Adam Blatner
Words and Images from the Mind of Adam Blatner
Imaginative Interviews: A Psychodramatic Warm-up for Developing Role-Playing Skills
The skill of acting “in role” is a prerequisite to full participation in psychodrama, sociodrama, Gestalt therapy, some techniques in family therapy, guided fantasy, and approaches that encourage imagined encounters between sub-personalities (Watkins, 1986; Hillman, 1983). Psychodramatic techniques such as doubling, role reversal, responsive auxiliary ego work, role training, or using the “empty chair” require […]
Posted in Psychodrama, Social-Depth Psychology (Sociometry) | No Comments
Why I Think Attacking Iraq is a Baaaad Idea
1. It’s not a pre-emptive strike–that’s an euphemism, a nice way to put what is really naked aggression. The claim is that they’re going to attack us or someone pretty soon, as soon as they get their armamentarium established. The appeal of the “hawks” is to that point in history before Hitler attacked, perhaps that […]
Posted in Current Events, History | No Comments
Envisioning Moreno’s Ideas In The 21st Century
(First written in 1992 and revised, posted August 2, 2002.) Abstract: The thesis to be presented here is that Morenean methods—group dynamics, psychodrama, sociodrama, sociometry, action approaches, and the various concepts associated with these—will be most useful in the coming years as the field of psychotherapy is to some large extent squeezed out of the […]
Posted in Psychodrama, Psychotherapy and Psychiatry | No Comments
Nonverbal Communications, Part 2: Learning by Using Experiential Methods
As mentioned in Part 1 — the overview on nonverbal communications — it is helpful for people to learn about this dimension of human behavior. This paper is Part 2 building on Part 1, and will discuss some ways that can be achieved. One element is simply learning the information, setting up the categories in the mind, […]
Posted in Psychological Literacy, Psychotherapy and Psychiatry | No Comments
Four Types of Learning
(I mentioned these ideas briefly in my books, noted below in the references, but I thought I ought to explain them a bit more.) Four categories of learning may be discerned: Each involves a different kind of learning process. This has relevance for the training of the psychotherapist, for the planning of treatment, and for […]
Posted in Psychological Literacy, Wisdom-ing | No Comments
The Hero Process
What does it mean to have a hero, or to be a hero to someone else? In the course of your life, do you participate in anything heroic? Does heroism need to require physical daring? Super-powers? I think the word has become distorted and diluted. I want to suggest that the heroic reflects a process […]
Posted in Essays and Papers, Psychological Literacy | No Comments
Re-story-ing the Soul
This keynote presentation at the annual meeting of the American Society for Group Psychotherapy and Psychodrama in April, 1999 wove together three themes that I’ve now divided into three different wepages. One, here, addresses the idea that psychodramatic methods can be used to address issues of spiritual development, soul-deepening, experiencing an enhanced sense of meaning […]
Posted in Psychodrama, Psychotherapy and Psychiatry | No Comments
An Open Letter to Psychodramatists
Overview Psychodrama is a method for helping people explore psychological and social situations, considering more constructive alternatives, and becoming more creative in general. It’s kind of like a laboratory, only with the techniques derived from the theater instead of specialized glassware, electronic equipment, chemicals, etc. I think it’s the best single group of tools for […]
Posted in Psychodrama, Psychotherapy and Psychiatry | No Comments
The World Needs You
Something I think young people–and old people, too, and, really, everyone–need to hear repeatedly is the phrase, “the world needs you.” And, indeed, we do, in the sense of drawing forward the best–the talent, creativity, political engagement, work, towards helping to build a better world. I envision every middle school and secondary school hosting a […]
Posted in Wisdom-ing | No Comments
Christmas Holiday Greetings 1980
In 1980, we moved again from 3173 Idaho Drive to 1538 Leonard Avenue, a slightly larger home closer to the private practice office I had opened on 114 Sotoyome Drive. I also worked part-time at the Sonoma County Mental Health Clinic. A little grey kitten “Poomie” adopted us this fall, which helped with the loss […]
Posted in Autobiographical | No Comments