In traditional group therapy sessions, participants generally discuss their fears and concerns with each other and a trained therapist, but there is usually little to no physical interaction or role-playing involved. In 1921, Dr. Jacob L. Moreno developed an alternative group therapy technique in which participants actually explored these issues as if they were actors in their own plays or films. Other members of the group would be encouraged by the therapist "director" to play supporting roles while the lead "actor" improvised a scene from his or her own life. This combination of drama and psychotherapy is known as psychodrama, and is used around the world as a way to force participants to express themselves through action, not merely conversation.
Psychodrama is closer to improvisational theater than scripted drama. The therapist or facilitator may set up a basic scene and even provide a few props, but it is up to the client to explore his or her inner emotions and create a character. A person suffering from low self-esteem, for example, may be asked to recreate a typical day at school, with the other participants portraying friends, teachers, bullies or parents as the scene progresses. Through psychodrama, the patient can safely interact with these past memories and express things he or she could not express at the time.
Some therapists also use psychodrama exercises to help members of their group sessions to develop trust and respect for each other. A typical psychodrama session begins with very simple warm-up exercises similar to visualization and focusing techniques used by professional actors. Once participants have warmed up emotionally and physically, the facilitator might select one group member to be the leading man or leading lady in a short play based on his or her life. Unlike drama therapy, where a group may be asked to perform a scripted play, psychodrama emphasizes spontaneous reactions and living in the moment.
During a psychodrama performance, the protagonist may encounter both supportive and antagonistic characters. One member may play the role of an abusive spouse, while another may play the protagonist's child or the rescuer. A therapist trained in psychodrama should always be available to intervene if the action becomes too stressful or traumatic for the participants. Psychodrama can lead to some psychological catharsis, but its main focus is providing participants with moments of clarity or insight into their conditions by physically acting out their fears and compulsions.
Psychodrama is not limited to the world of psychotherapy, however. Many motivational speakers and group trainers use role playing and improvisation in order to encourage more creative thinking among team members. Sometimes a subordinate is asked to assume the role of a supervisor in order to experience life from the other side of the office door. Group members may also be asked to play the role of potential customers or employees of a rival company. All of these exercises would help pinpoint any flaws in the project or potential perception problems.
Psychotherapists who wish to incorporate psychodrama into their group sessions generally need to receive specialized training before they can claim psychodrama as a sub-specialty. The teachings of Dr. Moreno and other pioneers in the field are still being taught today, and a properly trained psychotherapist should be able to control the psychodrama sessions and know when to intervene and when to allow the scene to continue. Many psychodrama sessions end with an open and honest discussion about whatever issues arose during the scene. This allows participants to cool down emotionally and analyze their own reactions to everything that transpired.
