" for years...
> Whenever tried to push a person from chair to chair, I'd hear : "oh no,not that "psycho"
> thing. So I'd do the same thing in a subtler way. (ok Adam,another article I should
> write..).
> AB: Well, maybe---a commentary about this problem. Read my paper. If you have
> anecdotes, do write a paper. Short of that, consider writing a less formal paper and 
> I'll
> post it on my website. (I don't think you have a website yet.)
>
> AG Now,I can understand why people who come to consult with me do not want to be
> associated with anything that sounds "psycho", as they are quite worried that they may
> be a bit of that. I'll introduce "psychodrama" when I organize a "psychodrama group"
> made up out of my patients,where I use this use this method.. Because I have already
> earned their trust they join, and because the group is so effective, moving and fun, the
> "cringe" factor about the name disappears. My enthusiasm about psychodrama maybe a 
> factor
> too. I think. And also because they are part of a group.
> So here is an idea of the myriad of possibilities and much needed applications
> that Psychodrama can offer (don't get me started on it) -won't it benefit us if we
> "rechristen" ,or remarket ourselves as "Spontaneitists", like orthodontists,
> nephrologists, etc, suggesting a specialty (much in vogue..).?
> AB: Well, I enjoy an interesting neologism. The basic idea is not bad. The word is a
> mouthful---that would be a problem, mere pronunciation... but there's a willingness to
> play around with seeking a fresh word.
>
> AG As spontaneitists we would offer help, service, training, intervention in that
> which underlines all healing, creativity, spirituality, effectiveness, a "core" training
> (think "Pilates" as an analogy in body work ). Spontaneitists would be a name for
> everything psychodramatists can offer according to the demand of the situation. This way
> psychodrama can be lifted from the realm of therapy to include it, but not be limited by
> it.
> Am Society for Spontaneity,Group Psychotherapy and Sociometry?
>
> Of course that would require that we model spontaneity(Moreno was a Spontaneities) and 
> at
> the same time maintain professionalism,which may require some redefining or rather
> refining. Needless to say "a change of name" to suit the new professional firmament -may
> be a case of spontaneity.Hmmm... Far out? Warmly, anath garber
> AB: sure it's far out, but one of my mottoes is that "off the deep end" can also be
> framed as "where the really great swimming and even scuba diving happens." Thanks for
> your... well, spontaneity!! (smile) Adam
>


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