DEA Psychodrama Institute – Sofia, Bulgaria
Training Programme in Psychodrama, Sociometry and Group Therapy
1. Introduction
The Psychodrama Therapist / Director training as a specialized continuous training follows the main guidelines of DEA Psychodrama Institute. These guidelines are coherent with the requirements of both the Bulgarian Society for Psychodrama and Group Therapy (BSPGT) and The Federation of European Psychodrama Training Organizations (FEPTO).
The certified psychodrama therapists acquire the qualification and the authority to employ Psychodrama autonomously and at their own responsibility as a group and/or individual therapeutic method.
The certified psychodrama directors acquire the qualification to employ autonomously and at their own responsibility the psychodrama as a group and/or individual method for personality development and enhancement of emotional competence in pedagogic, psycho-social and organizational contexts.
The first and primary goal of the training is to develop the participants’ emotional competence and experience towards personal autonomy and maturity, capacity for perspective-taking, awareness and expansion of their personal creative potentials. On that base, gradually, the study of main elements and instruments of the Psychodrama process is introduced: warm-up techniques, moving into roles, soliloquy, role-reversal, the double, the mirror, sculpture, projection into the future, etc. As a second central element, the training includes specialized modules devoted to methodology, process-analysis, topical seminars of guest-trainers, active reading of texts from the field of psychodrama and psychotherapy, theories of mental development and personality, etc.; individual written summaries on preliminarily set program, consistently kept individual training diaries of all trainees. The third essential component is the supervised practice. The participants are gradually allowed to practice their skills for conducting warm-up, sociometry, vignettes, finally full psychodramas in the advanced group under the supervision of their trainers. The final step of this component is conducting a group on their own under indirect supervision. The trainees are expected to prepare minute protocols of their work which are then explored and analyzed carefully by their supervisors in order to help them develop their skills and understanding of the process. The final assessment of the trainees takes into account all these aspects of their performance throughout the training.
2. Prerequisites for training
2.1 For the Psychodrama Therapist training
BA/BSc or MA/MSc degree in the helping professions (Psychology, Pedagogy, Social Work, Medicine, etc.), 22 years of age. Upon graduation from the Psychodrama Training: 2-4 years of proven practical experience in the corresponding professional field in which Psychodrama will be applied.
2.2 For the Psychodrama Director training
BA/BSc or MA/MSc degree in a field different from the helping professions, 25 years of age. Additional qualification, providing essential competences in the area of psycholgical personality formation and functioning, psychopathology, etc. Upon graduation from the Psychodrama Training: 2-4 years of proven practical experience in the corresponding field in which Psychodrama will be applied.
3. Structure and content of the training
3.1 Basic level
Certificate: for participation in a self-experience group
Content: working-through personal issues and contents in group-psychodrama context
Duration: 200 hours x 45 minutes during a minimum of one year. The group could be conducted in either weekly or monthly sessions.
(NB: the number of hours at all levels corresponds to the minimal training requirements of both BSPGT and FEPTO)
3.2. First training level
Certificate: Psychodrama Assistant/Consultant
Content: Quintessential knowledge about the theory and practice of Psychodrama, Sociometry and Group Therapy. Role playing in individual and group setting, experience with the main tools of Psychodrama. Personal experience, theoretical and thematic seminars, supervision. Final colloquium and case presentation.
Duration: 600 hours x 45 min for a minimum of 2 ½ – 3 years. Of these:
- 250 hours of making part of a group process, perspective taking and taking the role of Protagonist, Antagonist and other Auxiliaries.
- 200 hours of conducting the group process under supervision, with focus on warm-up, sociometry, protagonist selection, setting-up the stage, directing ‘vignettes’ and functioning as a co-director/leader; with ongoing supervision and process analysis.
- 150 hours of theory, autonomous work with scientific texts and participation in topical and theoretical seminars.
3.3 Second training level
Certificate: Psychodrama Therapist / Psychodrama Director
Content: in-depth knowledge about the theory and practice of psychodrama, sociometry and group therapy. Theoretical and topical seminars, exercising the role of director in individual and group setting. Systematic supervision and self-experience. Conclusive exam and theoretical/clinical paper.
Duration: 600 hours x 45 min for a minimum of 2 ½ – 3 years. Of these:
- 100 hours of taking part in an advanced training group as a Protagonist, Auxiliary, etc.
- 350 hours of working under supervision, of which 100 hours of conducting autonomously in the advanced group with ongoing supervision and process-analysis, 200 hours of conducting a group outside of the training group, 50 hours of individual supervision of one’s practice outside of the training group.
- 150 hours of theory – working autonomously with scientific texts and theoretical and practical participation in theoretical and topical seminars.
3.4 Main characteristics of the training levels
- The basic level aims to develop the emotional competence and experience towards greater personal autonomy and maturity, capacity for perspective-taking, expanding the creative potential. It is a prerequisite for entering the first level of training.
- The first training level (Psychodrama Assistant /Consultant) includes personal experience and exercising psychodrama in a permanent closed (or slow-open) group. This format allows the participants to experience development in the group, in which they take part and upon which they reflect. The training is being supplemented by topical and theoretical seminars such as: Moreno’s therapeutic philosophy, the interpersonal view of the human in Psychodrama, principal Psychodrama tools and techniques through the prism of developmental psychology, main stages of the psychodrama, peculiarities of the group process, therapeutic factors, etc.
- The second training level (Psychodrama Therapist / Psychodrama Director) can be started after successfully accomplishing the first level of training. It is once again conducted in a closed (or slow-open) group with the same or different trainer / trainers. The main emphasis is once again set on applying the method and its tools and techniques but this time on a more advanced level and supplemented with supervision of one’s own individual and group practice. Advanced training seminars are held, connected with psychodrama diagnostic of personality development, role theory and developmental psychology, action and role pathology, as well as other theories of personality (e.g. humanistic psychology, the systemic paradigm in psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, object relations theory, Ego-psychology, etc.)
3.5. Main components of the training
The training is conducted in the form of weekly or monthly seminars with a group of 8 to 15 participants. For the most part they are conducted in permanent closed (or slow-open) training groups. Such groups are organized at different locations in the country based on demand. The seminars are usually held for two or three days once-a-month (for a total of 16-20 hours x 45 min.).
3.5.1. Experiential Training
This component of the training provides an opportunity for acquiring a first hand “I-” and “Thou-” experience, reflective integration of Psychodrama tools and techniques, experiencing and psychodramatic and sociometric working-through of the group process. The closed model of the group enhances an in-depth work with the group matrix and the kind of interactions ad role offerings coming from “Me” and “The Other”.
3.5.2. Topical Seminars
In the course of one weekend the closed or ad-hoc group, conducted either by its habitual or invited trainers, works on a specific topic of interest. The dedicated topic is from the field of psychotherapy or expanding the social competence. The personal experiences vis-à-vis this topic are explored, supplemented and reflected upon through the prism of the Psychodrama paradigm.
3.5.3. Theoretical Seminars
These seminars teach the main elements of the theory and therapeutic philosophy of Psychodrama. They present and explore also other theoretical models, their differences and common grounds with Psychodrama so that the participants could develop a general understanding of the field of psychotherapy and enter productive dialogues with representatives of other schools.
3.5.4 Supervision
Supervision is conducted either in training seminars for supervision or in small supervision group as well as in individual sessions.
3.5.5 Individual work with texts
In their autonomous learning process the trainee works with texts on the theory and practice of psychodrama, as well as other major psychotherapy theories.
3.5.6 Conclusive written work
The conclusive thesis is based on the trainee’s experience in applying the method and explores topics intrinsic to psychodrama theory. During the conclusive colloquium the practical experience is enacted on stage and discussed while the theoretical knowledge of the candidate is being assessed.
Quantitative comparison of the Training Programme hours with Minimal Training Standards of FEPTO hours:
|
Self-experience Theory and techniques Training for conducting Supervision Decided freely Practice Total hours |
FEPTO
200 120 200 80 120 160 880 |
DEA PD Institute
200+250+100 = 550 150+150 = 300 150+100 = 250 50+50 = 100
0+200 = 200 1400 |