Group Psychodrama for Dementia, Old Age, and Loneliness: Trusting the Process

Description

Group Psychodrama for Dementia, Old Age, and Loneliness offers a fresh approach for professionals working with older individuals by employing new and exciting custom methodologies in psychodrama, particularly for clients with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. This book offers a general explanation of the use of psychodrama by giving an overview of the therapeutic use of drama in all its forms, clearly explaining the concepts and methods, and describing the rationale of every intervention while also following a group over six years with precious documentation of the group process. It addresses the main concerns of those who suffer from dementia – adjusting to a new and changing level of functioning, fostering a sense of belonging, preserving their innate dignity, and redefining relationships and roles. This practical guide will help therapists, social workers, family and other caregivers, teachers, and medical professionals working with older clients seeking comfort from the loneliness of old age and dementia using group psychodrama. Cover Endorsement Half Title Title Copyright Dedication Contents About the Author About the Cover Foreword Preface Acknowledgments PART I Essential Background Defining the Process An Invitation to View a Session: The Forest My Initiation An Invitation to Meet Some of the Individuals Therapeutic Goals of Group Work What Is Psychodrama? Why Is It Good for This Population? PART II Initiating the Process Starting a New Group Meeting the Group and Meeting Myself Creating a Circle of Trust Following Session: Developing Cohesion in the Group Warm-ups Concretizing: The Language of Scarves A Descriptive Session: Sculpting an Ideal Leader Opening With a Sentence Empowering Subjects as Incentives to Connecting Using Personal Experience to Encourage Participation PART III Techniques and Tools My Psychodrama Tool Box The Empty Chair Example and Elaboration: Grandparents Roles The Importance of Working on Roles for the Elderly Examining Our Roles Projection Via Puppets: Elaboration Sharing – From My Process With Adolescents The Benefits of Anonymity: The Hat of Fear Explanation of the Technique Example of a Session: What Do I Have to Do to Be the Best Me Possible? Psychodrama à Deux Exercises for Pairs Drama Gift Shop Working in Small Groups Group Greeting Cards Emotion Exercises Drama Games Simple Improvisations Identify the Changes PART IV Observing the Process A Selection of Documented Sessions Sharing My Rationale Using a True Story as a Trigger Resilience Theme – LOVE. Technique: Imaginary Photo Albums Warm-up The Telephone Technique Seeing Your Name in Action The Use of Masks – Examples of Flexibility Stories From Periods in Our Lives Summertime Summertime Revisited The Use of Metaphors Reminiscence Therapy The Use of Objects Remembering Special Moments in History Welcoming a New Member (an Account of Group Progress) PART V Understanding the Process The Forms of Drama What Is Drama? Theater – All the World’s a Stage Creative Dramatics Drama Therapy Psychodrama A Classical Psychodrama Session Understanding Heinz Kohut Empathy Empathy in Our Group Mirroring Mirroring Exercises Twinship Sharing – From My Process With Adolescents Grandiosity Examples of Grandiosity in Our Group Moreno’s Inspiration Moreno Reflected Sharing My Process PART VI Coping With the Process Meeting the Challenges Dealing With Group Limitations and Adjustments Dealing With the Difficulties of Dementia Who Couldn’t Stay in the Group? Dealing With the Loss of a Group Member Training People Who Work With the Elderly PART VII Adapting the Process Dealing With New Situations: Creating a Psychodrama COVID-19 Zoom Group Plans and Implementation Zoom Sessions Plans and Implementation Zoom Sessions Zoom Session # 1 Implementation Zoom Session # 2 Conclusions From This Session Zoom Session # 3 Summary Zoom Session # 4 Zoom Session # 5 Homework Zoom Session # 6 Here Is a Brief Summary Zoom Session # 7 Zoom Session # 8 Creating a New Group Between Lockdowns PART VIII Beyond the Process Sharing My Thoughts Sharing From Members of Our Staff Learning From the Process Self-Image Social Image Medical Aspects More About the Participants From the Original Group and the Post-COVID-19 Group Appendix Further Illustrations Introduction Elaboration of Sessions I Feel Old When . . . No Place Like Home The Walker, Friendship Warm Associations With the Word, Winter The Essence of Life Reaching Out for Help A Psychodramatic Meeting With an Aide Celebrating the Purim Holiday Experimenting With Being Someone Else More Topics That Evoked Responses and Interaction More About Melabev, a Jerusalem Daycare Center for Dementia and the Elderly Glossary of Terms and Elaborations Bibliography Index