One-to-One Psychodrama Psychotherapy

Anna Chesner is a UK Council for Psychotherapy-registered psychodrama and group analytic psychotherapist and creative supervisor. She has trained arts therapists, integrative counsellors and psychotherapists, and is Co-Director of the London Centre for Psychodrama Group and Individual Psychotherapy. She has written extensively on dramatherapy, psychodrama psychotherapy and creative supervision.

"Anna Chesner and her colleagues have created a dynamic, lucid and far-reaching presentation of one-to-one psychodrama stemming from decades of innovative work at the London Centre for Psychodrama. The book is wonderfully reader-friendly and the illustrations are very special in terms of both creativity and utility. Many of the perspectives and practices featured here are also likely to be of interest to psychotherapists and counsellors who do not (yet) use psychodrama as an element within their clinical approach. I expect a standing ovation from within the field of psychodrama itself." - Andrew Samuels, Professor of Analytical Psychology, University of Essex, UK"This book is an exciting, generous and much-needed contribution to the field of psychodrama psychotherapy – essential reading for practitioners and students. It shows how healing and richly creative one-to-one psychodrama psychotherapy can be. Anna Chesner has brought together a group of international authors who range from the most experienced to the newly minted; all of them offer fresh ideas drawn from front-line one-to-one practice. The ideas are intellectually far-reaching and bold, and the case studies are empathic, humane and deeply rooted in theory and practice wisdom. Read this book and be inspired to develop your one-to-one practice to the next level." - Dr Clark Baim, Senior Trainer in Psychodrama Psychotherapy (UKCP, BPA), Honorary President of the British Psychodrama Association, Director of the Birmingham Institute for Psychodrama, UK"This is a remarkable book. It takes us on a guided journey through the application of psychodrama in the one-to-one therapeutic context. Theory appears in measurable doses without diverting the main path. We pass through several examples of practice and careful explanations show us the reason that various decisions are made. Techniques of doubling, role reversal, de-rolling, coaching and more are carefully explained, and the reader can visualise the practical session. This is the genius of the author, her capacity to bring alive her work in a genuine and real way. One quotation must suffice to illustrate: ‘...a two-part role relationship can be worked on without actually taking on the role of the other. It is worth remembering that the role relationship exists not only as a historical experience and narrative but also as an internal object relationship.’ I found this book immensely readable, informative and accessible." - Professor Sue Jennings PhD, Professor of Play (EFD), visiting Professor University of Derby, UK, Specialist in Neuro-Dramatic-Play (www.ndpltd.org)

• IntroductionPart I: Setting the sceneChapter 1: Framing creativity Anna ChesnerChapter 2: Role theory and role analysis: the bedrock of one-to-one psychodramatic workJinnie JefferiesChapter 3: Concretisation and playing with perspectiveAnna ChesnerChapter 4: Working with roleAnna ChesnerChapter 5: Working with addictions: the addictions compass and intergenerational action genogramAnna ChesnerChapter 6: Psychodramatic dream workAnna ChesnerPart II: Case Studies: the method in actionChapter 7: Understanding the child’s voice: a systemic approach to one-to-one psychodrama psychotherapyPaula DaviesChapter 8: Our deepest pain: working with shame in individual psychodrama psychotherapyAnna NapierChapter 9: Working with grief and lossLydia MakChapter 10: Working psychodramatically with anxietyVirginie BouryChapter 11: One-to-one psychodrama with eating disordersEva KoumpliChapter 12: Lucy and her secret inner worldEsther TangChapter 13: A brief one-to-one session using role analysis and role theory in a corporate organisationMaxine Daniels