As a constellation practitioner who includes psychodrama, energy work,
imagery, sand tray and other kinds of activities in constellation session, I
have been enjoying this discussion about catharsis. I want to add a few
things about catharsis from my perspective as a psychodramatist and
constellator:
Catharsis is one of the most misunderstood elements of experiential practice
and experiential therapy.
Inexperienced group leaders of all kinds - and often their clients - often
describe catharsis only in terms of discharge of intense emotion of anger,
grief or pain. In the old days of psychodrama and other kinds of groups,
this may be interpreted as screaming, yelling, wailing or sobbing, sometimes
while pounding pillows with objects or flailing fists against pillows. Some
people once considered "effective" therapy.
Strong emotions definitely can emerge during a session. Sometimes the
emotional or physical expression - often labeled an "abreaction" - is very
satisfying to the working participant and even the group. But an experience
that involves a simple sigh, fully realized laughter, a knowing "ah-ha!" or
a new intellectual reframing is equally valid as a cathartic experience.
In the classic Greek theater, catharsis related to emotional response of a
spectator watching a theatrical production. But Dr. J.L. Moreno, who
developed psychodrama - a kind of "ancestor" to constellation work -- also
interpreted catharsis as intellectual, as providing insight to past and
present situations.
However, there is a difference between the catharsis of watching a
conventional drama and here-and-now immersion in a session as a working
participant, representative or observer.
Dr. Moreno identified the greatest and most healing catharsis as the
"catharsis of integration," which comes from the immersion into action and
involves language and movement, past and present and sometimes the future.
His collaborator Zerka Moreno added to the concept years later by affirming
that the protagonist-working participant-client does not owe the facilitator
a catharsis, which she repeated many times to her training classes which I
attended for years. With this statement, she opened up permission for the
action to proceed in a normal fashion without pressure for the working
participant to perform or to "make" anything happen.
With a catharsis of integration, the working participant is able to begin to
change perspective, energy direction and behavior. Some people believe that
experiential therapies actually change the configuration of the brain cells
because psychodrama creates new memories, which in turn change the brain.
Indeed, this reconfiguration, invisible to the outside world, may be the
real catharsis.
Saying what has not been able to be said (a child verbalizing truth to his
distracted mother); receiving what has not been received (an acknowledgement
of responsibility from an abuser); and doing what has not been done or could
never be done (expressing sadness of five generations) allows a completion
of unfinished business. This, when taken in and felt, is the catharsis - a
catharsis of integration.
Karen Carnabucci, MSS, LCSW, LISW-S, TEP
Lake House Health & Learning Center
932 Lake Ave.
Racine, WI 53403
Phone: (262) 633-2645
E-mail: karenc@xxxxxxxxx
Web: http://www.lakehousecenter.com
Blog: http://midwestpsychodrama.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lakehousecenter
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/karencarnabucci
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