66th Annual Conference

Friday, February 20

Afternoon Workshops

2:30 - 5:00 P.M.

Workshop 62

Group Work with LGBT Clients- A Psychodramatic Perspective

Presented under the auspices of the AGPA Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Issues SIG

Chair:                

Jacob Gershoni, LCSW, TEP, CGP, Private Practice, Psychodrama Training Institute, New York, New York

While focusing on issues encountered by the LGBT community, this workshop will demonstrate sociometry in group-building and psychodrama in enactment aimed at deepening expression, increasing insight and facilitating behavioral change.  Experiential action techniques will be applied to issues such as: coming out, dealing with homophobia (internalized & external), and developing a positive identity.

demonstration-experiential-sharing of work experiences-didactic

Learning Objectives:

The attendee will be able to:

1. Asses group warm-up (cohesion) as various sociometric techniques are applied in action.

2. Follow the transformation of the protagonist’s narrative into action.

3. Participate as protagonist, auxiliary or audience in the enactment.

4. Identify issues specific to the LGBT community as he/she works with groups and choose a central concern to focus on.

Course References:

1. Coleman, E. (ed.), Integrated Identity for Gay Men and Lesbians – Psychotherapeutic Approaches for Emotional Well-Being, Harrington Press, NY 1988

2. Dayton, T., The Drama Within, Psychodramatic and Experiential Therapy, Health Communication, Inc. Deerfield Beach, Fla. 1994.

3. Gershoni, J., (ed.), Psychodrama in the 21st Century: Clinical and Educational Applications, Springer Publishing Co, NY, 2003