The coronavirus has changed our plans, but has not canceled them: the Moscow Psychodrama Conference has turned into the We Are Festival, which will be held on Zoom on June 12-13. Talk about the features of the method, the choice of a therapist, as well as elves, borscht and the crown of celibacy with the organizers of the festival Olga Afanasyeva and Stanislav Efremov.
Who is this festival for?
O.A.: For anyone interested in psychotherapy. And also for the professional community: there will be a discussion of new areas, experts will hold demonstrations.
Can I have some example?
O.A.: For example, Kaminat Kasimova will show work with a genosociogram. It’s about how the history of ancestors affects our lives. Sometimes clients ask: what is wrong with me? And this is not with you, but with someone several generations ago. For example, there is such an expression — «the crown of celibacy» …
Isn’t this mystic?
SE: No, this phenomenon has a real explanation. Our history is full of losses, in the last century there were two wars, three revolutions. Women, having lost men, are forced to become strong. Sometimes it is passed from one woman in the family to another like a recipe for a pie: «Count on yourself.» At the same workshop, you can look for a place for a man in the family system, practice the ability to trust another.
Judging by some films and TV shows, sometimes it seems that a psychotherapist can be dangerous …
O.A.: … And some others are afraid of questions: “what if I don’t know the answer or don’t understand what to do, or they will force me to do something that I don’t want.” In psychodrama, this is excluded! She, as a method, is free from this, she works without coercion, assessments, advice.
SE: The festival is the easiest way to get acquainted with therapy: if you want, get into the thick of it, if you want, look from the side without getting too involved.
Are we missing something if we look from the outside?
O.A.: Psychodrama implies the living of one’s personal experience, and we learn even theoretical knowledge through ourselves. It’s like learning to cook borsch: you can watch 150 times and not learn, but if you did it once, twice, three, and you know how.
Through your own doing, you learn something for yourself, and then even complex topics are given easier, and understanding becomes deeper. Therefore, our activities involve direct participation in exercises, work in small groups and small personal work for those who wish. But those who want to be on the sidelines can participate in these activities minimally or attend lectures.
And if you wish, you can work on deep topics?
O.A.: Certainly. This is a feature of psychodrama — it pays a lot of attention to the safety of the participants, and it will be the same at the Festival.
SE: I’ll offer a metaphor. Remember Tolkien’s elves? In peacetime, they dance, compose songs, feast, have fun like children, but at the same time they are creatures with thousands of years of wisdom and can take a sword and go to crush enemies. This is such a psychodrama: it can be light, fun, and at the same time raise complex topics.
Will all problems be resolved?
SE:Some yes. The main thing is that there will be an understanding that problems can be dealt with. And not necessarily painful, because psychodrama as a whole is a pleasant process. There will be new roles, new ways of behaving, understanding that you can be different, different.
Probably, someone will want to change their fate as a result …
O.A.:It happens. But we ask you not to make serious decisions right away, do not call your mother, do not ask for forgiveness from a friend, although sometimes you really want to do this. It is necessary that emotions subside, adult awareness returns. So 48 hours is an emotional quarantine after the Festival. Then you can start to change things.
There are many workshops, how to choose?
O.A.:View the schedule on the Festival website. There will be more than 50 activities in two days: master classes, performances by psychologists on various topics, performances of playback theaters, motor warm-ups. Two-thirds of them are suitable for participants without special training — they are marked in the schedule as «client», «lectures» or «Relax». Most of the activities have a description, some presenters have made short video presentations.