September News: Workshops, Talks and People

NEW BUILDING

PIM is still on the hunt for a new building, 155 Langridge Street sold in May and we moved in July.  We've come very close but to date, no cigar.  Currently all courses are being held in the "PIM Wing", my consulting rooms at Simpson Street, East Melbourne.  However until we find a venue, the MPS's Theatre of Spontaneity nights are postponed.

WORKSHOP

The 4-Day October Intensive, 3rd, 4th, 5th & 6th October is almost full, we have one place available as I write and this will be the first workshop of this length of time in our history.  Several MPS members from overseas are attending, Jun Maeda from Japan and Magdalene Jeyarathnam from India.  Magdalene is working toward her Psychodrama-Assistant Certification, and Jun his Psychodrama-Directorship.


TALKS

Jun Maeda and I are presenting a talk on the effects of the earthquake and tsunami on the Japanese people, that hit the East Coast of Japan in 2011,  at the University of Melbourne, Anthropology Department on Tuesday 7 October from 4 - 6 p.m with refreshments, as part of a project that is being exhibited over several weeks and organised by Hannah Gould and others on the Great Kanto Earthquake early in the 20th Century.

Currently we are planning an informal evening on Wednesday 8 October, from 7-9 p.m with Magdalene.  Magdalene Jayarathnam works as a counsellor with varied issues and populations, one of her interests is the LGBT populations in Chennai that she has worked with - adult children and their struggle with their parents, on coming out.  In India, the family structure is such that no matter how old one is, the family has a huge hold over each person.  Because of that, in many cases, the young person leaves the country and also because the Indian law criminalises same sex attractions.  Therefore Magdalene works through videoconference with the families who live in India and the young person who lives in the US or some part of Europe.  Also, the concept of family is very different among the transgender popluation in India particularly the Male to Female transgendered women, they form their own family groups called "Zamath" which is very fascinating.
There will be a small donation of $10.00 for this event, which includes a light supper of coffee, tea and cake. 

PEOPLE 

Katrina Gaskin is returning to Australia in 2015 with her partner Fred and we are naturally very delighted.  I am sure though that the New Zealand folk will miss her very much.   Linda Harrington and Bob Cummings are moving from Yarck to Yarra Glen, and I heard the latter is the best suburb to live in Melbourne, cleaner and greener among other things.  Helen Fryer will be coming over to Melbourne in November, for some Practicum Assessments.  Ted Bugarski and I have been doing a lot of travelling this year and I have been presenting workshops in India, China, the UK and Japan.  Through this work people are getting to know Australia more and what we do here in psychodrama.
We have several new overseas MPS members and there is a growing interest in our new e-Journal, "The Mirror".  Thank you to all the people who have written and said how much and what they enjoyed about it.  Thanks to the contributors and thanks too for the team of MPS people who grew the idea so that it flowered, and especially to Ted, the e-Journal Editor.

I know this year has presented many changes for us all and like all of the things we've gone through in our lives we will (and are) come through these.  I think of the words of a little poem which my God-Mother, Gwen Russell, wrote in my Autograph Book when I was eight years old:

Life is mainly froth and bubble,
Two things stand like stone,
Kindness in another's troubles,
Courage in your own.


Best wishes in your work and life,
Sue Daniel

All enquiries: 
0417 586 791

More August News and Dates for your Diary

• Psychodrama Institute of Melbourne is on the move, finding new premises and refurbishing the library with new books.  Being winter, what better time to borrow a book or a few journal articles and finding a warm cosy spot to read.

•  The 2nd Edition of THE MIRROR, the eJournal of MPS is set to be published by 8 December 2014.  The theme for this edition is Psychodrama and Children.  We already have some contributions as submissions are open.  If you didn't receive the 1st copy in the mail then perhaps you may not have paid your subscription for this year.  The eJournal is part of membership of MPS.  There has been a big interest in our journal with many overseas people writing on Facebook and emailing us on how to get a copy.  The best way is to become a Friend of MPS.  Please send all submissions or direct enquiries to the Coordinating Editor: Ted Bugarski at MorenoSociety@netspace.net.au

• The 4-day October Intensive is the next workshop event, to be held, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, 3, 4, 5 & 6 October 2014.  It's a popular workshop so we suggest that you get your applications and deposits to us before this coming Friday, 15 August.

• The Theatre of Spontaneity is taking a break in August and September and we are looking forward to a new series of events beginning near the end of October.  As this year is the 125th Anniversary of the birth of J. L. Moreno, founder and creator of psychodrama we are also planning on holding a series of video viewings of Zerka Moreno, talking about Moreno, the Psychodrama Method and demonstrating the method.  More news of dates and place to follow.

• The Moreno Psychodrama Christmas Party is being held on Sunday, November 30th at 4 p.m.  It will take the form of an afternoon tea with drinks and nibbles.

• Address for all correspondence to PIM remains the same:

104 Simpson Street,

East Melbourne, 3002

Tel: 0410 536 791

Spring is coming

Announcing the publication of the Inaugural Edition of The Mirror, eJournal of the Moreno Psychodrama Society, Friday 8th of August 2014

Members of the Moreno Psychodrama Society will be as delighted as we are to receive and see our eJournal, The Mirror published.  It has had a short birth from idea, to inception early this year to the first publication today, Friday, 8 August 2014.

We particularly thank the Moreno Psychodrama Society Committee for their creative endeavours in bringing the Journal to birth:  John De Bono (Chairperson), Jillian Hiscock (Secretary/Treasurer), Sue Daniel (Founder of MPS and International Representative), Melas Khole, Hans Wilgenburg, Ted Bugarski and Lyndon Medina (Membership Liaison), Danielle Forer, Yelena Ashlapova and Gavin O'Loughlin (Coordinator, Theatre of Spontaneity).

At the helm of the Journal is the Coordinating Editor, Ted Bugarski, Content Editor, Sue Daniel and Guest Editor for Edition 1, John De Bono.  Consulting Editors include Lyndon Medina, Ling Mu, Kath Kelly, Lethe Gaskin, Helen Fryer, Melas Khole, Danielle Forer, Marie Watt, John De Bono, Gavin O'Loughlin and Jillian Hiscock.

The First Edition focusses on organisations and systems. 

Contents:

Foreword: Zerka Moreno
Preface: Sue Daniel
Letter from the Guest Editor: John De Bono
Reflecting on Management and Leadership through the Psychodramatic Method: John De Bono
Sociometry and Sociodrama in an Organisational Context - Sue Daniel
Developing a Pair of Loving Eyes: Applying Sociodramatic and Psychodramatic Approaches with Lawyers - Jil Toovey
My Journey with Ted - Bob Cummings
Yes We Can - Jenny Gould
A Celebration of My Life with Animals - Gavin O'Loughlin
The Tree - A poem by Hans Wilgenburg
Contributor
Submission Guideline

We look forward to hearing from you regarding your first impressions and to having any dialogues through this Blog.

Sue Daniel
Director, Psychodrama Institute of Melbourne

On Psychodrama: visiting Zerka

If you can't play the embedded video, click here

Theatre of Spontaneity - Sunday 27th July 2014

 

“The horse has bolted”

 

Have you ever been in a situation where you said something and wish you hadn’t?

Have you done something and wish you had thought about it beforehand?

Has there been an opportunity that you have missed?

Have you intentionally let something go?

Come and explore this theme of ‘the horse bolting’ and catch it back at the Theatre of Spontaneity….

 

Facilitators are Lyndon Medina and Jillian Hiscock

Sunday 27^th  July 2014  at 6.00 pm. for 6.30 start – 8.30 finish

RSVP by 25th July to Gavin O'Loughlin  0403 597 685

$15.00 MPS members/$20.00 non-members 

The Location is 155 Langridge Street, Collingwood.

Light refreshment provided

Family, friends & colleagues are welcome

From Di Kearney on holiday in Spain

Dear Friends,
My photo from an ecstatic time in Reales Alcazar, Seville. 

So much beauty and communion in the architecture, and so many trees, so much birdsong, my essence wanting to be/ being in the trees. 

Reading Group on Friday 25 July at PIM from 12.45 - 1.45 p.m

What is your favourite psychodrama quote or paragraph?

For this month's Reading Group, we are asking everyone to bring their own favourite reading on psychodrama.  It might be a quote by an author or a paragraph in a book or journal.  Each one of us will read our piece first, say why we have chosen it and then we will discuss our choices.  It is not necessary to bring copies or send anything in before the day.

Moderator: Sue Daniel

The Reading Group commences at 12.45 p.m sharp and concludes at 1.45 p.m.  This allows the 9 - 5 working brigade to attend during their lunchtime.  Freshly brewed coffee, a selection of teas and biscuits are provided.  Please bring your own lunch.  The fee is $10.00 which goes to support PIM's library. 

 

The Zerka Moreno Library including the George Cally Reference Section

The PIM Library:

The PIM library was renamed the Zerka Moreno Library in 2006 in honour of Zerka Moreno who continues to be a prolific and interesting writer.  Her book "The Quintessential Zerka" was published in 2006 and her next book, "To Dream Again: A Memoir" was published in 2012.  
The library also contains the George Cally Reference Section with books donated to PIM by Clare Cally, widow of George Cally.  Other people have added to the library either through donation or on loan.  We welcome any new donations.  George Cally was a great exponent of psychodrama, training with Zerka and J. L but never became a fully accredited psychodramatist.  He was a Lecturer and Counsellor at RMIT and a very creative and humane person.  
Currently our whole library is being refurbished with new books and articles.  The latest article to be added to the library, written by PIM trainees and practitioners (No. 101) is "The Seeds of Mirroring" by Lyndon Medina.

The Future Psychodramatist from China

Tong (Chloe) Han visited Melbourne today.  She says this is her exciting day, her big day!  We look forward to seeing her again soon.

Reading Group, Friday, 27 June 2014 - Moderator, Marie Watt

"TO DREAM AGAIN"                              

  (In other words, "TO PLAY GOD")

Marie says:

"At the conclusion of last month's reading group, I found myself captivated by the title Zerka Moreno chose for her memoirs.  My curiosity prompted  me to return to the source in order to discover what was underlying this choice of phrase.  Turns out she was quoting her husband in a claim he made once when interacting with Freud, the so-called father of dreams. In this month's reading group, we will discuss this whole quote and also explore a little Moreno's own techniques when dealing with dreams."

 Quote 1: "Well, Doctor Freud., I start where you leave off. You meet people in the artificial setting of your office. I meet them on the street and in their home, and in their natural surroundings. You analse their dreams.  I try to give them the courage to dream again.  I teach people how to play God."    (Moreno 1946:5-6, also in Volume 1 in the section on the Psychodramatic Technique of Dream presentation).

Questions which occur:

Was he only talking about night dreams or was he using the dream phenomenon in a larger context in relation to psychodrama? 

What are the advantages of approaching a dream in the manner outlined in Volume 1?

What meaning can be made of Wilma Scategni's interpretation of this approach?

2. Quote From Wilma Scategni: "This brings us back to a concept that Moreno himself kept asserting (Moreno 1946:204) In fact. he affirmed that when a person is totally absorbed by a role, no part of his ego is free to observe this role and therefore to record it in its memory.  (Moreno posits the problem of training the ego to fulfil the doble role of thinking and acting simultaneously.)  At the same time, the attempt to recall the most minute detail both about the situation in which the dream developed and about the dream itself can set off a kind of 'Warm up" that allows the dreamer to experience the dream atmosphere most intensely.  In this way, Moreno invites people to envision the dream according to its sequence - beginning, development and end. Over the course of the dramatisation, he invites the patient to live through his or her dream while at the same time being outside the dream as an observer.  (Psychodrama, Group Processes and Dreams, Wilma Scategni 2002 P. 17)

What time?  12.30 pm for a 12.45 pm sharp start and finish precisely at 1.45 p.m.

Fee: $10.00 ( goes toward maintaining the Zerka T. Moreno Library including the George Cally Reference Section). Includes freshly brewed coffee, a selection of teas and a biscuit.  Bring your own lunch.

RSVP to PIM Administrator on 9416 3779

Moreno Psychodrama Society Members - Introducing Marie Watt

Psychodramatist, Educator, Community Worker, Dancer, Story-Teller and Dreamer

Scene-setting for the psychodrama of my life:

* Western District sheep farm

* Local bush school

* Convent boarding school

* Various convent locales in Melbourne during my forty-two years as a nun, educator and community worker.

* My return to secular living and my present work as a psychodramatist, group trainer and dream group facilitator.

Enough scenes you say?  Certainly enough to conjure up what seems like a cast of thousands - the auxiliaries and audience from all sorts of social milieux and walks of life, the ever-changing protagonist "me" and the director I have always sensed to be present.

The Drama:

As a I look into the heart of my life, I can identify the fires which seem to burn, the passions which animate who I am and who I want to become:-

1) My sense of the land of my being and my desire to explore it in depth.  This fire was lit in childhood as I explored the physical landscape and developed an innate sense of the presences it contains.  Religious life took this into spiritual realms.  My life among aboriginal people during my years as a nun returnd me to a sense of the spirit in the land and heightened an appreciation of the link between earth and spirit.

2) My life-long love of reading and story-telling and the scope these provide for a rich and imaginative life.  Fairy tale, folk tale and myth, in particular, paint in broad strokes the big themes of human experience.

3) The world of dreams, so archetypically linked with the stories mentioned above, yet so perfectly adapted to the details of the individual life acting as they do, as inner wisdom and guide.

4) The centrality of the body to the dance of life.  I am so grateful to J. L. Moreno for introducing me to the spontaneous dance of psychodrama and the body freedom this elicits.  This has become the salsa and cha-cha-cha of my present, giving me the freedom to explore the ever-widening dimensions of things.

The Sharing:

The above, I know is the bare bones of my experience, never really complete or perfectly understood until there is some response, spoken or otherwise, from the other, you, the reader, today.

I imagine you before me now.  I find myself mirrored in your eyes, through the lens of your own experience and feelings.

This interchange closes the curtain on things.

It's what makes me whole.