Building Resilience in Youth with Therapeutic Spiral Model™ (TSM) Psychodrama

By Mario Cossa, RDT/MT, TEP

Norman Garmezy, Ph.D., a Developmental Psychologist from the University of Minnesota, is generally credited with the seminal research on resilience and attempts to define what are now called protective factors—those aspects and experiences in a person’s life that equip them with
the ability to rise above adversity (Konnikova, 2016). Unfortunately, his untimely death caused the publication of his research findings to be posthumous.

In 1989, the results of a three-decades-long, intensive study on resilience were published by Emmy Werner, also a Developmental Psychologist (Konnikova, 2016). Her findings showed that a combination of environmental factors (such as the presence of a positive, caring adult in the lives of her subjects) as well as particular elements of personality (especially a belief in one’s own ability to affect the outcome of life situations) each had significant impact on the development of resilience.

In my work with adolescents both in the USA and in numerous countries around the globe, I have found the Therapeutic Spiral Model™’s (TSM) form of psychodrama (Hudgins, 2019) to be an effective tool for developing and enhancing resilience in youth from diverse backgrounds and cultures (Cossa, 2019, 2006). This article focuses on a specific intervention strategy developed for working with a group of youth in Bali, Indonesia.

Read the whole article here.

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Circle of Values

By Mario Cossa, RDT/MT, TEP

This article provides an overview of the first two years of a project using action methods in an educational setting in Indonesia. It was conducted at Campuhan College, in the village of Ubud on the Island of Bali. Campuhan College is a post-high-school program for Balinese youth that teaches English and computer skills combined with Leadership- and Values-Education. The author introduced staff to basic sociometric and psychodramatic techniques, with a special focus on the Social/Cultural Atom. He then worked with selected staff to integrate these, and other action techniques and philosophies into their program through regular, group sessions with students from the graduating classes of 2016 and 2017.

Read the whole article here!

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Posttraumatic Growth

There can be positive change after adversity.

By Adena Bank Lees, LCSW

For those who have experienced trauma, it is common to feel like life will never be the same again. As evidenced by a growing body of research, though, humans have the ability to not only “bounce back” from trauma, but to yield a positive life on the other side of a traumatic experience. Those who study and practice in the field of mental health refer to this as posttraumatic growth (PTG), defined as positive psychological change experienced as a result of adversity and other challenges in order to rise to a higher level of functioning.

About Posttraumatic Growth

The general concept that trauma can lead to positive change is a common theme that has appeared in religious and philosophical teachings for thousands of years, but it wasn’t until the mid-1990s that the term posttraumatic growth was coined by psychologists Richard Tedeschi and Lawrence Calhoun.

Tedeschi and Calhoun posit that PTG tends to occur in five general areas:

  1. Appreciation of life
  2. Relationship with others
  3. New possibilities in life
  4. Personal strength
  5. Spiritual change

These five factors make up the general themes of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), a 21-item assessment tool developed by Tedeschi and Calhoun to determine an individual’s progress in reconstructing their perceptions of self, others, and the meaning of events while they are coping with the aftermath of trauma. PTG does not discount those who struggle with posttraumatic stress. It does, however, offer a new lens through which an individual can explore themselves in the shadows of trauma.

Experiential Methods Can Encourage Posttraumatic Growth
As practitioners, we must meet our clients where they are at and not minimize their suffering by jumping to practical solutions. Most often, our assistance is sought after a traumatic event has occurred, so we need to take great care in introducing PTG concepts. Therapy – especially when experiential learning methods are employed – can help people see that things like these are true for them:

  • I discovered that I’m stronger than I thought I was.
  • I know better that I can handle difficulties.
  • I changed my priorities about what is important in life.

Experiential learning allows healing to take place in “real time” – we do not talk about something, we actually engage in it.

Take Christine (35 years old), for example, who was sexually abused from ages 8-13. Christine felt alone and did not trust others when she entered therapy. In several psychodrama group therapy sessions, Christine experienced group members’ support through their standing behind her with hands on her shoulders. She allowed hugs when crying or frightened. Group members contacted her between sessions to see how she was doing. At the close of the 12-week commitment, Christine reported, “because my group members were here for me and supported me when I was crying and in pain, I am more trusting that I can count on others in difficult times.” She continued with the group and strengthened the relationship aspect along with other aspects of PTG.

According to Dr. Kate Hudgins, co-founder of the Therapeutic Spiral Model, “Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is not a terminal illness. It can be treated with experiential methods such as those from the Therapeutic Spiral Model of psychodrama, which addresses trauma in action. As clients build up the strength to face their trauma, they realize that they can emerge victorious into PTG.”

Therapist, author, and lecturer Rokelle Lerner recommends using story writing as an experiential strategy to identify, clarify and solidify posttraumatic growth: “Every time we describe our life’s events, we are both providing and discovering underlying patterns of meaning. It is the meaning we make of our experience that shapes how we feel, think, and respond.” Lerner offers the following outline for writing one’s story:

  • Once upon a time… (wounding)
  • And when he/she grew up… (present)
  • The story changed when… (vision)

At the very least, we can help clients understand that posttraumatic growth is a normal process that can be a possibility for them.

 

References

Tedeshi, R.G., & Calhoun, L.G. (2004). Posttraumatic Growth: Conceptual Foundation and Empirical Evidence. Philadelphia, PA: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Tedeschi, R. G., & Calhoun, L.G. (1996). The Posttraumatic Growth Inventory: Measuring the positive legacy of trauma. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 9, 455-471.

Tedeschi, R.,et al, (2018). Post Traumatic Growth: Theory, Research and Applications. New York, NY: Routledge.

Article originally posted on Psychologytoday.com

 

Adena Bank Lees, LCSW, is a counselor, speaker, author, and consultant, providing fresh perspective on traumatic stress, addiction treatment and recovery. Her specialty is childhood sexual abuse, and in particular, Covert Emotional Incest. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Licensed Independent Substance Abuse Counselor, Board Certified Expert in Traumatic Stress ®, and a Certified Practitioner of Psychodrama. She is the author of Covert Emotional Incest: The Hidden Sexual Abuse, A Story of Hope and Healing, as well as 12 Healing Steps for Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse; A Practical Guide.

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Spectrograms in India: Increasing Cultural Competency through the Third TSM Psychodrama Safety Structure

by Steven Durost, PhD, AL

 

Scarves on the floor and saris wrapped around participants.  96 degree heat drying sweat as it comes of the body and fans providing more noise than relief.  This day is the fourth day of a seven day stretch of TSI Psychodrama workshops presentations.  Yesterday, we completed yesterday a three day workshop in Bangalore and then directly after flew an hour to Coimbatore where we slept and woke to be starting today.

Frankly, I like the heat. I have been traveling in India for almost two weeks prior to the workshops and I have been cold.  The temperatures in New Delhi drop fast from 70 to 40 degrees when the sun goes down.  Finally a place I can feel my toes.

Karen Drucker and I stand before our second group of 18 curious and eager participants.  They have all been in psychodrama training for several years under the tutelage of Jochen Becker.  Jochen lives in Germany and has devoted one month out of every three to develop psychodramatists in India.  His years of devotion have paid off in a group of trainees who have skills and a rich understanding of psychodrama.

Karen and I work through the safety structures with spontaneity aimed at building the group sociometry.  We are eager to deepen our understanding of Indian culture and people.  We are aware that we are unaware of our blind spots. So, part as training and part to build our cultural competency, we ask the participants to break into three groups and to develop spectrogram criteria that will help us understand what is important to them.  What do they want us to know about them selves and their world?

Karen and I were struck by the criteria they created and how much it revealed about India and the what was important to the participants.  Here are the criteria we put into action and some of the things we learned about Indian culture.

 

Education Level

The first spectrogram criteria was to “put yourself along the line in relation to the amount of education you have.”  The placement of the participants showed they were a highly educated group with PhDs, accountant, leaders and counselors.  They said that there is a great pressure in India to be educated. In some cases, one person is educated in order that they can then support the family back home.  I asked if there is a lot of shame around the amount of education one has.  I was told there is a great amount of shame if one has not achieved well in school. A woman who is educated can get a better husband and command a larger dowry.  However, there is a doubled edge sword because a woman cannot be more educated than her husband.  “A woman can be educated but only just enough.”  One participant stated she defied her parents and became more educated than they thought was proper.  The depth of this criteria provided a rich understanding of a topic we would not have explored or if we had we would not have done so in the same way.

 

Personal Space

The next criteria was “at home I have little physical space for myself to I have a lot of physical space for self in my house.”  The participants were spread evenly over the line with some saying they have very little personal space at home and needed to go to work or school to have space that is their’s.  And, other participants saying they had a good amount of space.  Discussion about why this was an important criteria followed as participants express that the idea of personal space is different in India…with people on buses and trains pushed up against or purposely pushing against you.  Someone suggested the criteria might have a follow up of “who would want more space versus who is content with the space they have.” Then someone mentioned that asking for more was considered wrong when growing up, so the criteria would be hard to answer because it would work against cultural upbringing.  Others suggested that participants expand on “what do you have in that personal space at home” and “what are spaces outside home where you have space.” And there was one even more interesting criteria being “how much emotional space do you have in this moment?”

 

Feminine and Masculine

The next criteria opened up many possibilities for exploration.  “In this moment, I feel feminine and at the other end in this moment I feel masculine.”  Again the line was balanced out with the majority of the participants more or less in the middle.  All three men were in the middle stating they felt equally in touch with their masculine and feminine sides.  Three women were fully at the masculine end stating they were feeling very pro-active/action-centered/making something happen in their beings.  This criteria’s richness has another level as the god Shiva is sometimes portrayed as half man and half woman.  This portrayal is when Shiva and his wife Parvati are spliced together…showing male and female energy equally.

 

Geographic Area

One other criteria that emerged from the groups is more of a locogram in which participants would stand in positions representing North, South, East and West India.  From these places, participants could talk/show the diversity of cultures in India based on regions.  We were told that each area is different, with different festivals, food, politics, language, landscapes and uniqueness.  Much cultural abundance could be found in this locogram.

Education level, personal space, the masculine and feminine internal connection and geographic area as diverse cultural identity were the criteria that the participants felt gave Karen and I a deeper understanding of the lives they are living.  There was so much to unpack in what they offered and insight into their culture.  Without asking the participants to come up with their own criteria, we would have imposed our own criteria and never had the luxury of unpacking cultural differences that lay in our blind spots.  In the planning for the workshop, we brainstormed spectrogram ideas to attend to social issues, political differences, cultural defenses/values, conflicts and interests.  However, we did not come close to the topics they felt important.  The learning for me is about providing opportunity within the safety structures for groups to have their own time to explore and build the sociometry they feel is important to let them have time to “show” who they are and how they are connected.  I learned more about Indian culture in that 45 minutes than in the two prior weeks of travel, multiple tours and cultural events.  With thought and care, the third TSM safety structure can be used to deepen cultural competency, create human connection and expand the positive impact of a workshop.

A drum sits in the middle of scarves at the end of the last day.  Art pieces depicting the autonomous healing center have been created, shared and integrated.  The end of my time in India is approaching.  I know I will miss the heat.  And, because our hearts were open to each other, I will miss the people from this workshop too.

Dr Steve

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Upcoming Training Series

Hello All you Lovely Psychodramatists.

Dr. Kate has asked me to write a blurb about the TSM training I have been offering in Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA over the past three years.  It started off as something organic and has evolved into four modules, each one containing 8 sessions. It is a closed group of trainees who meet for 3 hours once a month for 8 sessions.  This completes one module in the International Certification in Experiential Therapy Using the Therapeutic Spiral Model.

The first module is focused on Prescriptive (RX)  roles, teaching all the safety structures, doing small vignettes, and small group exercises that give people an opportunity to practice observing ego, containing double, body double, and restorative roles.  Participants learn to use the Trauma Survivor’s Internal Role Atom (TSIRA) to build the spontaneity and creativity needed to work with trauma for themselves and their clients.

The second module is 8 sessions of learning about the three different types of defenses, ie. Survival defenses, addictions, obsessions, and compulsions.  We make sure to have fun as we create different ways of exploring the group’s own defenses.  Then the last prescriptive role is introduced, the Manager of Defenses, and the group has opportunity to be creative in producing their own manager of defenses in self-presentations.  This series ends with a prescriptive role drama.

The third module is 8 sessions of directing and participating in full trauma dramas where transformative roles are introduced. The group meets the Sleeping Awakening Child, the Good Enough Mother, the Father, and Spirituality.  More seasoned group members have the opportunity to direct full dramas, while newer group members become more skilled as auxiliaries, deepening their learning in prescriptive roles, taking on trauma-based roles of Victim, Perpetrator and Abandoning Authority and Roles of Transformation, as mentioned above.

The last module is 8 sessions on transformation. September 2019 will be the first 8 sessions of the last module so stay tuned!

Each series gives an opportunity to take in new group members and allow for successful departures. Currently we have 10 group members, 4 of whom are more seasoned and 6 who are new to the model.  At the end of each 8-session series, I invite the Master and Creator of TSM, Dr. Kate herself, to come and co-lead a client group where trainees have opportunity to participate on the team and have in vivo supervision while practicing their skills with a client-based group.

This leads me to tell you about the upcoming May 2019 Personal Growth Workshop on Boundaries. (see TSI calendar at therapeuticspiralmodel.com for info and registration).  Since 2001, I have been bringing Dr. Kate to Ottawa to lead or co-lead personal growth TSM workshops.  All though the theme is always post-traumatic growth, we often like to focus on a particular areaof growth.  This May the focus will be on boundaries…. Where I Begin, and You End. May 24, 25, and 26th, 2019. We sure hope to see you there! Contact:  Monica Forst, 613-823-3848 or monforst@gmail.com.  Fee: $550.00 Cdn. Early bird.  $600. Regular.  Lunch included.

This workshop culminates the third module of the training series, where the training group will have just completed their 8 sessions on trauma dramas and many of them share their skills as Action Healing Team Members.

A Note from Monica Forst, TSI Trainer, Ottawa Canada 

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Updates to trainers and team before Kate returns to Asia Feb 18-March 16.

I think most of you know that Mario is now the Co-Director of TSI with me. It feels good to have someone in that role again since Francesca retired. But I really feel her presence these days as I connect more with some of the trainers on our website with different projects. A lot is happening. Probably more than I know!

Going back to IAGP was the best thing that ever happened to TSM. I am personally working two new sites—Croatia and Spain, each with 4 workshop contracts for 2019-2020 for the Basic Core Courses. Looks like Spain will start off with a residential in a convent on the coast of southern Spain in Malaga if all goes well for June. Croatia is almost fully subscribed already for June. We will spend Christmas there this year as well!

Steven and Karen are offering the first two modules in two cities in India almost as we speak! And another two are already planned I think to complete their level 1 courses. Steven has been sharing his ahead of time sightseeing and the juxtaposition of wealth and poverty.

Mario is doing his last Bali retreat. And our co-creation at Steven’s castle of TSM and cultural influences.

Sylvia just complied a chapter on TSM in a book a friend of hers solicited her to do. I was supposed to help but couldn’t and she got it done with just a few corrections! Thanks again for Francesca’s support.

Today, Linda, Nancy Alexander and our respective media folks and the new TSI organizer María are meeting to discuss a way to promote their online ACTS program on TSM and psychodrama through TSI trainers. Mario and I will discuss later as he will be sound asleep when we are talking. Seems like a win-win and it is an amazing series. Now that ABE is sending a proposal to the membership to vote on accepting 100 or so online bird, this is a great time to be sharing this powerful resource.

Ben has built a soup kitchen in Egypt to support women working as well as graduated his 2nd TSM cohort. The soup kitchen is thriving!

Scott is building a very successful local practice as therapist and trainer in Phily as the TSI east coast site continues to grow after two years of my time and investment with a new full cohort starting with the March residential Director’s Practice workshop. He has published 5 articles!

I just published a chapter in a German psychodrama journal. Andrea and I have hired Jonathan Moreno’s agent to help us write and market a self-help book using TSM exercises for the general public.

Vlada’s book is doing well and she is having a new daughter in March so future work on its Applications will happen in time.

It has been a busy time for TSM but we are so excited to see what else the future holds. Congratulations to everyone and their successes thus far!

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Traveling as Spontaneity Training: If you want to become a Psychodramatist, Travel the world!

By Scott Giacomucci, MSS, LSW, CTTS, CET III

Abstract

The experience of traveling has the power to provide us with rich experiential learning experiences and a deeper understanding of psychodrama theory. I offer this article as an personal discourse highlighting how traveling has offered me significant contributions in my evolution as a psychotherapist and pshychodramatist. Both JL and Zerka Moreno provide us with role modeling throughout their lives as travelers and world therapists. It is this author’s claim that through international travel one can exercise their capacity for spontaneity and creativity, learn to communicate non-verbally, and develop a trust for the universal presence of tele. Traveling provides us with a deeper awareness of ourselves and the world around us. Expanding our sociometry beyond our own social atoms, which is often limited in terms of diversity, allows us to experience the wisdom of Moreno’s teachings and come to an acknowledgement of both the humanness and godlikeness of all people. Read more

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The Sociodrama of Life or Death: Young Adults and Addiction Treatment

By Scott Giacomucci, MSS, LSW, CTTS, CET III

 

The continued opiate epidemic has severely impacted young people as drug overdoses have reached unprecedented levels. Young people, more than ever, have been seeking addiction treatment with mostly unfavorable outcomes. Adjusting our treatment approaches to the specific needs of young adults is necessary. Many treatment programs for young adults can be improved by incorporating engaging, experiential treatment groups into their models, including sociodrama and sociometry. This article emphasizes the effectiveness of sociometry in meeting the developmental needs of young adults in addition to recounting the Sociodrama of Life or Death, which manifested spontaneously in an inpatient group at Mirmont Treatment Center and has been enacted with many different groups since. The walk toward life in sobriety or toward death by addiction is a walk that many are facing each day. Using future projection and surplus reality, the sociodrama brings these two paths, side by side, into the room for the group to experience.

Keywords: Sociometry; sociodrama; addiction; young adults; adolescence; life; death; step-in circle; group psychotherapy. Read more

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Being in two places at once: renegotiating traumatic experience through the surplus reality of psychodrama

By Scott Giacomucci & Amy Stone

 

Abstract

This article continues the dialogue started by Skolnik 2018 about the synergistic union of social work and psychodrama group approaches. The theoretical and clinical alignment of psychodrama and sociometry with social work with groups will be described. A practice illustration from Mirmont Treatment Center will be presented and discussed to explore some of the dynamics of psychodrama and, in particular, the therapeutic value of surplus reality. Surplus reality is a creative tool used to provide a therapeutic corrective emotional experience. Integrating insights from neuroscience, this article advocates for psychodrama as a valuable modality for clinical social work- ers engaged in group work. Read more

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Experiential Addiction Treatment: Creating Positive Connection through Sociometry and Therapeutic Spiral Model Safety Structures

By Scott Giacomucci, MSS, LCSW, CTTS, CET III, TSI AL

Many argue that addiction is preceded by a sense of psychosocial dislocation, experiences of relational trauma, attachment ruptures, or neglect. The lived experience of drug addiction is incredibly isolat- ing and likely to disrupt relationships with one’s closest attachmentgures. Most agree that one’s social experiences-relationships, fam-ily, groups, and community-signi cantly impact the chances of recov- ery after addiction. Sociometry, the study of groups and interperson- al dynamics within groups, is uniquely effective in providing clients with corrective relational experiences in addiction treatment groups. This article outlines multiple experiential sociometry tools that hold the potential to cultivate safety, explore similarities between group members, establish group cohesion, and assess the group based on chosen criteria. These action-based sociometric processes, in addition to two safety structures from the Therapeutic Spiral Mod- el (TSM) of psychodrama, are outlined with facilitation guidelines and clinical vignettes depicting their utilization at Mirmont Treatment Center. These strength-based group structures can be adapted with different criteria, different populations, and used in any type of group setting.

Keywords: Addiction; Group therapy; Isolation; Sociometry; Thera- peutic spiral model; Trauma
Read more

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