What is psychodrama?

"Theatre of the Soul"

Psychodrama is a nearly 100-year-old group psychotherapy method that is widespread internationally, well-proven both in the clinic and in self-knowledge therapy, and also popular in Hungary.

In our group, we use the protagonist-centric psychodrama method developed by JL Moreno. The roots of Moreno's psychodrama go back to the Greek theater, where the fight between the main character (protagonist) and the "opponents" (antagonists) is accompanied with active participation by the chorus representing the community - the group members. Perhaps Moreno's most important dramatic discovery is the use of role reversal, with the help of which the protagonist can look at himself through the eyes of the characters in his story - and at the same time face himself.

How does psychodrama work?

In the psychodrama group, the group members act out and relive important situations in their lives on the psychodrama stage, and then tell each other what they experienced while playing and what came to mind about the psychodrama game. The aim of the psychodrama is that 1) through the dramatic, experiential game, 2) the verbal discussion, and 3) through the group process, the participants become more aware of their inner world, their relationships, and how their current problems, experiences, and blockages are connected to their lives for its events. The group relives and processes the emotional reworking of different situations, and then the new experiences experienced in the group help the group members to be able to change outside of the group, in reality as well.

The change is based on the psychological processes taking place in the individual and in the group.

Psychodrama takes place on two levels : in the so-called "group space" and on the "stage".

At the beginning of each meeting, the group members share with each other the feelings, thoughts, and problems that concern them in the real space of the group .
Then the group chooses one of the topics that will be put on the psychodrama stage that day. With the help of the psychodrama leader, the "master" of the topic (the protagonist, that is, the main character who raised the problem) searches for a specific situation, an image from his life, when he experienced the problem he formulated. After that, he chooses who from the group will play the characters of the scene, introduces the characters, and then the characters play and experience the scene together.
In psychodrama, the storyteller - who is called the protagonist here - enters his own story and unfolds its details during the game, with the help of the leader. The story is shaped and driven forward by the protagonist's past experiences and current feelings. During the game, the main character usually remembers previous situations in his life when he experienced similar feelings as in the original scene. After playing the current situation, the group usually presents such previous life situations on stage. On the stage of psychodrama, it is possible for group members to relive important previous experiences, but also to experience a different side of situations in this repetition, or to be able to do something differently than it happened in life . By displaying and reworking internal experiences on the "stage", it is possible to overcome internal barriers and anxieties that hinder change and development.
After presenting the personal experiences, we discuss the game in the realistic space of the group : the group members tell what they experienced in the different roles, and also share with each other what similar experiences they had in their own lives. We strive to connect the feelings experienced on stage with the feelings experienced in life.

A 120-hour self-awareness psychodrama group will start in February 2024

At the Újbuda center, opposite the Allee

What can the psychodrama self-knowledge group give you?

Here you have the opportunity to…

spending quality time with yourself, connecting with the child inside you
to understand and change recurring patterns in your relationships
develop your self-awareness
to connect with others
to be an active participant in your life
all this in a playful way
in a group that keeps, supports and encourages.

In this way, you can make progress in taking on yourself, representing your needs and interests in everyday life and in conflict situations, in any area of your life.