Psychodrama, Marathon, Encounter Groups

[Deborah]

ACADEMY AT SWIFT RIVER
Cummington, Massachusetts
Swift River Team To Discuss New Developments And Applications
Of Psychodrama At Miami IECA Workshop Entitled: "Lifesteps or Mis-steps?"

October 24, 2006

The emotional growth schools that emerged in the 1960's incorporated a number of expressive therapy techniques and experiential methods that were "popular" in the 1960's and 70's such as marathon, encounter groups, and psychodrama. Emotional growth schools recognize the role of feeling and powerful, here-and-now experiences for adolescents.

Advances, however, in our understanding of trauma, the adolescent brain and disorders of affect regulation have correspondingly led to more judicious applications of expressive therapies. These understandings have played a key role in Swift River's implementation of an evidenced based clinical model.

This workshop, hosted by Director of Counseling, Frank Bartolomeo, M.S.W., A.B.D. and Ed Schreiber M.Ed., T.E.P., Director of Moreno Institute East, will focus on psychodramatic techniques and especially the role of catharsis. Psychodramatic methods can be very powerful, however, when misapplied can create the risk of harm especially for certain adolescent populations. This workshop will address these misapplications and offer guidelines for safe, competent application of psychodramatic work.

Frank Bartolomeo, M.S.W, A.B.D.: Since January 2005, Frank Bartolomeo has been the Director of Counseling at Academy at Swift River in Cummington, Massachusetts. Prior to Swift River, Frank practiced in the Boston area and served as clinical director of a specialized trauma clinic, Children's Charter, Inc., and as director of the child and adolescent outpatient group therapy program at McLean Hospital. Frank was also an assistant clinical professor at the Boston University School of Social Work.

Edward Schreiber M.Ed., T.E.P., is a Trainer, Educator, Practitioner of Psychodrama, Sociometry and Group Psychotherapy. He is Director of the Moreno Institute East, a training center located in Western Massachusetts. Mr. Schreiber is co-editor, along with Toni Horvatin, of a recently published book on psychodrama: "The Quintessential Zerka: Writings by Zerka Toeman Moreno on Psychodrama, Sociometry and Group Psychotherapy" by Routledge Press
http://www.blatner.com/adam/pdirec/s-z/sa-sz.htm

http://www.strugglingteens.com/artman/p ... 5437.shtml

[Troll Control]

"Practitioner of Psychodrama"

Boy, this is all one need know to understand this place is a duck farm (i.e. full of quacks).

It just gets worse and worse, doesn't it?  "Psychodrama" just doesn't square with "evidence-based" approaches, does it?  

This form of "therapy" (*cough,* * cough*) is not practiced for a reason.  Many, many studies have concluded it does not work and is dangerous to subjects.

[hurleygurley]

Brain research that's been coming out steadily in the last few years due to technological advances in imaging, indicates, among many other relevant interesting things, that the repetition/reliving of traumatic stories makes matters worse. Every time the trauma is retold (especially under "therapeutic" circumstances when the "telling" is loaded) it reinforces the brain pathways that lead to that memory. This research has popped up a lot since 9/11 and there's been more attention on trauma therapy. No one does Psychodrama anymore except for the few who invested in workshops in the 70's and 80's and are still trying to get their money's worth.

From the Salesmanshipclub (ref. above)  - nice  name. ; }
http://www.salesmanshipclub.org/therapy_components.aspx

BTW: Internal research and evaluation is an important component of our mission as each program strives to deliver innovative, effective and efficient services. Each year, our research and evaluation team analyzes the effectiveness of each program.

An evaluation of family therapy clients in 2004 showed that after just 3-6 therapy sessions:

    * 70% with school behavior problems reported improvement.
    * 75% reported improved family relationships.
    * 99% of children remained in home.
    * 99% report being treated with respect.
    * 95% said services are helpful.

BTW, there is a good deal of this type of brain research that supports the simple idea that rapport, "limbic attunement" (empathy!) and loving attention et al... everything we know... is at the core of a truly therapeutic experience. I'll post some refs. soon.

[Anonymous]

Bump!

[Anonymous]

Bump bump.