Psychodrama as a Psychotherapeutic Approach

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The methods of psychodrama, and group psychotherapy were developed and described in the 1930s by the Romanian-American psychologist and psychiatrist Jacob Levy Moreno. 

Psychodrama – psyche (soul) + drama (action) – is a method of group psychotherapy that consists in participants acting out scenes from their lives, in which conflict situations are recreated and the opportunity to freely respond to them is created. It combines diagnostic capabilities, stage performances (spontaneity theater), group dynamic sessions and analytical group work.

Moreno described psychodrama as a process that brings out the “truth of the soul through action,” highlighting focus on revealing personal truths and deep emotions through enactment.

Psychodrama is one of the most effective methods of group psychotherapy, based on dramatization, role-playing, dramatic self-expression of the individual, and game-dramatized modeling of one’s own life. With the help of this method, one can achieve personal growth, overcome a life crisis, master his main roles as a person, find a way out of conflict, and also achieve a solution to numerous life problems. 

Psychodrama can be very useful for those who suffer from low self-esteem, experience difficulties in relationships with people, cannot overcome the pain of loss or endure the consequences of mental trauma. Working in a psychodramatic group can help resolve a conflict with loved ones, or relieve the difficult experiences caused by it, as well as overcome resentment or feelings of guilt.

Work in a psychodrama group is based on both reality and imagined situations. It is possible to immerse yourself in the past and travel to the future. Past experiences, expectations for the future, fantasies, dreams, ideas saturated with conflict content are brought to the stage. These actions contribute to the awareness and overcoming (experiencing) of the conflict. 

Characteristics of psychodrama: 

• the use of verbal and non-verbal communication; 
• several scenes are played out (memories about specific events of the past, unfinished situations, inner dramas, fantasies, dreams, preparation for the future situations with possible risk, or involuntary manifestation of mental states “here and now”); 
• scenes close to real life situation, or ones that bring out inner mental processes; 
• if necessary other roles could be taken up by members of the group or inanimate objects; 
• the use of different techniques, such as changing roles, dubbing, “empty chair”, mirror, etc.

As a result of using different techniques, mentioned earlier, you can look at the situation from different points of view, perceive the position of another, understand unconscious factors of behavior, and so on. 

Another feature of psychodrama is that in a psychodramatic role-playing game there must be a protagonist (main character), who offers his life situation for staging. Protagonist is a participant who is at the center of the psychodramatic action, who explores aspects of his personality during the session. He portrays himself on stage, shows his own personal world. The protagonist must be himself, not an actor, since the actor is required to sacrifice his own personal “I” to the role offered to him by the playwright. He must act freely, exactly as he feels, act as internal subjective states arise. That is why freedom of external expression and spontaneity must be ensured. 

Other main roles are the facilitator who is a ‘producer’, supporting actors, and the audience. Not only the main character, but also his partners in the game, as well as other members of the group gain new personal experience, which contributes to the development of spontaneity and creativity.

Jacob Moreno noted that a large number of people implement role-playing behavior in real life like actors in the theater. Actors of ordinary theater lack spontaneity, they are involved in performing meaningless rituals and behave within the framework of the roles that others offer them. For example, people who smile equally politely both in joy and in sadness, not wanting to discuss their current emotional experiences in front of others. Psychodrama makes it possible to overcome stable patterns of behavior according to the script.

Jacob Moreno contrasted psychodrama with the passivity of psychoanalysis. He believed that psychodrama allows for active experimentation with both realistic and unrealistic life roles.

The method of psychodrama goes far beyond clinical or psychological problems and is successfully used for personal self-knowledge and as a means of personal growth and as a psychological training in a wide spectrum of spheres: business, politics, education, professional training, organizational development and much more.

The essence of using the psychodrama method as the most effective one in group psychotherapy lies in the fact that positive behavioural changes, including the ability to build healthy relationships and successfully adapt to stressful conditions, can be facilitated by interactions in modelling real-life scenarios.

By Iryna

iryna.falkivska01@icatt.it

Bibliography:

1. Journal of Group Psychotherapy, Psychodrama and Sociometry, 59(4), 159-170.
2. Nicholas, M. (2008). Psychodrama in the 21st century: Clinical and educational approaches. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 58(3), 425-428.
3. Kipper, D. A., & Ritchie, T. D. (2003). The effectiveness of psychodramatic techniques: A meta-analysis. Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, 7(1), 13-25.
4. Pylypenko N., Radchuk, H., Shevchenko, V., Horetska, O., Serdiuk, N., Savytska, O. (2023). The psychodrama method of group psychotherapy. BRAIN. Broad Research in Artificial Intelligence and Neuroscience, 14(3), 134–149.