Focus on Psychodrama-The Therapeutic Aspects of Psychodrama

Abstract

This book was released in 1992 and, possibly because it was published in England, has escaped notice until now. It is long overdue for an examination and serious consideration in this country. Because it is an introductory psychodrama book, a practitioner or student in the field might ask why there would be a need for yet another such book on psychodrama. In fact, the author, Peter Kellermann, asks the same question in his introduction, at the same time that he identifies 18 such introductory books. He answers that this one is a systematic analysis of the therapeutic components of psychodrama and therefore is different. In other words, his is not just another "how to" book but has a different healing-aspect emphasis and is more theoretical in nature. In addition to 14 chapters, there is a foreword by Jonathan Moreno in which he remarks that the development of theory in psychodrama is now lagging behind that of application; hence, there is a need for such a book. Moreno also emphasizes the ongoing need to understand and to develop the underlying theoretical structure of the psychodramatic method.