Written By Elizabeth Scott 

I am passionate about exploring hypothetical situations through the lens of Sociodrama, a therapeutic group process that promotes listening, understanding, and empathy.  What is Sociodrama?  It is a live action modality that involves specific methods, all of which allow participants to be actively engaged, heard, and seen.  Sociodrama typically occurs in groups and is completely unscripted.  It is actively experienced through our bodies and minds in order to weigh different options of a given scenario or decision.  It is a process that unites all members of the group through a scaffolded approach to finding solutions and problem solving.   I love the holistic approach of Sociodrama and how it moves beyond just talking and enters the role of full engagement.

            An example of Sociodrama that might apply to family therapy would be a situation in which a family is hypothetically exploring whether to send their child to college out of state rather than the child staying at home and commuting to school.  The director would lead the family through the steps of the drama by beginning the warm-up period of the piece.  Sometimes the enactors or participants volunteer to take on different roles or they might be assigned different roles to portray throughout the drama.  During the main action phase of the piece the protagonist is guided by the director through a series of enactments in order to explore the essential issue in a structured way.  Following the main action there is always a sharing in which each participant has time to process their experience.

            There are many different warm-up exercises that set the stage for the spontaneous nature of Sociodrama and unite the group before delving into the meat of the hypothetical situation.  One example is Twenty-One, a game in which the enactors are challenged to count to twenty-one as a group with only one individual speaking at a time.  If two enactors say a given number at the same time, the leader starts over again with the number one.  This exercise requires concentration and teamwork, a great way to build the energy of a Sociodrama.  Any given warm-up exercise will help establish trust between enactors and will build a secure foundation of communication before the main action begins.

            The power of Sociodrama lies in the “what if?” nature of the form.  The spontaneous, playful elements of Sociodrama paired within a specific structure allows enactors to take risks and learn from each other.  Sociodrama is one of my favorite forms of group therapy because it is so flexible and creative.  It gives each participant a voice and encourages self-awareness through both enactment and reflection.  Sociodrama underlines communication and self-expression as well, which carries over well after a given session is over.

Interested in therapy for your child? Sign up here.