Death of Gene Eliasoph

[Adam Blatner]

Eugene "Gene" Eliasoph, MSW, TEP, died on January 5, 2008. He was one of the early 
pioneers of psychodrama, the "first generation" after Moreno. He was a major trainer of 
psychodrama---indeed, in 1961 he founded the New Haven (Connecticut) Psychodrama 
Institute---which might then have become one of the longest-running training programs! 
Gene was active on the executive committee of the ASGPP in the late 1970s, and was the 
organization's president 1981-1983. In 1991 he was recognized with the J.L. Moreno Award 
for Lifetime Service to the field of Psychodrama; in 1996 he was given the Innovator's 
Award, and in 2000 the ASGPP granted Gene the Hannah Weiner Award. In the last decade or 
so Gene was also active in investigating a number of associated issues, such as the values 
of assisted technology in the treatment of people with autism.
      Mary Jo Amatruda wrote: Our dear Gene (Eugene Eliasoph) died last night. I feel so 
fortunate to have worked with him, first as his student and then as his colleague, for so 
many years. I know many of you have stories connected with him as well. He was a man of 
great courage and generosity and, of course, brilliance. There will be a memorial for him 
on Saturday, Jan. 12 at the Celentano Funeral home in New Haven. The details have as yet 
to be confirmed. If you want more information, email me at  jamatruda01 at snet.net

Mary Jo further notes:
  He continued to run the autistic group until Wed! He loved that group. One other thing I 
would add is that Gene was a great group therapist. He was a sociologist before becoming a 
social worker and he always had that group therapist/sociologist hat on. He really kept 
his trainees focused on the group therapy aspects of what they were doing.

         Please send me any testimonials, anecdotes, facts, corrections, that might add to 
this information, and we can form an obituary for the not-the-next-but-the-one-after-that 
issue of the Psychodrama Network News. --- Warmly, Adam Blatner