Expression Circle Group: Incorporating Psychodrama Toward Empowering Sexual Assault Survivors
Keywords:
sexual assault survivors, PTSD, psychodrama, empowerment, restorative justiceAbstract
It is well-established in clinical practice and through various research studies that sexual
assault survivors can suffer from chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms.
Numerous interventions have been developed to assist those who struggle with PTSD post–
sexual assault; however, no modalities have been developed that incorporate a combination
of restorative justice disclosures toward increasing survivor empowerment with elements of
psychodrama reenactment. This feasibility study explores a person-centered small-group
interaction that allowed survivors and volunteer male ‘‘allies’’ to work together through
unresolved painful emotions utilizing elements of psychodrama. The allies agreed to
support women ‘‘survivors’’ who reported a history of past sexual assault through their
participation as listeners of the survivors’ disclosures during a one-time encounter called an
‘‘expression circle’’ group meeting facilitated with a psychodrama therapist. Our study used
a pretest and posttest design that measured survivors’ responses (n.9), each of whom was
referred by their community counseling providers to the meeting. Measurements included
instruments that focused on empowerment, distress, and PTSD. Findings suggest that
survivors reported significant increases in empowerment scores, decreased guilt, and
reduced distress scores at posttest. By better understanding the impact of innovative
techniques that include a psychodrama structure, these preliminary findings may contribute
to further group alternatives available to practitioners treating sexual assault.
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