Dramatherapy - Volume 38, Issue 2-3, 2017

In the context of systemic psychotherapy, the genogram represents a model of graphical representation which the persons involved produce and comment on in order to provide information about their family of origin, from at least a three-generational perspective. This paper proposes a new variant of the genogram, focused on theatrical language: the result of a five-year experiment in the training of dramatherapists, psychologists, psychotherapists and counsellors. Starting from Stanislavski’s and Grotowski’s research, the paper highlights the potentialities that the theatre perspective may have with the genogram. Thanks to the ‘emotive memory’ and ‘body-memory’, the theatre can enrich the genogram method with a set of operational tools that can increase the introspective potential of the genogram itself, especially through the aid of physical actions. If the act of drawing represents an expressive ‘medium’ in the traditional genogram for stimulating the affective memory of family ties, then the language of performance can even better represent this medium, centred as it is on the activation of the body as a vehicle capable of bringing into contact the individual with his identity and his deep memory, even regarding the family, in order to creatively translate this into a communicative and narrative form.

This article focuses on the use of role with two individuals in group dramatherapy treatment after active addiction. With current studies evidencing the success of the 12-step programme, this case study looks at psychodynamic dramatherapy after 12-step based primary treatment for alcohol and drug addiction. Once the role of the addict is removed, the symptom roles of ‘liar’, ‘failure’ and ‘the depressed’ are often left. Once a member of Narcotics Anonymous/Alcoholics Anonymous the role of ‘recovering addict’ is inserted and the individual is accepted into the recovery community. The multiple case study research focuses on methodology that enables improving resilience and self worth. The study uses the application of role in dramatherapy to identify, express and begin to reconfigure roles and sub-roles. It gives an honest account of personal challenges in relation to the (im)possibilities of brief therapy. Through two qualitative multiple case studies, the research focuses on two individuals in a group setting who differ in identity-related circumstances into addiction, the therapeutic process and how a psychodynamic dramatherapy role method can assist in the (re)creation of identity post addiction.