MISSION
Zerka Moreno has more than once shared with me Moreno’s conviction that Psychodrama started from the Balkans and sooner or later it would come back to the Balkans. I accepted it as my (and Psychodrama Center Orpheus’) mission to contribute all that I can to fulfill Jacob Levi Moreno’s conviction by:
- Popularizing psychodrama among the professionals and society in Bulgaria
- Comprehensive professional training in: classical psychodrama, sociodrama and group psychotherapy; psychodrama for children; psychodrama and action methods for adolescents.
- The practical application of psychodrama in the fields of therapy, psychosocial activity, education, theater, organizational psychology, working with children and adolescents.
The achieved already popularity of the psychodrama method in Bulgaria releases Orfeus’s resource for:
- Continuation to the efforts of Professor David Kipper to improve the quality of the method’s application, its scientific advancement, its return to science
- Popularization of the method in countries and continents where this method is still missing or is less known
AIMS:
- To provide a complete training courses in: classical psychodrama, sociodrama and group psychotherapy; psychodrama for children with the method of Alfons Aichinger and Walter Holl; psychodrama and action methods in working with groups of adolescents, for the professionals in the field of helping professions. To maintain and improve the qualification of already certified psychodramatists.
- The practical application of psychodrama in the fields of therapy, education, social sphere, working with children and adolescents, organizational psychology, etc. Supervision.
- To conduct research (quantitative and qualitative) in the field of psychodrama – proving effectiveness, exploring the therapeutic factors; as well as training in the application of the research tools to control the effectiveness of the own practice and to improve it.
- To propose and conduct lectures, presentations, seminars and training courses in Orpheus educational programs in countries and continents where the psychodrama method is not yet known or is less known.
TOOLS FOR ACHIEVING THE INSTITUTE’S OBJECTIVES:
- Training programs for: classical psychodrama, sociodrama and group psychotherapy; psychodrama for children with the method of Alfons Aichinger and Walter Holl; psychodrama and action methods in working with groups of adolescents.
- Creation of international teams with leading psychodramatics for conducting seminars and training courses on Orfeus programs, in countries such as the Republic of South Africa, Egypt and elsewhere.
- Including conducting research in Orpheus’s training programs, conducting training seminars in the application of the research tools for both students and practitioners of psychodrama.
- Cross-seminars for the Institute’s students directed by guest trainers
- Thematic cross-seminars
- Personal potential development groups
- Summer “academies”, intensive courses, specialized schools, thematic courses
- Collegium of psychodrama practitioners
- Open lectures for specialists in the helping professions
- Participation in and organization of seminars, conferences and congresses – local, regional and international
- Orpheus Library, providing specialized literature – psychodrama and other forms of psychotherapy – books, magazines, bulletins, articles and publications.
- To create professional contacts and cooperate with other psychodrama organizations which have similar aims, as well as with other specialists practicing psychodrama or other psychotherapeutic methods, for the mutual exchange of experience, enhancement and improvement of the method.
In Psychodrama Center Orpheus we accept as a basis Moreno’s classical psychodrama, while at the same time we are open to all diversity and richness, by shapes, modifications and combinations of the method with other methods and directions. The aim is to provide students with the opportunity to experience as much as possible of this richness and diversity, as a result of the spontaneity and creativity of the leading psychodramatists. But the goal is the trainees to master the classical psychodrama method and apply it qualitatively. We achieve it through the variety of guest – lecturers and thematic seminars.
NORMS:
Psychodrama Center Orpheus was a pioneer and remained true to its mission. Although a small center, it has been accomplishing its aims throughout the years. It meets both the ethical regulations and the training norms and standards:
- Training takes place in small groups – by definition of no more than 12 – 15 people, but in practice of less then 10 people so that there can be enough time for each participant for both personal works and supervised practice of directing each other.
- People who are in relationships of dependence with the trainer (such as students or subordinates) are not included in the groups.
I allow myself to convey 2 of the messages of Zerka Moreno, which have led me myself in the years, I pass them on to my students, and I want to pass them on to you too:
The psychodramaist must have two things – love and respect for the people.
Psychodrama is a tool like a scalpel – you can cut a tumor with it, but you can also kill a person with it. It is important what hands hold it – the skills and ethics of the practitioner are equally important.