I offer a wide range of workshops and training opportunities for the following populations: human service providers and agencies (therapists, counselors, social workers, substance abuse counselors, and staff at treatment centers, hospitals, etc.); teachers, school personnel and other school staff; other agency and organizational staff. Offerings are grouped below by type.Trainings and Workshops Offered
When sponsored by an organization, school, etc., fees are on a contract basis. These workshops can also be offered to the public on a fee per participant basis. For public workshops, individuals willing to serve as local organizers receive a share of the profits (income after expenses). (Please see Fees and Opportunities for Local Organizers.)
Human Service Providers:
The continuing education hours provided by these trainings are accepted toward national (USA) credentialing by the National Association of Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC), the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC), and also may be counted towards Certified Psychodramatist credential as approved by the American Board of Examiners in Psychodrama, Sociometry and Group Psychotherapy.
Drago-DramaLearn/experience Drago-Drama
The action structure of Drago-Drama is a quest to reclaim the Jewel of Great Worth from the Dragon who hordes it in its lair. Seekers, on their way to the dragon, encounter other denizens of the Dragons Realm such as the Sirens of Self Doubt, the Ogres of Oblivion, the Duchess of Depression, and the Mage of Malice. This workshop uses archetypal psychodrama to explore life issues through the metaphor of Encountering the Dragon. It has been offered in various forms around the world.
Format: This workshop moves back and forth between brief didactic warm-ups, which allows participants to experience various parts of the drama and then engage in discussions of the experience. Participants have the option to move in and out of the three participant roles: seeker, denizen, or witness. The seeker is the protagonist or protagonist cluster that is on the quest. Denizens include all the characters that are encountered in the dragons domain. The witness observes actively, but from outside the action.
Participants: The focus is on training participants who want to learn about Drago-Drama for possible use of it, in whole or in part, with various client groups. Human services as well as educational professionals would be likely participants. Many may have a connection to working with youth, ALTHOUGH DRAGO- DRAMA IS NOT JUST FOR KIDS! No psychodrama experience is required.
Learning Outcomes Participants will be able to:
describe the elements of the Drago-Drama structure
articulate ways that parts of the structure could be used in their work setting
facilitate a psychodramatic or sociodramatic vignette utilizing Drago-Drama elements
describe the benefits of working through metaphor
Logistics: This offering is a full day workshop, with six hours of workshop time bookended around a lunch break. Time is adjustable. Space needs include a room with movable chairs and large enough to accommodate the people involved. Tables off to the side and a blackboard or whiteboard are needed. Lunch breaks are scheduled and group members may be on their own for lunch, or "pot luck" arrangements can be made.
Staff: In its simplest form, I facilitate this workshop from the role of Wizard/ Director. One (or more) Trained Denizens or Denizens-in-Training (see Personal Growth Workshop description, below) can also be employed. The one-day workshop is an excellent training experience for someone who would like to be a Trained Denizen for a Personal Growth workshop.
Drago-Drama Personal Growth Workshop
Format: (See action structure provided for one-day workshop.) Participants come to this workshop to participate, so the assumption is that all participants will end up being Seekers and all the denizen roles will be played by trained or in-training team members. There is a group building time, a warm-up, and character building time, and then the drama begins. Participants ritually step into and out of character at the beginning and end of each segment of the drama (for breaks, lunch, at the end of day one, etc.) There is no formal processing until the end of day one, and again at the end of the workshop if the workshop spans more than one day. The focus is on the experience.
Participants: Participants can be any group of interested people, aged from about 12 or 13 on up. An already established group of any sort may decide to do Drago-Drama together. Workshops can be offered to the general public and the group formed from those who show up. No psychodrama experience is needed.
Experiential Process - Participants will:
explore their personal dragons through graphic arts, movement, and drama
participate in an archetypal quest into the dragons dimension
explore life issues through the safety of metaphor
Logistics: This offering can be one, long, day-long workshop (e.g., 9am to 9pm, with breaks for lunch and dinner), but is probably best done in two-days with about 6 hours on day one and 5 hours on day two of workshop time, bookended around lunch breaks each day. The reverse hour arrangement is also possible. Space needs include a room with movable chairs and large enough to accommodate the people involved. Tables off to the side and a blackboard or whiteboard are needed. Art supplies are used for this project as well. Lunch breaks are scheduled and group members may either be on their own for lunch, or "pot luck" arrangements can be made. Team members will meet apart from participants for a portion of the lunch break.
Staff: In addition to the Wizard/Director, three or four Denizens (trained, in-training, or a combination) are used to play the various characters that are encountered. The Denizens/Wizard team must be available the day before the workshop begins, for team warm up, and also on each pre-and post-workshop day times for warm up and process. Individuals need experience in psychodrama and/or interactive theatre to serve in this auxiliary capacity.
A Denizen in Training becomes a Trained Denizen once s/he has successfully served on a team and demonstrated the ability to hold roles and follow directions. Those with prior experience in Drago-Drama can be granted Trained Denizen status from the start. Trained Denizens share a percentage of the profit of the workshop, and Denizens-in-Training pay ½ tuition for the workshop.
Working with Adolescents Using Action Techniques
This workshop focuses on many of the principles presented in my new book, published by:
Jessica Kingsley Press, London August, 2005 (Please see Publications.)
Format: The workshop, of whatever length desired, will consist of didactic presentation, experiential activity, and discussion/processing. The focus will, of course, be heavily on experiential activity. Depending on the participants, time can be given for practice in directing action strategies.
Participants: This workshop can be tailored to accommodate the needs of various participant groups, whether educators, guidance counselors, youth group facilitators, and/or therapists. The more homogeneous the participants, the more specifically focused the workshop. Psychodrama experience is not required, although a workshop can be designed specifically for psychodramatists.
Learning Outcomes Participants will be able to:
describe therapeutic and educational considerations specific to adolescent populations
list activities appropriate to various stages of group development
articulate elements that contribute to participant safety in an adolescent group
describe the importance of integrating philosophy, theory and practice as a group leader
Logistics: This workshop can be offered as a full day workshop with 6-7 hours of workshop time bookended around a lunch break, a two-day workshop with 6-7 hours the first day and 5-6 the second, or a full weekend, including a Friday night introduction. Time is adjustable. Space needs include a room with movable chairs and large enough to accommodate the people involved. Tables off to the side and a blackboard or whiteboard are needed. Art materials are needed if art projects are incorporated into the two-day or full-weekend workshops (optional but not essential.) Lunch breaks are scheduled and group members may either be on their own for lunch, or "pot luck" arrangements can be made.
Resourcing Your INNER ADOLESCENT
Format: This workshop explores the unresolved issues of adolescence that are carried by adult youth workers and the impact these issues have on the work we do. It uses didactic presentation, experiential activity, and discussion to support participants in learning to recognize and work consciously with these issues.
Participants: This workshop is designed for any professional who works largely with adolescent clients in any capacity.
Learning Outcomes Participants will be able to:
list personal adolescent issues and the ways in which they impact adult life
articulate ways that their own adolescent issues both serve and hinder the work they do
name strategies for working effectively when personal issues are triggered in the future
describe a self-care strategy for the coming months
Logistics: This workshop can be offered as a full day workshop with 6-7 hours of workshop time bookended around a lunch break, a two-day workshop with 6-7 hours the first day and 5-6 the second, or a full weekend, including a Friday night introduction. Time is adjustable. Space needs include a room with movable chairs and large enough to accommodate the people involved. Tables off to the side and a blackboard or whiteboard are needed. Art activities can be incorporated and would, then, require art supplies. Lunch breaks are scheduled and group members may either be on their own for lunch, or "pot luck" arrangements can be made.
BEFRIENDING YOUR AMYGDALA:
Exploring the Neurobiology of Trauma And Developing Self Care Strategies
Format: The workshop will consist of didactic presentation, experiential activity, and discussion/processing as it explores, in action, the neurobiology of trauma and its effects on the brain. Using this understanding as a foundation, participants will then explore the ways in which trauma and abuse affect not only clients, but also the professionals who serve them. As the processes of secondary traumatization or compassion fatigue are explored, participants will develop personal and group strategies to provide adequate self-care to prevent burn-out and fatigue.
Participants: This workshop is appropriate for professionals working with the effects of trauma (counselors, social workers, case managers), psychodramatists interested in learning more about this methodology, professionals who have been personally affected by trauma, and those in various roles who work with refugee individuals and families. Psychodrama training is not a prerequisite. Those dealing with the effects of secondary traumatization would be especially well-served by the workshop.
Learning Outcomes - Participants will be able to:
describe the functions of the various parts of the brain
articulate the dynamics of the effects of trauma on the brain and physical body
perform personal interventions to contain intense affect and dissociation
create a self-care plan for the future
Logistics: This workshop is offered as a full day workshop with 6-7 hours of workshop time bookended around a lunch break. Time is adjustable. Space needs include a room with movable chairs and large enough to accommodate the people involved. Tables off to the side and a blackboard or whiteboard are needed. Lunch breaks are scheduled and group members may either be on their own for lunch, or "pot luck" arrangements can be made.
Staff: If there are people locally available who are interested in and/or knowledgeable about neurobiology, as well as psychodrama and/or theatrical presentation, they can be incorporated into a workshop team with adequate preparation time.
ACTION INTEGRATION: Working with Trauma
and Displacement Issues
Format: The workshop, of whatever length, will consist of didactic presentation, experiential activity, and discussion/processing as it explores classical psychodrama, role theory, the Therapeutic Spiral Model (Hudgins, 2002, 2000), and other action strategies for working with issues of trauma recovery and cultural integration. An action demonstration of the neurobiology of trauma will also be included. Experienced psychodramatists will have opportunities to practice directing in the model during the two-day or weekend workshops.
Participants: This workshop is appropriate for professionals working with the effects of trauma (counselors, social workers, case managers), psychodramatists interested in learning more about this methodology, professionals who have been personally affected by trauma, and those in various roles who work with refugee individuals and families. Psychodrama training is not a prerequisite, but the focus is on working with trauma and not in providing psychodrama training. Experienced psychodramatists would likely gain more from the experience than those without basic training in the modality.
Learning Outcomes - Participants will be able to:
describe role analysis categories and their applications for treatment planning
build personal, interpersonal, transpersonal, and cultural strengths using action methods
perform action interventions to contain intense affect and dissociation
describe applications of the model to work with refugee populations
articulate basic concepts about the neurophysiology of trauma
Logistics: This workshop can be offered as a full day workshop with 6-7 hours of workshop time bookended around a lunch break, a two-day workshop with 6-7 hours the first day and 5-6 the second, or a full weekend, including a Friday night introduction. Time is adjustable. Space needs include a room with movable chairs and large enough to accommodate the people involved. Tables off to the side and a blackboard or whiteboard are needed. Art activities can be incorporated and would, then, require art supplies. Lunch breaks are scheduled and group members may either be on their own for lunch, or "pot luck" arrangements can be made.
Staff: If there are people locally available who are interested in and/or knowledgeable about neurobiology, as well as psychodrama and/or theatrical presentation, they can be incorporated into a workshop team with adequate preparation time.
Recovering in Surplus Reality: Using Psychodrama
in Working with Addictions and Addictive Behavior
Format: The workshop, of whatever length, will consist of didactic presentation, experiential activity, and discussion/processing. The focus will, of course, be heavily on experiential activity as participants explore addictions and recovery through the psychodramatic lenses of surplus reality, role reversal and role training. The use of action provides avenues within which needed social and survival skills (often absent in those with addictions) can be taught.
Participants: This workshop is appropriate for educators, health and welfare professionals, pastoral workers, clergy and counselors, corrections workers, etc., who work with and/or are impacted by issues of addictions and addictive behaviors.
Learning Outcomes - Participants will be able to:
describe practical and theoretical aspects of Action Methods, and their application to models of recovery when working with people with addictive behaviors
articulate limitations of the methods, contraindications and appropriate practices for using these techniques safely
perform basic psychodramatic, sociodramatic and role-training techniques for working with clients on recovery issues such as: rehearsal for healthy behavior, and role reversal with addictions of choiceLogistics: This workshop can be offered as a full day workshop with 6-7 hours of workshop time bookended around a lunch break, or a two-day workshop with 6-7 hours the first day and 5-6 the second. Time is adjustable. Space needs include a room with movable chairs and large enough to accommodate the people involved. Tables off to the side and a blackboard or whiteboard are needed. Lunch breaks are scheduled and group members may either be on their own for lunch, or "pot luck" arrangements can be made.
Staff: If there are people locally available who are interested in and/or knowledgeable about addictions and recovery, as well as action techniques, they can be incorporated into a workshop team with adequate preparation time.
The "DOWN UNDER" View of Role Analysis
Format: The workshop, of whatever length, will consist of didactic presentation, experiential activity, and discussion/processing. The focus will, of course, be heavily on experiential activity. Participants will practice developing role descriptions, conducting a role analysis from provided case studies and, working with role analysis in action. If appropriate to their experience, participants may practice directing psychodramatic vignettes.
Participants: This workshop is for psychodramatists in countries other than Australia and New Zealand who would like to learn about Role Analysis as conducted "Down Under." Counselors and therapists from any part of the world could also find the content of this workshop helpful. All participants will be introduced to some basic psychodrama techniques.
Learning Outcomes Participants will be able to:
describe the categories and subcategories used in role analysis
articulate role descriptions from written and live action scenarios
conduct a role analysis from a written case study
describe treatment objectives in terms of supporting role development and role transformation
Logistics: This workshop can be offered as a full day workshop with 6-7 hours of workshop time bookended around a lunch break, a two-day workshop with 6-7 hours the first day and 5-6 the second, or a full weekend, including a Friday night introduction. Time is adjustable. Space needs include a room with movable chairs and large enough to accommodate the people involved. Tables off to the side and a blackboard or whiteboard are needed. Lunch breaks are scheduled and group members may either be on their own for lunch, or "pot luck" arrangements can be made.
Working with XYZ in Action (insert most any topic area)
Format: The workshop, of whatever length, will consist of didactic presentation, experiential activity, and discussion/processing. The focus will, of course, be heavily on experiential activity. The specific structure of the workshop will reflect the topic and may include opportunities for practicing new skills or ways of facilitating exploration.
Participants: This workshop is for any group of individuals who are interested in exploring just about any topic through action techniques (primarily movement and sociodrama), or for any group of individuals who have been exploring a particular topic through more traditional means and would like to take their exploration to a deeper level.
Learning Outcomes: Learning outcomes are dependent on the content area.
Logistics: This workshop can be offered as a half-day workshop, full day workshop with 6-7 hours of workshop time bookended around a lunch break, a two-day workshop with 6-7 hours the first day and 5-6 the second, or a full weekend, including a Friday night introduction. Time is adjustable. Space needs include a room with movable chairs and large enough to accommodate the people involved. Tables off to the side and a blackboard or whiteboard are needed. Art activities can be incorporated and would, then, require art supplies. Lunch breaks are scheduled and group members may either be on their own for lunch, or "pot luck" arrangements can be made.
Educational Settings:
Most of the workshops offered for Human Service Professionals are adaptable to educational settings, and will be designed to meet the needs of the specific setting. The workshop entitled "Working with XYZ in Action" is particularly adaptable for providing trainings in prevention education (Violence Prevention, Substance Abuse Prevention, HIV Prevention) and can be designed as either staff trainings or workshops for teachers and students combined. One such example is provided below.
How Rude!: Exploring Issues of Harassment and Bullying
Format: The workshop, of whatever length, will consist of didactic presentation, experiential activity, and discussion/processing. The focus will, of course, be heavily on experiential activity. The structure of the workshop is based upon projects done in various school settings in the USA, and, most recently, on a staff-training project that was conducted at four TAFEs (Institutes for Training and Further Education) in rural Victoria, Australia. Participants use action exploration both to develop an operational definition of Harassment and Bullying, as well as to explore appropriate and effective intervention strategies.
Participants: This workshop can be adapted to both staff groups (teachers, administrators, and support staff) and combinations of school personnel and students.
Learning Outcomes Participants will be able to:
articulate an operational definition of bullying and harassing behavior
describe institutional policy on the issue and proscribed consequences of inappropriate behavior
name institutional and local resources for support in dealing with these issues
describe and demonstrate appropriate and effective interventions for dealing with harassing and bulling behaviors as they occur
Logistics: This workshop can be offered as a half-day workshop, or full day workshop with 6-7 hours of workshop time bookended around a lunch break. Time is adjustable. Space needs include a room with movable chairs and large enough to accommodate the people involved. Tables off to the side and a blackboard or whiteboard are needed. Lunch breaks are scheduled and group members may either be on their own for lunch, or "pot luck" arrangements can be made.
Organizations:
Some of the workshops offered for Human Service Professionals are adaptable to educational settings, and will be designed to meet the needs of the specific setting. The "Drago-Drama" format is especially useful in organizational settings, since it allows systemic issues to be addressed through metaphor, providing a certain degree of safety and engendering a nonblaming approach.
The "Role Analysis" workshop, described above, has been adapted especially for use in organizational settings.
WHOS IN CHARGE HERE?: Practical Role Analysis
Format: The workshop, of whatever length, will consist of didactic presentation, experiential activity, and discussion/processing. The focus will, of course, be heavily on experiential activity. Participants will practice developing role descriptions of various interpersonal and organizational roles, and will also explore which roles move the group forward, move the group backward, and/or maintain the status quo. Further exploration will focus on issues of "Role Fatigue," "Role Compatibility," and the need for "Role Training."
Participants: This workshop is ideal for organizations of any type who wish to explore, perhaps in a new way, how to create more effective, efficient, and "user-friendly" work environments. It can also serve a critical function in situations in which certain key personnel are leaving or being re-assigned. It is an ideal instrument for Board development as well.
Learning Outcomes Participants will be able to:
describe the categories and subcategories used in role analysis
articulate role descriptions necessary for smooth functioning as well as those that hamper progress
conduct a role analysis of the organization or subgroup within it
describe development objectives in terms of role training and role transformation
Logistics: This workshop is offered as a half-day (3 - 4 hours) or full day workshop with 6 -7 hours of workshop time bookended around a lunch break. Time is adjustable. Space needs include a room with movable chairs and large enough to accommodate the people involved. Tables off to the side and a blackboard or whiteboard are needed. Lunch breaks are scheduled as appropriate.
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