Psychodrama Therapy: Who Shall Survive By Jacob Levy Moreno

Psychodrama Therapy

Historical View

Jacob Levy Moreno was a 20th century psychiatrist who developed a therapy called psychodrama. He studied medicine at the University of Vienna, earning his degree in 1917. He was a practicing psychiatrist near Vienna between 1918 and 1925. Dr. Moreno employed many approaches in his therapy, including psychodrama, sociatry, sociometry, and group psychotherapy. He introduced group therapy into schools and prisons (such as Sing Sing), and he compiled the results of his research there into a book titled Who Shall Survive?:Foundations of Sociometry, Group Psychotherapy, and Sociodrama, which was published in 1934. He established the Beacon Hill Sanitarium (which was renamed the Moreno Sanitarium) and later, the

However, there is little empirical research to date supporting the impact of psychodrama. Over the past decade there has been a shift to provide more empirical research demonstrating the effectiveness of psychodrama in motivating change in the participants’ lives. Current research in psychodrama focuses on the impact of group trust and safety and the effectiveness of the sharing phase. Because psychodrama places heavy emphasis on trust and safety, counselors generally prescreen and prepare group members for the psychodrama process. The purpose of prescreening is important to psychodrama and any form of group psychotherapy because it ensures the group members are open to working on sensitive issues. If a person is determined to be not ready for a psychodrama method, the therapist is ethically bound to refer this person for individual therapy. Selecting individuals who would be a good fit in a group together may become a time-consuming process for the counselor. The experiential component of psychodrama can require a lengthy warm-up phase in order for group members to develop enough trust in each other to be comfortable spontaneously acting out aspects of their lives, particularly their concerns and challenges. Counselors are typically required to use specialized skills simultaneously in order to facilitate the trust-building process and transition into guiding the dramatic scene. Confidentiality can also be a concern in psychodrama. Whenever a group format is utilized, it is vital for the counselor to discuss confidentiality with the group members and work to ensure the psychodrama events are kept within the group. In the beginning of the group psychodrama experience, each group member will sign a contract of confidentiality. However, there are currently no legal implications