Hi Meera, Karen, and all,
Meera you have an interesting psychodrama background. And I am sure you will
find that the family constellation work will be an additional pleasure.
Protecting the integrity and fullness of the methods and theories of each
person's approach, for example, Jung, Adler, Ferenczi, Minuchin, Perls and
many others while also using them creatively as a springboard to the 'new'
is very tricky. I honor the career ancestors. I remember Isadore From
telling me. "If you are eclectic theoretically you may produce eclectic
clients, if you're discriminating you may produce a more discriminating
client." So Family Constellations and psychodrama may work together in
creative ways-may not be oil and vinegar.
Dr. Chris, thanks for these CTalk opportunities, and to all those
contributing to our knowledge, I am grateful.
Ed
On Tue, Aug 3, 2010 at 4:53 AM, Meera Finnigan
<meera.finnigan@xxxxxxxxxxxx>wrote:
Hi Karen & all,
Firstly Karen, congratulations on your publishing success. It takes
wisdom and courage as well as a sound knowledge of both modalities to
do what you
are doing and I wholeheartedly send support to you and your colleagues.
I have been reading with interest the various comments in relation to
your work and am prompted to share my experience with you and the group.
By way of background, I trained in psychodrama in Perth Western
Australia many years back in the late 70s early 80s with Dr Max
Clayton who himself had trained with J.L. Moreno at Beacon in NY.
The experiential part of the training consisted of completing
approximately 1000 hours of participation in psychodramas both as
participant in the early
days and in the latter part of the training as a student director.
It was a wonderful time of self disclosure, self awareness and
profound experience of group process.
At that time it was a liberating method for those of us born in the
40s and 50s whose parents and grandparents had endured a depression
and one or two world wars.
Psychodrama was an ideal method for breaking free of repression of
the self and allowing spontaneous feelings and emotions to be
expressed. Catharsis was encouraged in our group which had many
Christian Church members, ministers, mental health professionals,
educators etc all of whom were hungry for life. The method and group
process provided us with the freedom to 'just be' in a deeply
supportive but creative environment.
I understand the concerns of some contributors in our network
regarding the catharsis elements of psychodrama, especially those
working with victims of trauma, torture and serious child abuse.
There is clinical research into treatments of people suffering these
conditions and of this I have little experience, so I leave it to
those in the field who work within the parameters of their knowledge
and experience. Any model has its limitations and contra-indications
and of course should always be applied with good clinical judgement.
However, psychodrama along with any reputable method should not be
dismissed because it is inappropriate for some groups.
With regard to role playing vs representing, I would like to add
that in psychodrama, just as I have experienced in constellation
work, there is a profound happening when one steps into the
protagonists drama. It is not just acting, though it can be that if
the auxiliary has not tuned into the space. Mostly though, the
participants engage in an energy field created in the first place by
the protagonist (representative of the group agony) then contributed
to by the group members who take on auxiliary roles. Many issues can
be explored, not just family dynamics or family systems.
In psychodrama, I have participated in as many issues concerning the
human person as can be imagined and I have the deepest respect and
regard for the model. J.R. Moreno has made a remarkable contribution
to the field of human development, the understanding of ourselves and
our potential, and the resolving of unfinished life issues.
I was fortunate enough to participate in a 5 day workshop with Zerka
Moreno which was joyously rewarding.
I have only recently come to Family Constellation work which I am
just now finding my way with. I can compare the "knowing field' of
FC with the 'energy field' created in psychodrama. Regarding systems
theory, it is only useful in the hands of those who understand it and
can work with it. It's my experience that the facilitator needs to
be trained in systems theory in order to work with it no matter what
the model. I did some training in systems theory during a course in
Family and Couple therapy which I undertook before doing the
psychodrama training. I had no problem incorporating my knowledge
and training in systems theory into the psychodrama model.
Another interesting topic to look at is J.L. Moreno's view of
spontaneity versus the orders of love and the structure that one
works with in FC.
I have to say that I am excited about Family constellation work and
feel that I can enter into the work with an open heart, some clarity
and self awareness and take myself to another level of peace and love.
To feel that one has left the drama behind is a wonderful moment but
it has taken a lifetime of work, living and daring in order to get
there. This freedom from the story seems to me to be the promise of
Family Constellation work.
There is so much one can say about these two models and I for one am
very keen to buy your book when it has been published.
You have taken on a very interesting task and one that I am sure will
make a valuable contribution to the literature for people working in
both these modalities but for others too who have not yet discovered
them.
Thanks to everyone for their sharing on this site, it is a rewarding
part of my day to engage with the multitude of offerings from such
devoted people.
Meera
Meera Finnigan MA
Dirctor
Inner Management
On 27/07/2010, at 8:40 AM, Karen Carnabucci wrote:
Hello, Constellation Talk-ers:
You are among the first to know:
Karen Carnabucci and Ron Anderson have a book contract with Jessica
Kingsley
Publishers!
The working title is:
Integrating Psychodrama And Systemic Constellation Work: New
Directions for
Action Methods, Mind-Body Therapies And Energy Healing
We are writing this book because we believe psychodramatists and other
creative arts therapies should know about Constellation Work and we
believe
that Constellation facilitators and students could benefit more about
psychodrama and sociometry, which has definitely influenced
Constellation.
We welcome comments and questions to inspire us in our writing.
For more about Jessica Kingsley Publishers, see www.jkp.com
<http://www.jkp.com/> .
Karen Carnabucci, MSS, LCSW, TEP
Lake House Health & Learning Center
932 Lake Ave.
Racine, WI 53403
(262) 633-2645
karenc@xxxxxxxxx
Web: http://www.lakehousecenter.com
Wellness blog: http://lakehouseracine.blogspot.com
Coaching blog: http://wholepersonmarketing.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lakehousecenter
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/karencarnabucci
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