PSYCHODRAMA TIC WAYS OF COPING WITH POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS IN PSYCHOTIC AND NON-PSYCHOTIC POPULATIONS

Authors

  • DONELL MILLER Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.12926/sb0rvy76

Keywords:

NON-PSYCHOTIC POPULATIONS, PSYCHOTIC

Abstract

How would you feel if one of your colleagues, as protagonist on a psychodrama stage, were to reveal a recent psychotic episode, complete with hallucinations, distortions and delusions? This is what happened at a Beacon seminar some years ago, while I was still a director·in·training. Such "irregular" behavior occurs regularly enough, I have since discovered, that my mentioning the incident today would hardly constitute a breach of confidence or even be a source of embarrassment to the person involved, were he (or she) here now.
Indeed, far from feeling dismay for a friend's indiscretion in telling "too much," I was proud of his trusting us and gratified to know one more psychotherapist capable of appreciating the length, breadth and depth of his patients' troubles. The very next session featured a nurse's re-living on stage a recurrent nightmare.

References

MORENO, J. L., Psychodramatic Shock Therapy, in Sociometry, Vol. 2 (January 1939) No. 1, pp. 1 3 0 .

MORENO, J. L., Code of Ethics of Group Psychotherapy and Psychodrama, Beacon House, 1962.

MORENO, J. L., Psychodramatic Treatment of Psychoses, in Sociometry, Vol. 3 (April 1940) No. 21, pp. 115.132.

MORENO, Z. T., Sociogenesis of Individuals and Groups, in Moreno, J. L., T h e International Handbook of G r o u p Psychotherapy. New York:. Philosophical Library, 1966, pp. 2 3 1 4 2 .

MORENO, Z. T., Ibid., p. 239.

MORENO, J. L., The Sociometry Reader, Glencoe, Ill.: Free Press, 1960.

LAING. R. D., The Divided Self. Penguin, 1958.

BorsEN, A. T., The Explorations of the Inner World , New York: Willett, Clark and Co., 1937.

MORENO, J. L. AND F. B. MORENO, Spontaneity Theory of Child Development, Sociometry, 1944, 7, pp. 89.128.

ERIKSON, ERIK, Childhood and Society, New York: Norton, 1950.

MORENO, J. L., A Case o f · Paranoia Treated Through Psychodrama, Sociometry .1944, 7, pp. 312-327.

MORENO, J. L., Mental Catharsis and the Psychodrama, Sociometry, 1940, 3, 209ff.

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Published

2025-01-19

Issue

Vol. 25 No. 1-2 (1972): Group Psychotherapy, Psychodrama, and Sociometry

Section

Articles

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Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Psychodrama, Sociometry, and Group Psychotherapy

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