Moreno Psychodrama Society - May Subscriptions

We hope everyone had a wonderful Easter. Time surely does fly with Term 2 training at PIM already begun, party planning underway - yes, PIM is celebrating 10 years of co-creating its training institute. The celebration date is Friday 22 July, exactly 10 years to the day when we began our institute at the venue of the Uniting Church in Nicholson Street, Abbotsford. Within two years we had our own building at Langridge Street which has provided a very nice home for MPS, PIM, the Theatre of Spontaneity and for our community.

As all of you are aware, MPS membership runs out each financial year. Within the coming week we will be in the process of sending membership fee notices for the next financial year to all of our current members. Do keep an eye out for your renewal in the mail. It is coming with your party invitation. Please be sure to send the notice back to us with your payment details so that we can keep your membership up to date.













We hope you all have a fantastic and invigorating month and enjoy those wonderful Victorian sunrises and sunsets!

MPS Committee

The Moreno Psychodrama Society Month of May Poetry Slam!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Presenter: Daniel James

The Japanese art form Haiku forms the warming up for May's Theatre of Spontaneity.
A Haiku Poem is composed thus:

Five Syllables
Seven Syllables
Five Syllables

The short form tells a story minimalistically which encourages the writer to really focus on the most descriptive words and phrases.

My house is burned
But the cherry tree in my garden
Scatters its blossoms
As if nothing has happened.

(Anonymous)

(Italics mine: Sue Daniel -
After the Japanese Tsunami, 11 March 2011, I decided to sit in the sun and read some haiku from the book, "The Narrow Road to the Deep North and Other Travel Sketches". This one (above) is a favourite of the great Japanese Haiki Poet, Matsuo Basho, written by a friend of his after his house burned down. It is of course translated into English and may not completely follow Haiku form).

Daniel James continues.....

However creative juices can flow to create a Haiku chain whereby the last line of the first poem constitutes the first line of the next Haiku and so on.
Bring your creative juices
5
7
5
and see what creativity in the written word can bring to creativity in action.

See you at the Theatre of Spontaneity, Sunday 29 May from 6.30-8.30 p.m
PIM, 155 Langridge Street
Fee: $20.00 ($15.00 MPS members) A light supper is served.

RSVP John De Bono 0429 427 873

Dr Seuss in Japan

Dear Friends,

I had a Child-Aid Piano Concert at a City Hall in the Tokyo metropolitan area tonight.

A friend of mine, an internationally renowned concert pianist played a modern piece of music written by Elliott Carter. I interviewed her, then led a large group talking with the audience of about 70 people. I read a picture book at the end asking the audience for a child-aid donation. We really had a special time together to enlarge our self having been shrunk more or less.

My helping activities are with young colleagues in Tokyo and colleagues in a base camp in MIYAGI now. Then we get into second stage to prevent ASD and PTSD from the first aid we had been engaging in. Many teachers and mothers are needed to help to know how they can be with their children and how and what they can tell their children.

My reading a picture book was a demonstration of "Reading Picture book Therapy" I am calling and telling people how it can work as a very curative method for such a time. I am going to make a simple manual as everyone, I mean layman (or women, italics mine), can do it. I tried how it works in a small group at the last town meeting and did it again in a large group. I am convinced it is surely effective and anyone can do it. Even children can do it each other and it can be good for elder people, too. I received some donations and much warm feelings from people about what I am doing and the planning of the second step activities. This is one of my ways of demonstrating feeling for people and myself in this hard situation. It is happiness for me to feel the warmth of such a warm people who shares love and dedicate mutual aid without sparing oneself.

The picture book I read tonight is "Oh, the Places You'll Go!" by Dr. Seuss. It is interesting that the translation into Japanese of the Japanese version seems to me Japanese like. It was emphasized rather Self not Ego. The modern music of Eliot Carter written in 1945, a piano sonata, seems to me conveying astonishingly a great harmony and strength of Mother Earth. So when I read the picture book by Dr. Seuss with my own translation done more straightforwardly it worked very well.

In this way, we are stepping forward.

Best wishes,

Hide

We welcome Sadie!

Dear Sharni,
Love and best wishes to you and Sadie,
from all your friends at the Moreno Psychodrama Society and PIM.

Welcome Gracie!

Another new arrival in the social atom, Gracie, puppy of Jil Toovey and Gary.

Events at PIM in March

After the Opening night, 25 February, where we welcomed not only new and old trainees and their guests, but also psychodrama practitioners, the PIM training program recommenced this week. Nikki Alderman is teaching the Level 1 group on Tuesday nights, Sue Daniel is taking the Level 2 group on Wednesday evenings and Simon Parker is teaching the Advanced Training Group, Level 3, on Thursday nights.

Training events beginning in March:
1. Tomorrow, Friday 4 March from 9.30 a.m to 12.30 p.m sees the start of a series of supervision seminars led by Sue, "Active Listening: Psychodrama in One-to-One Counselling and Individual Psychotherapy".

2. The PIM Elective ongoing series "The Past is the Present" begins on Friday, 11 March from 9.30 a.m to 12.30 p.m. There are 8 sessions conducted by Sue.

3. The Supervision Group for Practitioners begins on Friday, 18 March from 2 - 5 p.m. There are five bi-monthly sessions throughout the year.

4. On the 25th of March the Psychodrama Practitioners Group will hold their second meeting for the year, on last Friday of the month from 9.30 a.m - 12.30 p.m.

5. On Saturday 26 March the Practicum Training Group will meet from 10 a.m - 5.30 p.m.

For all training enquiries ring (03) 9416 3779

Personal and Professional Workshops
1. The first series of Simon Parker's personal development groups "Psychodrama Wellbeing Groups" began February 14 and will conclude March 28. Enquiries for the next series: 0417 351 239.


2. Sue Daniel is conducting a Personal growth group for professionals entitled "Exploring your Path". The first group (3 sessions) begins 25 March and continues 1st and 8th of April. Enquiries: 0417 586 791.

Theatre of Spontaneity
On Sunday March 27, the Moreno Psychodrama Society hosts the second Theatre of Spontaneity for 2011.

Questions and Answers
&
Wherever they lead you
In the moment

Director: Phil Smalley

(With thanks to Bernard Pivot)

Doors open at 6 p.m for a 6.30 p.m start. A light supper is served at the conclusion of the evening, 8.30 p.m. Entrance fee is $20.00 for non-members and $15.00 for members of MPS. Pay at the door.

Enquiries or RSVP: John De Bono 0429 427 873

New Arrival in the Social Atom

Jenny Clifton, Mark and Taya welcome their new kelpie dog, Audrey.

Tonight: The Theatre of Spontaneity

PIM News - Opening 25 February 2011

The Opening Night of PIM for the 2011 year is Friday 25 February 2011 at 7.30 p.m concluding at 10.30 p.m.. A light supper is served. Friends and colleagues of trainees and practitioners are welcome to attend. The evening provides a unique opportunity to meet trainees from all levels, practitioners and members of the faculty.We are pleased to say we have some new books and articles in the library:

1. Trial in Action: The Persuasive Power of Psychodrama by Joane Garcia-Colson, Fredilyn Sison and Mary Peckham. Hardback. Trial in Action is about the use of psychodrama by Trial Lawyers in present day USA.



2. A Clinician's Guide to Psychodrama by Eva Leveton. This is a third edition of Eva's first book, entitled "Psychodrama for the Timid Clinician". Paperback.
3. The First Psychodramatic Family by J. L. Moreno, Zerka T. Moreno and Jonathan Moreno, a new 2011 edition by The North-West Psychodrama Association. This book is a must for all Family Therapists, for those bringing up chidren and for anyone interested in the early years of psychodrama with the Moreno's. Paperback.
4. The Theatre of Spontaneity by J. L. Moreno. Hardback. (Back in the library after an absence).
5. The Quintessential Zerka edited by Toni Horvatin and Edward Schrieber. Hardback. On loan from my personal library for trainees only).

Books and articles are available to be borrowed outside of term by MPS members and trainees. In term (6 weeks) the library is exclusively for the use of trainees and trainers. The borrowing period is two weeks. All material that was borrowed over the Christmas and New Year period must be returned by the start of term. Thanks everyone! Watch this space for new works and articles.

This is PIM's tenth year of psychodrama. We are having a party on Friday 22 July, put the date in your diaries. Bring friends and family.

Best wishes on your psychodrama journey this year,

Sue Daniel

Hidden Twins - Book Review

Hidden Twins
by Olivia Lousada
Published by UKCP, 2009
Karnac Series

This lively book opens up the world of twins and challenges a perception that the baby's first connection is with the Mother, and, that the smallest social atom is the dyad of Mother and child. The smallest social atom may still be two, the twins themselves, or a triad, Mother, and the two babes. Or the Mother may be under an illusion herself, that it is she and each baby or even she and both babies, not comprehending the babies relationship with each other. The babies have their own secret world from the beginning. This thesis posed by the author of "Hidden Twins" is an intriguing one and many questions emerge from this work. Such is the aim of research, to enquire and to reflect upon. This book is very successful in this regard. Psychodramatists will also be delighted to see how Olivia works with an action focus with her group. I recommend "Hidden Twins" to psychodramatists, psychologists, baby health care nurses, psychiatrists, philosophers, teachers and doctors as a resource, a reflection and an educative work of significance.

Sue Daniel
Director, Psychodrama Institute of Melbourne