Playback Theater Training Series based on the Therapeutic Spiral Model

When: 4 weekend intensive spread over 4 months.

• 6/17/22,6/18/22,6/19/22 9am-2pm PST
• 7/15/22.7/16/22,7/19/22 9am-2pm PST
• 8/26/22,8/27/22,8/28/22 9am-2pm PST
• 9/24/22,9/25/22,9/26/22 9am-2pm PST

This training aims to introduce theory and practice to safely perform traumatic stories on the Playback Theater stage.The Playback Theater roles of teller, conductor, actor and musician will be considered from the perspective of containment and exposure. Integrating ideas from the Therapeutic Spiral Model psychodrama, EMDR, and Somatic Experiencing will create a shared language and guide the ensemble work.

This training will be both academic and experiential including both reading materials and one reading discussion group per month, as well as working with participants’ personal stories during the training.

The series will be conducted in 4 weekend intensives. Online meetings will take place over 3 days at a time and spread over 4 months. 

First Weekend 

6/17/22,6/18/22,6/19/22 9am-2pm PST

The first weekend will focus on skillfully building containment and resilience within the ensemble and on stage.

Learning Objectives

• Define containment and resilience
• Introduce 4 categories for containment scenes
• Practice resourcing self,ensemble,audience and teller
• Playback forms to enhance containment 
• Opening scenes for traumatic stories
• After performance containing practice 

Second Weekend

7/15/22.7/16/22,7/19/22 9am-2pm PST

The second weekend will focus on working with defenses and projective identification within the ensemble and on stage. 

Learning Objectives 

• Define projective identification (PI) and defenses 
• Use of PI as a creative resource for actor and ensemble work 
• Managing  defenses from the conductors  and actors roles
• Honoring  defenses in scenes
• Transforming defenses in scenes 
• Deepening the story 

Third Weekend 

8/26/22,8/27/22,8/28/22 9am-2pm PST

The third weekend will focus on skillful exposure of traumatic material within the ensemble and on stage. 

Learning Objectives

• Define trauma and types of trauma 
• Define retraumatization 
• Create aesthetic distance in exposure scenes
• Energetic expression of traumatic scenes 
• Release, express and shift stuck emotions 
• Incorporate the body 

Fourth Weekend 

9/24/22,9/25/22,9/26/22 9am-2pm PST 

The fourth weekend will focus on post traumatic growth (PTG) roles and 3 types of catharsis

 for traumatic stories. 

Learning Objectives

• Define PTG and 3 types of catharsis 
• Enact PTG roles and perspectives 
• Create PTG text in movement and words
• Practice closing scene with PTG roles and perspectives
• The training will be limited to 10 participants. Registration is for ALL 4 sessions.

Registered Drama Therapist Alternative Training 

This course fulfills the drama therapy course work 3 units (45 hours) for drama therapy with specific populations or advanced elective in drama therapy for the alternative training program with the North American Drama Therapy Association when combined with additional required course work.

Drama Therapy Alternative Training 

Band A counties 400$ per weekend for a total $1,600. If paid until May 1st $1,400

Band B countries 300$ per weekend for a total of $1,200 if paid until May 1st $1,000

Band C&D  countries 200$ per weekend for a total of $600

For registration and questions contact Roni Alperin at ronialp@gmail.com