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A Dramatic Approach to Gestalt Group Work
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Description:

   This workshop employs a distinctly Gestalt forms of psychodrama. Unlike classical psychodrama Gestalt psychodrama employs group members, rather than trained auxiliaries, to play the parts of the important others in someone’s work. By means of role reversals the “protagonist” speaks all of the words, with the role-playing members imitating the “protagonist”’s voice tone and body postures as they speak back some of his/her words. This makes for greater realism and a more vivid sense of how the person interacts with these others. This method also deepens the group members’ involvement in the therapeutic process and promotes group cohesion.

Purpose:

   The purpose of this workshop is to teach the principles and to
demonstrate how this peculiarly Gestalt version of psychodrama can increase the intensity and realism of therapeutic work in groups, and can deepen the involvement of the group members with each other and with the therapeutic process itself.

Objectives:

   To show how Gestalt psychodrama differs from classical psychodrama, and is a “pure” form of Gestalt therapy.

   To demonstrate how Gestalt psychodrama can be used in group work.

   To demonstrate how this method increases therapeutic intensity and augments the therapeutic power of Gestalt group work.

   To demonstrate how this method increases the involvement of the group members in the therapeutic process and deepens the members’ relationships with each other.

 
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