→ Psychotherapy generally → PsychodramaPsychodrama
Jakob Levy Moreno (1890 - 1974) defines psychodrama as “the method that feels out the mind’s reality by acting.” Situations, conflicts and ideas are transferred into action. By this active, direct experience the participants make new experiences that allow for changes in their behaviour and attitudes.
Psychodrama is a method which permits to treat current and past circumstances of life that cause or maintain discomfort (e.g. social interrelations, job-related situations etc.)
This holistic approach includes not only role play but also dialogue, physical exercises and other creative ways of treatment, whereas physical diseases are also interpreted as an expression of inner problems. Psychodrama permits to re-experience difficult situations and to try out a new way of behaviour for the future.
The goal of this therapy is to encourage diversity of individual behaviour and self-activity, to augment spontaneity, creativity and ability for relationships and to remove existing dysfunctions in these areas.
Concrete psychodramatic experiences increase confidence in oneself and in the own possibilities and creativity. This leads to whole new action possibilities in known and encumbering situations. Intuition into oneself and other people is also deepened.
A specific form of psychodramatic work is therapeutical doll play with children (and adults) and mask play with adults. With the aid of masks and other figures, adults can more easily find other ways of expression and behaviour than those that were accessible to them before.