"De-Marginalizing Psychodrama"

[pjrosi at aol.com]

Dear Adam,

I appreciate your thoughtful reply. It makes sense that a number of factors are at play, and I will look?up?the chapter & literature you mention to get a better grasp on them. I also appreciate?your reminder to focus on what I can do, rather than on what others have/haven't/could do. 

Thanks,
Rachael Cathcart

-----Original Message-----
From: Adam Blatner <adam at blatner.com>
To: pjrosi at aol.com
Cc: list at grouptalkweb.org
Sent: Fri, 15 Feb 2008 5:06 pm
Subject: "De-Marginalizing Psychodrama"



Here's an exchange that Rachel wanted to share with y'all: 

?

Rachael Cathcart??? pjrosi at aol.com?? wrote me: (in response to?Nolte's Thoughts on Psychodrama): 
Hi Adam, I'm not a practitioner, but one who is pursuing a masters in counseling and hopes to later pursue training in psychodrama. I am however, currently a client in a psychodrama group.

On reading John Nolte's email, I'm struck with a question. Has the psychodrama community given up on de-marginalizing psychodrama within the mental health fields?? I definitely see the benefit of expanding psychodrama certification to non-clinical applications, but I'm nonetheless curious about advocacy within the mental health professions as well. In my coursework, I'm peeved everytime Moreno is overlooked in my textbooks and in so much of the literature on psychotherapy.
?
Since I'm admittedly new to psychodrama and perhaps not fully informed on all the efforts that have been made over the years to advocate for psychodrama within mental health, I wonder if you could share a little of that with me.? Thanks & Regards, RC
????? ... and I responded: 


Hi Adam, I'm not a practitioner, but one who is pursuing a masters in counseling and hopes to later pursue training in psychodrama. I am however, currently a client in a psychodrama group.

On reading John Nolte's email, I'm struck with a question. Has the psychodrama community given up on de-marginalizing psychodrama within the mental health fields?? I definitely see the benefit of expanding psychodrama certification to non-clinical applications, but I'm nonetheless curious about advocacy within the mental health professions as well. In my coursework, I'm peeved everytime Moreno is overlooked in my textbooks and in so much of the literature on psychotherapy.
?
Since I'm admittedly new to psychodrama and perhaps not fully informed on all the efforts that have been made over the years to advocate for psychodrama within mental health, I wonder if you could share a little of that with me.? Thanks & Regards, RC
????? ... and I responded: 

?

Adam Blatner: Dear Rachael, there is no consensus in the psychodrama community; it's like society---it's rife with many perspectives. There's lots of apathy, complacency, helplessness, interest in pursuing one's own goals (not that this is necessarily selfish), and, really, a lack of any clear sense of?HOW to (as you say) "de-marginalize" our field within the larger field of psychodrama.

???? There are of course a number of components, some ideas, such as:

? 1. Publish more in other journals, and also in our own journal.

??2. Join local academic institutions as instructors, adjunct faculty, etc.; give classes.

? 3. Present more at other organization's conferences.... etc.

?

??? One of my ideas is that we re-package psychodrama not as a separate therapy but rather as a complex of tools that can be used to make all the other therapies work better. (Something similar is happening in medicine with, say, increasing numbers and types of applications of?laser and scope technology are being found in almost every specialty.)

?

??? Have you ever read my chapter in my 4th edition of Foundations of Psychodrama where I lay out the reasons that such a fertile and valuable approach has not been more widely accepted? So there's no room in this email to re-state that, but those factors will need to be countered. Some can't be countered, such as sheer numbers of competition.

?

???? (In the world economy, a too-often overlooked factor in the problems of America's economy is the growth of the economies of China and India, which together make up a population that is perhaps NINE times the size of America's population. Many Americans are still back thirty years (mentally) when the USA was in a neo-colonialist mood.)? Point is that there are many other types of therapy available, and many have already integrated significant elements from psychodrama. 

?

??? Anyway, there have been scores of efforts, continuing efforts, to promote and integrate psychodrama. The new book on theory gives a hint. Lots of stuff happening internationally---more than in the USA! Have you read my list of books on my website? Looked at the chapters I've written, or Jerry Corey has written?

?

??? So perhaps you may have some creative suggestions, too. The main thing, though, is to be hesitant to push others to do more. (I've been fairly criticized for this rah-rah tendency, I confess.)? Instead, consider how you can help.

?

??? For example, if you're in training, and your trainer doesn't write up her ideas or techniques, consider volunteering to do so for your trainer, allowing the trainer to be the first author. I think a number of psychodramatists are do-ers more than writers, and could use some assistance by an "amanuensis"---one who writes up an author's dictation. 

?

???? What do you think??? Warmly, Adam


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