Lifestyle Choices

Many different therapists challenged what they believed to bethe over-intellectual approach of analysis and encouraged more exploration and expression of feelings, including bodily expression. The orientation of therapy moved from an understanding of problems with the mind to an attempt to help a person feel more alive and whole by developing feelings, body, spirit and mind in proportion. This approach is sometimes called “Humanistic Psychology”.

This technique was developed by Jacob Moreno (18A-1974), a Viennese contemporary of Freud, who noticed that a particular actress became “nicer” in her private life when she played “nastier” roles in the theatre. People often found it easier to be honest while acting out a role. In psychodrama, former situations, or situations that are feared, can be acted out in a group setting. The acting out of the situation makes it more real and emotive than a verbal description.

For instance, a man, John, with cold angry eyes and a jutting jaw, has suppressed resentment against his father. The therapist might ask John to act out a scene with another man in the group, Frank, acting as his father. John would have license to say anything he wanted. He might for instance start by standing at a distance from his “father” and by being cold and cutting. The way he stood in relation to his “father“, and his tone of voice, would convey a very real impression of how he sees himself in relation to his actual father. In the group Frank would be encouraged to respond either in the manner of John’s father, or in his own manner, formed from how he sees a father (which would relate to his own past and might help him learn more about his own attitudes).

Perhaps Frank says, accusingly and critically, “You’re distant and cold!”

The edge of criticism sparks off an emotive memory in John, whose father was very critical, and suddenly he expresses some of the anger he has held back for so long: “You were the one that was cold, you bastard!” … and later, “I never want to be close to you again!” As the therapist recognizes that such anger covers pain and hurt, he might, after some time, direct the drama in a different direction. He could make an interpretation, saying something like “That coldness must have hurt you a lot.” Or he could suggest words that John could say, which he knows are just beneath the surface, for instance: “Dad, why didn’t you hold me?” If the therapist is wrong, the client will say so, or else will repeat the words with no feeling. If the therapist is right, the words will be spoken with feeling and lead to further memories.

John says: “Dad, why didn’t you hold me?” . . . “I wanted you to hold me” . . . “I missed you, Dad” and begins to cry. Frank holds him, and, moved by his own memories, cries too. As Frank holds him, John cries much more freely. As the crying stops naturally, they hug each other again, stand back, look at each other, smile and perhaps thank each other. John feels as if he’s glowing inside. From this experience, John may gain the following:

* He learns to feel the difference between his cold state (which is without sparkle) and a state of warmth (anger, tears and then pleasure).

* He learns that anger does not need to be destructive but can lead on to greater contact.

* He learns that it can be acceptable to have close contact, even close physical contact, with another man.

* He learns that it is not only acceptable for a man to cry, it is a tremendous relief.

By feeling the pain of what he missed with his father, he could be on the road to changing his coldness, for his coldness was in part designed to protect himself from his pain.

* He might change his actual relationship with his father, or he might change his relationship with men in general, since the child in us assumes that all men are like our father.

Precautions

All contra-indications to explorative psychotherapy apply even more, since this is a powerful and therefore potentially threatening technique. Because of the power of the technique, it is even more important for the therapist to have integrity and creative skill.

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)
Psychodrama

• Get rid of Health Insurance Maze
• Healing with Magnets
• Stress and Depression, how Family and Friends Can Help
• Complementary Alterna Medicine (CAM)
• Family and Health, Health Formula for your Loved Husband
• Nourished Aroma Hand Care
• The mind-Mind Care
• Just pregnant
• Scientific Skin Care from Hair to Scalp
• The Best Health Solution with Health Insurance Online