Theatre of Spontaneity - Friday 24 October 2008

The Moreno Psychodrama Society and the Psychodrama Institute of Melbourne present the October "Theatre of Spontaneity".

Our guest presenter is Margaret Shanahan and the topic is:

"The Gift of Time"

Tickets at the door: $20.00 ($15.00 for Members of MPS)

Venue: The Psychodrama Institute of Melbourne

155 Langridge St

Collingwood

RSVP 9416 3779

The Chalkboard Concert

On the first dark night of spring, tucked in amongst the sightless roller doors of auto electricians and panel beaters, one-by-one they came, to this nondescript door in Langridge Street. The poster, curling at the edges announced “Chalkboard Concert!” Clearly, this is what attracted them, this disparate group of spasmodic, jerky poets and clowns, jugglers and sword swallowers.

As they entered, welcoming words were exchanged followed by the obligatory cup of tea and slice of cake. It was only then that the mysterious group gathered in a circle of chairs, patiently waiting until the MC announced the first act. The list of acts played out from the board behind her, presented in no particular order:

• A political haiku
• A frighteningly realistic impersonation of James Cagney
• The spirit of ABBA was channelled, and threatened to invade the circle throughout the night
• Laughter class – the students were extremely unruly
• Tai Chi class – the students were remarkably graceful
• Coin toss – take one elbow, 24 coins add gravity and duck!
• Stories from Estonia
• Estonian language class
• Monty Python was TV channelled
• Poems of the sea and loss
• Poems of butterflies and dappled wings
• Stories of floating, drowning and redemption
• Blindfolded third-person art charades
• A limerick that made no mention of Nantucket!!

And so it went, until the night called them back into the street, where they disappeared into the darkness, followed by ghostly cries of “Tere õhtust” and the faint strains of “Dancing Queen”………

Lunchtime Reading Group - 29 August 2008

You are invited to attend

The 3rd READING GROUP for 2008 at PIM

Topic: "Moreno's illustrations of Role Reversal with his son Jonathan."

Discussant: Lethe Gaskin

Date: Friday, 29 August 2008 from 12.45 – 1.45 p.m
Psychodrama Institute of Melbourne, 155 Langridge St, Collingwood

Meeting at 12:30 p.m for a 12:45 p.m start, this is the second of a one-hour series of reading seminars for those interested in the writings, theory, practice or philosophy of J. L. Moreno. In this third seminar Lethe will focus on Moreno’s concept of Role Reversal. The reading material is compiled to assist us in our discussion.

There is a donation of $10.00, which will be used to maintain and expand the PIM library. Bring your own lunch, freshly brewed coffee, teas and biscuits are supplied.

References: “Illustrations [of Role Reversal], PSYCHODRAMA, Vol. 2, Beacon House, N.Y. 2nd printing 1975 by J. L. Moreno. pp. 142-149

Copies of the above material are available for those attending the reading group. Call the PIM office on 9416 3779

2008 Reading Group Dates:
Fridays: 29 February, 30 May, 29 August and 24 October, 12.45 – 1.45 p.m.

Moreno Society Spring Gathering - Chalkboard Concert

Monday September 1st 7.30 – 10.30 pm at PIM 155 Langridge Street Collingwood

This is a whiteboard marker, non-toxic, splash of colour, anything goes, bring your spontaneity and creativity in any form gathering. We welcome demonstrations of macrame, limerics, short stories, readings, favourite recitals, songs, a sense of humour, observations from your life, moments of time you’ve seen that are momentous – you probably get the idea...



Everyone welcome, bring a plate for supper and anything you’d like to drink and we’ll begin there.



RSVP before Friday 29 August 2008

Nikki Alderman 0418 134 749

Vale: Zimba

Phil Smalley's beloved dog, Zimba, unconditionally-loving and loved companion of 16 years, was caringly put to sleep last Sunday morning at the Lost Dogs Home Vet Clinic, aged 17 years. Her health had been declining over the last 6 months, but particularly so in the last couple of weeks, and it hurt Phil very much to see her suffering. We've heard so much about Zimba, many of us have met her and know how much she meant to our friend and colleague, Phil. Phil says, "I am naturally very sad and miss her terribly." Here are two photographs of Zimba, taken about 4 1/2 years ago, which Phil provided. This little poem came to my mind just now.

Zimba
Z. Zzzz. Zimba
Happy dog
Loving friend
Rest in peace.

Sue

If you would like to contact Phil, his address is 29 Claude St, Northcote 3070

7th Birthday Celebrations at PIM

Birthday Wishes. Sue Daniel cutting the cake!

PIM's 7th Birthday was celebrated by this group at an afternoon tea on Sunday 20th July, the first of many celebrations to be held during the week.

Moreno Psychodrama Society on IAGP Webpage

The Moreno Psychodrama Society joined the IAGP (International Association of Group Psychotherapy and Group Processes last year. Since Lethe and Katrina Gaskin have moved and are living and working in Aotearoa (aka New Zealand), a branch of MPS has started there with them.

To reflect MPS's expansion we are now officially and formally the Australian and Aotearoa Moreno Psychodrama Society (MPS).

Want to have a look? We are under a flag and all. You might even want to check out the IAGP Rome Congress section and join the Psychodrama Section Announcement List. All information can be found on this webpage.

www.iagp.com

Click on the Affiliates tag on the top bar.

Tele Moments

Today, I ran a group in the community, in education.

A significant tele moment happened in the coffee break. We had both reached for the orange biscuits and the cantaloupe almost at the same time - then not only did I find out that she was writing, a book as I am, but that we both wrote poetry. When I told her that I liked and wrote haiku (a Japanese form of poetry), she looked at me intently and instantly said, I do too.

We swapped business cards and will be having a coffee together in the near future.

Have you had any tele moments lately? Or before?

Sue Daniel

Psychodrama with Children and Adolescents

Greetings to PIM and MPS members,

We extend an invitation to you to join our newly formed interest group for people who are using Psychodrama in their work with children and adolescents. Our next meeting is on:

Monday July 28 at PIM from 7.00pm - 9.00pm.
The group is meeting on a bi-monthly basis.

The interest group is open to Psychodrama practitioners and trainees who are using Psychodrama in their work with children and young people. It is experiential and experimental, following Moreno's philosophy and values. The Meetings consist of case presentations, article reviews, discussion and action.

The meeting provides a space:

- To focus on working with complex trauma
- To move out of the familiar – challenge ourselves
- To increase our creativity
- To focus on self care in the workplace
- To develop and strengthen our individual, family and group work skills with children and young people.

New ideas and new members are most welcome.

If you have any questions or plan on attending please contact Danielle Forer on 0411675597 or email forerdanni@yahoo.com.au

Looking forward to meeting others with an interest and passion for working with children and young people.

Danielle Forer
On behalf of the interest group members.

PIM's 7th BIRTHDAY

An invitation to PIM trainees and practitioners and MPS members,

On the 22nd of July 2001, the Psychodrama Institute of Melbourne emerged. In May, 2001, urged on by many people to start a training institute, an idea emerged in me. The idea expanded as we talked and discussed and dreamt. Look what happened. PIM was born and here we are still!

While PIM is a psychodrama training institute, covering the methods of role training, role theory and its various applications, sociometry, sociodrama and groupwork, the training groups provide a haven, a place of growth and an opportunity to be part of something for each person. Together we created and continue to create PIM. We are affiliated with La Trobe University, Masters in Counselling Course, in the School of Public Health. From PIM came the Friends of PIM (FoPIM) and then the Moreno Psychodrama Society. Later, the Advisory and Assessment Board of Psychodrama came into being - now the Australian/Aotearoa Board of Psychodrama. We've given birth to reading groups, interest groups, including the latest children and adolescents interest group, writing groups and two conferences, including an International Psychodrama Conference in 2006, pictures of which you can still see on the PIM website:

www.psychodrama-institute-melbourne.com

We published a newsletter Social Atom News, which later, gave way to this blog, the e-newsletter of MPS and PIM. We developed the Theatre of Spontaneity, which is in its second year and the only sociodramatic event, which is run monthly and open to the public, in the world. In the library there are 79 articles, written by trainees and practitioners and trainers over these 7 years.

Two Celebrations

To celebrate this auspicious birthday, we've planned two events. On Sunday, 2o July we are holding an Afternoon Tea from 4 - 6 p.m at Langridge Street. We ask that you bring something for the table and also something for the psychodramatic table. It might be a poem, a photograph, a drawing, a presentation in action of what PIM means to you, brings out in you, and affects you in your life today.

The second celebration is the following Saturday, 26th of July from 4 - 6 p.m at my home, 104 Simpson Street, East Melbourne (RSVP 9416 3779). We are having a fire, and a dvd of Zerka Moreno - who is 91 - and our psychodramatic patron, conducting a brief and poignant psychodrama with one person. This goes for 1.5 hours. We'll look at her use of auxiliaries, the role of the auxiliary as double and other aspects of the method. I have seen this dvd already and found it very moving and really special in her using this medium in such a fine way, given the sensitive nature of psychodrama, which is based on feeling (tele), and therefore usually quite antithetical to the video medium. We are providing drinks; tea, coffee, juice and wine.

It is with great pleasure we, the Faculty of PIM invite you to these celebrations. Without you, PIM wouldn't exist. Thank you!

With love,
Sue

2001 PIM Brochure designed by Ted Bugarski

2002 PIM Brochure designed by Yvonne Sherring-Howard