A couple years ago, during a training session, after having explained to my colleagues how I identify and name roles in psychodrama, one colleague suggested that I write a paper about it. Afterwards, I reflected on her suggestion a lot and came to the conclusion that she was ‘write’!, that was what I needed to do. Although, that paper is still evolving, what I have come to realize deeply since then is that paper was born out of my relationships with my colleagues. And so it was with the theme that I picked up from the launch of Psychodrama – Advances in Theory and Practice this evening.
The launch took place in the bookshop at Melbourne University. When Danielle Forer and I arrived at the bookshop, located in the Bailieu Library Building, a stone’s throw from the entrance to the library. It was just after 6.30pm and the sign at the front said it was closed for a private function. However, we knew the function was our function as we could see familiar faces standing not far from the glass doors. There were over a dozen of familiar psychodrama colleagues enjoying each other’s company and their pre-launch drinks and food. The spirit of the place was pleasant and light.
Neil Hucker, Sue’s psychodrama colleague of 30 years, introduced her and reminisced about his first contact with psychodrama nearly 35 years ago and how their passion for psychodrama brought them into contact with each other. I found it remarkable that their passion for psychodrama remains strong and fresh after all these years.
Sue looked strikingly soft as if she was a gentlest feeling. She started off by describing how the idea of the launch came about. It was born out of her relationships with Margaret Cunningham and Sue Benham both of whom rightly suggested a proper celebration for her contribution to the book. Among other things (which I did not register as I was busily deleting some photos from my camera’s full memory card to take photos of the occasion), Sue talked about her development of a new category of ‘freezing’ to expand the existing three – going away, going toward, and going against – in the description of coping or survival roles which is written about in her chapter. Sue also talked about how her involvement with the book came about. Again, it was in her relationships with the editors of the book with whom she have known and worked with for many years and the other authors. Ah, and she let everyone in on a secret that another book is underway!
Then in true psychodrama style, Neil got Margaret Shanahan to be the champagne that got popped, spreading across the stage toward Sue who was holding the book.
And so the book was launched and as Sue said, ‘It came from the world…it is now out in the world’. When I left the bookshop, I immediately opened and browsed through the book. As I walked through the trees on campus, something gently fell on my head and then landed on the open pages of the book. It was a tiny but beautiful young twig, half orange half red. The colours were striking and fresh. Then it suddenly dawned on me: ‘Oh yes, of course! The book has gone out into the world, and here is something from the world going into the book’. I studied the twig, fully intrigued, and decided that the twig would stay there between the pages.
22 November 2007
Tam Dinh
Psychodramatist in the world
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