This textbook is for all students and practioners of psychodrama and drama, and professionals seeking to extend their knowledge of creative arts therapies. The author provides a comprehensive overview of the theory and practice of psychodrama, presenting a systematic analysis of its essential therapeutic ingredients. He specifies the core issues involved, discussing the interpersonal, the emotional, the imaginary, the behavioural and the cognitive elements. The book examines the professional roles assumed by psychodramatists and establishes the skills required in each role. Explored is the use of the concept of acting out, both in psychodrama and psychoanalysis, and the author also discusses the problem of resistance, and the importance of the concept and technique of closure in each psychodrama. A processing checklist is added at the end of the book as a systematic aid in evaluating the professional skills of the psychodramatist. The chapters are both pragmatic and solidly grounded in theory, thereby providing students with an effective, in-depth alternative to the traditional verbal therapies.

In a world where natural, social and political disasters are a daily reality, the therapist is increasingly called upon to find rapid and effective methods of treating the survivors of trauma, including sexual abuse, torture, war-related trauma, addiction, depression and bereavement. The contributors to this book provide persuasive evidence of how psychodrama can safely be used to create paths of change for even the most severe traumatization and they also discuss the possible transmission of trauma patterns across generations. Research following World War II, neurobiological studies and other recent research into PTSD has shown that many trauma symptoms are unconscious, non-verbal, right-brained experiences which cannot be accessed through talk therapy. Psychodrama creates a place to act out unprocessed trauma within the containment of therapy, in order to stop the obsessive repetition of the past. Psychodrama with Trauma Survivors documents the impact of trauma and explores the development of treatment, providing integrated models of experiential treatment for clinicians to use. It is an invaluable resource for those interested in psychodrama and those working with trauma survivors.

Time does not heal all wounds: decades after a disaster, entire communities may still experience the long-term effects of trauma. Sociodrama and Collective Trauma examines the psychological and social damage of trauma to society as a whole. Kellermann argues that collective trauma has been insufficiently considered; his timely book suggests practical ways of facilitating the rehabilitation of survivors of collective trauma through, for example, sociodrama and related group work. The author develops methods for understanding the past and preparing for the future and provides a wealth of case studies based on 30 years' experience of treating survivors of war trauma and other forms of disaster. Combining a systematic theoretical approach with a practical methodology, this insightful book is invaluable for drama therapists, group therapists, mental health professionals and counsellors.