Topic: GRAND OPENING CEREMONY – OPEN TO EVERYONE AROUND THE WORLD! CO-MASTERS OF THE CEREMONY: Pembegül İlter (Türkiye); Kirsty Weedon (UK); Ichiro Okkady Okajima (Japan); Teo D. Amari (AI)
Presenter: Description: JOIN US FOR THIS SPECIAL EVENT WELCOMING PARTICIPANTS FROM ALL COUNTRIES, CULTURES, AND TIME ZONES. REGISTRATION THROUGH THE FOLLOWING LINK: ...

The Tele'Drama Conference's Grand Opening event is a celebration of both previous and new connections, fostering a sense of togetherness among participants. It serves as an international sociometry experience and a warm-up for the entire conference.

In past years, the Grand Opening has taken participants to amazing places of imagination and experiences that seem impossible in a virtual space—such as entering "magic portals," flying around the world on a special plane with a captain and caring stewardesses, witnessing synchronized sand art, tango couples dancing together despite being miles apart, relaxing in a spa, attending a concert in a grand hall, exploring a magic library, or even traveling through time to the past and future.

What surprises will this year's three incredible Masters of Ceremony bring? Join us from around the world, whether with your group or on your own, to experience another masterpiece of creativity—years in the making—that showcases the endless and borderless possibilities Tele'Drama brings to the virtual and hybrid space. This event offers a sneak peek into the innovative and exciting experiences that await at the conference.

We have invited participants from around the globe to join this opening event for free, including the following exciting demonstration by Dr. Daniela Simmons, the creator of Tele'Drama and the concept of co-creating Fusional InterReality.

Topic: KEYNOTE: FROM MORENO’S VISION OF TECHNOLOGY TO TELE’DRAMA’S METHODOLOGY FOR VIRTUAL, HYBRID, AND AI-ENHANCED EXPERIENTIAL METHODOLOGY; Honoring the Past, Embracing the Possible — Responsible and Ethical Applications
Presenters: Daniela Simmons, PhD, TEP (United States )
Bojana Glusac Draslar, CTT (Serbia)
Andrea Wilches, CTT (Colombia / Argentina )
Description: This experiential keynote bridges the visionary innovations of Dr. J. L. Moreno with the evolving methodology of Tele’Drama International. Moreno, founder of psychodrama, sociometry, and group psychotherapy, was also a pioneer in applying technology to therapeutic practice—introducing telephone therapy, integrating film and television into psychodrama, and imagining video communication decades ahead of his time. His 1945 writings on robotics explored ethical questions that resonate deeply today.Continuing this legacy, Tele’Drama has developed the Fusional InterReality Hybrid Methodology, enabling emotionally present, co-creative work across distances. The keynote explores how modern technologies, including artificial intelligence, can ethically support spontaneity, connection, and human-centered practice in virtual and hybrid environments.
Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will examine ethical frameworks and practical approaches for integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into virtual and hybrid action methods, enhancing human-centered practice without replacing human presence.
2. Participants will experience and reflect on the application of Moreno’s vision through the Tele’Drama Fusional InterReality Hybrid Methodology, gaining insight into how technology can support spontaneity, creativity, and emotional connection across physical distances.

Topic: BUILDING THE CASE: ENLARGING OUR WORLD VIEW; Leigh E. Johnson (USA)
Presenter: Description: This experiential session introduces law and leadership students to Building The Case (BTC), a storytelling and advocacy method that uses psychodrama, sociometry, and the Story Spine to transform fixed facts into emotionally compelling narratives. Through guided action exercises, students will step into empowered roles—client, advocate, and truth-teller—while practicing techniques for witness prep, story construction, and courtroom presence. Participants will gain embodied insight into legal storytelling.
Learning Objectives: 1. Participants will learn how to apply the BTC Story Spine and psychodramatic roles to legal and life narratives.

2. Participants will practice embodied advocacy techniques to develop presence, persuasion, and ethical clarity.

Topic: THE EMPTY CHAIR: HOW TO BROADEN THE FIELD OF POSSIBILITIES IN GROUP WORK; Chantal Nève Hanquet (Belgium) & Agathe Crespel (Belgium)
Presenter: Description: This experiential session invites students and practitioners to discover or deepen their use of the empty chair as a tool for transformation in diverse group settings. Participants will explore creative ways to symbolically invite an absent person, an ancestor, or a meaningful figure into the group space. Through the use of the empty chair, the session will demonstrate how action methods can open new perspectives, expand the field of representations, and support meaningful change within families, communities, classrooms, and teams.Presenters: Online from home in Brussels
Participants: In person at Collège Institut Provincial de Formation Sociale — www.IPFS.be
Learning Objectives:

1. Learn how to apply empty-chair techniques across a variety of group contexts.
2. Develop skills to facilitate symbolic enactments that generate insight and promote group transformation.

Topic: BREAKING BARRIERS OF SHAME: TOOLS FOR PERSONAL INSIGHT, FAMILY THERAPY, AND CORPORATE COACHING; Carlos A Raimundo, MD (Australia)
Presenter: Description: In many cultures, the fear of losing face leads people to suppress emotions in order to maintain dignity and avoid shame. While this may preserve outward harmony, it often results in isolation, addiction, depression, family breakdown, or even violence. Even in therapy sessions, many individuals struggle to open up.This workshop offers practical, experiential tools to break the silence that shame creates—even in cultures or religious traditions where emotional restraint is deeply ingrained. Using the Play of Life method, psychodrama, and neuroscience-based techniques, we will transform hidden struggles into visible 3D representations. This approach helps individuals and families express difficult emotions without shame, fostering healing, trust, and connection.
Learning Objectives:

1. Identify how the fear of losing face influences emotional behavior and recognize the impact of suppressed emotions on well-being and relationships.
2. Apply experiential tools—including the Play of Life and psychodrama—to help individuals safely externalize hidden emotions and foster honest, shame-free expression and connection.

Topic: CHILDWORK/CHILDPLAY: THE SOCIODRAMATIC EMPTY CHAIR; Rebecca Walters, TEP (USA)
Presenter: Description: The sociodramatic empty chair is an engaging vehicle to explore children’s common issues in counseling, therapy, psychoeducation groups and in the classroom. It offers opportunities for children to express strong feelings, increase understanding of others, develop more effective communication, problem solve and practice social skills. It creates the distance needed so children can approach challenging issues without becoming dysregulated. This workshop will demonstrate the use of sociodramatic empty chair structures, during the warm up, action and sharing phases of a session.



 
Learning Objectives: 1. Differentiate between the Psychodramatic and Sociodramatic Empty Chair
2. Describe the use of the Sociodramatic Empty Chair during the warm up, action and sharing phases of a session

Topic: CROSSING BORDERS WITHIN: IDENTITY, INCLUSION, AND BELONGING IN A SHARED WORLD: Sheila Dallas-Katzman (USA)
Presenter: Description: We live in a world we all share—across borders, cultures, and identities—yet the care, connection, and responsibility we extend to it often fall short. In the face of displacement, ecological breakdown, polarization, and rising uncertainty, how do we locate ourselves? Who are we becoming? And how do we belong?This experiential session invites participants to cross the borders within: to explore personal, social, and cultural layers of identity; to reflect on what it means to belong in a shared world; and to face the discomfort of knowing that, while we are all here together, we often act as though we are not.Using psychodrama, sociometry, and symbolic action methods, we will engage with themes of inclusion, responsibility, and collective care—searching not only for insight, but for pathways forwar
Learning Objectives:

1. Reflect on the tension between shared global belonging and the fragmentation caused by social, ecological, and cultural crises.
2. Experience and apply two action methods for exploring identity, belonging, and inclusion within a group or community context.

Topic: FROM SELF TO SOURCE: A SOCIATRIC JOURNEY THROUGH THE EIGHT COSMIC STAGES IN TERMS OF CAPACITY AND NEED TO DOUBLE AND ROLE REVERSE; Edward Schreiber (USA); Bojana Glusac Draslar (Serbia)
Presenter: Description: This immersive workshop is rooted in Zerka Moreno’s poetic and visionary framework of the Eight Stages of Cosmic Beings, as described in Quintessential Zerka. It invites participants to explore the journey of human development not merely as psychological evolution, but as a sacred path toward connection with all life.
Each stage in this journey—beginning at birth and culminating in death or transformation—presents unique challenges and opportunities to practice doubling and role reversal, foundational techniques in psychodrama and sociodrama. As we move from one stage to another, our capacity and need to connect, mirror, and understand others—and the universe—evolves.
Through experiential sociodramatic methods, we will examine the stage we are in now, the one we have come from, and the one we are heading toward. We will reflect on our relationship with other beings (human and beyond), cultivating a deeper sense of empathy, spontaneity, and interconnectedness.
The final segment leads us into the realm of sociatry—the healing of society—through the shared sacred space where role reversal is not just a technique, but a spiritual language.
 
Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will learn how to use sociodramatic techniques—such as role reversal and doubling—to explore their current developmental stage and enhance their relational capacity.
2. Participants will learn how to apply the concept of sociatry as a framework for healing beyond the individual, connecting personal transformation with collective and ecological responsibility.

Topic: THE PSYCHODRAMATIC EFFECT OF PETS, PARTS AND RECOVERY; David Moran, TEP (USA), Karen Moser, TEP (USA)
Presenter: Description: Emotional support animals have been readily available for mental health symptoms. We will utilize psychodramatic effects on our emotional well-being. Pets, parts, and addiction offer us the ability to experience life from a more pleasant perspective.Unlike pets, parts and addiction often become protectors and managers—they need to be unburdened, stabilized, and reconciled. Recovery, like pets, offers unconditional love and contentment that allows us to see ourselves in a healthier light, so that our true selves can emerge.If I could only be the person my pet thinks I am. They are not deceived—we are. They see our truer, more natural selves.As in Internal Family Systems (IFS), the true self is compassionate, creative, caring, calm, curious, courageous, confident, and connected.We will explore, psychodramatically, what pets see in us, and how pets and recovery allow us to relax protective parts and let the true self emerge.Parts were employed to help and protect us. We will learn to give them what they need so they can loosen their grip and lower their power over us.This is a virtual workshop, so pets will be welcome.
Learning Objectives: Participants will:

1. Utilize sociometric warm-ups and psychodramatic techniques, including role reversal and integration.
2. Identify three protector parts, gain insight into the process of "unburdening" parts, and recognize the ways pets help us become better people.

Topic: FAMILY THERAPY WITH PSYCHODRAMA INFLUENCE; Violeta Kadieva, PhD., LMFT-S (USA); Dione Simmons, PhD, LPC-S (USA); Candice Jones, PhD, LPC (USA)
Presenter: Description: The presenters will utilize Marriage and Family Therapy models combined with some Psychodrama approaches such as future projection and role reversal. This combined methodology will be demonstrated through an interactive role play. Real family case scenario will be discussed that the students have worked with in the Counseling Center at Texas Wesleyan University located in Fort Worth, TX, USA.
Learning Objectives: 1. Demonstrate a combined methodology of Family Therapy and Psychodrama approaches.
2. Discuss the therapeutic techniques used in this case scenario.

Topic: EXTERNALIZING THE INTERNAL – SOCIAL IDENTITIES AND COGNITIVE PROCESSING THROUGH ACTION; Nancy Scherlong (USA)
Presenter: Description:
Learning Objectives:

1. Explore how social identities can be expressed and examined in online settings, and how these identities may contribute to experiences of either oppression or intimacy.
2. Understand and apply methods to externalize internalized dialogues, creating opportunities for witnessing and transformation.

Topic: SOCIODRAMA'S RELEVANCE IN TODAY'S CHAOTIC WORLD; Ron Wiener, PhD (UK); Diane Adderley (UK)
Presenter: Description: We are living in a time of increasing global uncertainty—marked by wars, climate crisis, the threat of nuclear catastrophe, and the lingering trauma of pandemics. These collective challenges can feel overwhelming and paralyzing. In this experiential sociodrama, we will explore how to move from isolation and helplessness into connection, awareness, and action.Participants will engage in a collective exploration of the roles we play in the face of global crises—both conscious and unconscious.
Learning Objectives:

1. Explore the use of sociodrama in addressing large-scale social and existential challenges through collective role exploration.
2. Engage in structured experiential techniques (e.g., three-chair exercise) to co-create roles and foster meaningful group interaction.

Topic: ROOTS AND WINGS: GROWING THROUGH CONNECTION IN A TELE’DRAMA ENCOUNTER; Daniela Tahirova (BULGARIA); Adler Club Trakia University (Bulgaria)
Presenter: Description: “A child needs encouragement like a plant needs water.”
— Alfred Adler

This hybrid Tele’Drama workshop brings together students from the “Alfred Adler” Psychology Club, Faculty of Education at Trakia University – Stara Zagora, and preschool-aged children, connected across locations through Tele'Drama. Inspired by Alfred Adler’s principles and Moreno’s role theory, the experience explores the dual metaphor of “roots and wings”: cultivating a child’s sense of belonging and encouraging their growth into autonomy.Students and children will interact through creative role-play, with each group taking on imaginative roles. The initial encounter will generate a shared scenario, followed by student-led reflection and role analysis. In the second phase, students will enact supportive roles aimed at strengthening the children's emotional and social development—stepping into the roles that offer metaphorical “water” to the growing self.The methodology integrates Adler’s concept of parenting styles and encouragement, as well as Moreno’s surplus reality and future projection, allowing students to test, reflect on, and rehearse intervention strategies in a psychologically safe and playful setting. With facilitation from the workshop leader and the international Tele’Drama community, students will experiment, co-create, and connect theory to practice.The children will enjoy a creative and meaningful encounter, while the students gain authentic exposure to early childhood interaction, preparing them for future professional roles that nurture and inspire.The presenter will be physically located at Trakia University – Stara Zagora, together with the students from the “Alfred Adler” Psychology Club, Faculty of Education. The children will participate remotely from their homes or from hospitals where they are receiving treatment. All participants will be connected via the Zoom platform, using the tools and structure provided by Tele'Drama.The presenter will facilitate the session on-site, guiding the interaction between students and children and ensuring a safe and meaningful hybrid experience.
 
Learning Objectives: 1. To enable students in pedagogy and social work to explore and embody supportive roles through guided action methods, in order to enhance their capacity for empathic connection and intervention in early childhood settings.2. To integrate theoretical knowledge from Adlerian psychology and Moreno’s role theory into practical experience by engaging in hybrid role-play and reflective analysis of child–adult interactions.

Topic: PALLIATIVE PSYCHODRAMA: EXPLORING LIFE, DEATH, AND MEANING THROUGH CREATIVE ACTION METHODS IN HIGHER EDUCATION; Michael Wieser (Austria)
Presenter: Description: The Erasmus+ project "Death Education for Palliative Psychology" (DE4PP) investigated the effects of teaching palliative psychology using psychodrama and art therapies, based on the assumption that these methods may have positive effects on students’ attitudes toward life and death.A total of five countries participated in this project funded by the European Commission: Austria, Israel, Italy, Poland, and Romania.In Austria, 34 students from the University of Klagenfurt completed a pilot course entitled "Palliative Psychology", developed by the project partners. Course participants completed psychological and satisfaction questionnaires at the beginning and end of the course to assess the impact of teaching palliative psychology through psychodrama and art therapies. A control group was also included in the study.Additionally, six randomly selected participants took part in a focus group interview at the end of the course. They were asked about their experiences in the course, the impact of art therapy and psychodrama techniques, their experiences with verbal and artistic processing of death anxiety, and their understanding of the meaning of life and death, including representations of death and associated feelings.The results showed that participants underwent meaningful processing of life and death due to the course. Creative arts and psychodrama served as bridges to approaching the topic of death. Specific techniques—such as filling out satisfaction questionnaires, photovoice assignments, role reversal, and visualizing a personal social atom—were perceived by students as particularly effective tools for self-reflection.The presenter will appear together with his class from the Department of Psychology at the University of Klagenfurt.
Learning Objectives: Objective 1:
Explore the principles and application of palliative psychodrama as a tool for supporting emotional processing around life, death, and meaning.Objective 2:
Examine insights and outcomes from the pilot course developed through the Erasmus+ project “Death Education for Palliative Psychology,” with a focus on how psychodrama and art therapies were integrated into teaching and student reflection.

Topic: A FUTURE WITHOUT POVERTY: A SOCIODRAMA EXPLORATION; Stan Ingman, PhD (USA); Daniela Simmons, PhD, TEP (USA)
Presenter: Description: A Future Without Poverty is a global initiative by an international non-profit organization committed to empowering communities, providing essential resources, and creating sustainable solutions to eliminate poverty. This workshop will engage participants in a collective exploration of the causes and solutions to global poverty through the method of sociodrama. Participants will embody roles such as policymakers, community leaders, and those impacted by poverty, fostering creative problem-solving and collaboration. Groups from the United States and internationally will connect via Zoom for this powerful experience.
Learning Objectives: Dr. Ingman has invited several groups from different locations across the United States and internationally, including Mexico, Nepal, Costa Rica, Bangladesh, Türkiye, etc.

Topic: EMBODIMENT ON THE VIRTUAL STAGE: SOMATIC EXPERIENCING THROUGH THE TELE'DRAMA METHODOLOGY; Gulsen Buyuksahin, MA, CTP-3 (USA); Assoc. Prof. Ozlem Sener (Turkiye)
Presenter: Description: In this experiential Tele'Drama session, participants will explore how somatic therapy techniques can be effectively integrated into Tele'Drama. Somatic interventions such as grounding, breathwork, body tracking, and mindful movement will be demonstrated and adapted for the Tele’Drama methodology. Emphasis will be placed on how to safely guide participants through body-based awareness during role playing, role reversal, and emotional expression, enhancing both spontaneity and regulation.When Somatic Experiencing is combined with Tele'Drama, it creates a powerful, embodied approach to healing that integrates body awareness with dramatic action, allowing participants to safely explore, express, and find inspiration within a supportive online group setting.The study will be organized as a hybrid. A large group of senior psychology students from Bartın University, Türkiye, will share the same physical environment, while other participants will join online. One of the co-presenters will be online from home in Oregon, USA, and the other co-presenter will be in Türkiye with the students.
Learning Objectives:

1. Identify and apply practical tools to support deeper embodiment, emotional safety, and healing-informed care within Tele’Drama action methods.
2. Demonstrate understanding of how to integrate somatic experiencing techniques with Tele’Drama methodology to enhance connection and impact in virtual sessions.

Topic: MODERN LIFE AND ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS: EXPLORING THE EMOTIONAL LANDSCAPE OF YOUTH THROUGH SOCIODRAMA; Lyudmila Zlatova (Czech Republic); Alexandr Usov (USA); Tetiana Kopiievska (Ukraine); Nelly Klyovan (Ukraine)
Presenter: Description: What does it mean to navigate love, identity, and belonging while living in the shadow of war and displacement?This presentation invites you into the heart of Sociodrama for Emerging Adulthood—an innovative online initiative supporting Ukrainian youth (ages 18–29) across Europe and beyond.Rooted in the principles of classical sociodrama (J. L. Moreno) and enriched by trauma-informed practice, the project offers more than just a therapeutic space—it becomes a stage where young adults can safely explore:

• Who am I now? (Identity)
• How do I separate without losing connection? (Separation from parents)
• Where do I belong? (Cultural dislocation)
• Can I choose my own path? (Autonomy)
• What does love look like in times of uncertainty? (Intimacy)
• Why am I here? (Sense of purpose)

Through interactive storytelling, role-play, and collective reflection, sociodrama becomes a vessel for healing, discovery, and empowerment. We will share moving insights from the field—how laughter, tears, and creative action are helping young people reconnect with themselves and one another.Format: Hybrid
Presenters: Online from home in Prague and New York
Participants: Gathered in person at an office in Kyiv, along with two additional presenters
Audience: University students majoring in psychology (international)
Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the challenges young people face today and explore potential approaches to address them.
2. Learn Tele’Drama tools and techniques that can be used by psychotherapists to work with themes related to identity, belonging, and emotional resilience.

Topic: RITUALS, DREAMS, AND MORENIAN TOOLS IN THE WORK OF THE FEPTO TASK FORCE ON PEACEBUILDING, CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION, AND COLLECTIVE TRAUMA; Maurizio Gasseau (Italy); Nilüfer Demirhan (Türkiye/Italy)
Presenter: Description: This workshop offers an experiential approach to addressing collective trauma through rituals, dreams, and classical Morenian tools such as psychodrama and sociodrama. Participants will explore how to create a safe and containing space for group processes and how symbolic actions—such as ritual enactments and dreamwork—can be used to transform unconscious forces and promote healing in communities affected by war, displacement, and systemic violence.Through a combination of Jungian psychodrama, dream enactment, and techniques like tapping, the session invites participants to engage in processes that support emotional integration, conflict transformation, and peacebuilding. The workshop emphasizes practical methods for group facilitators working in contexts of collective trauma.

Context and Background:
This approach is grounded in the long-standing work of the FEPTO Task Force for Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation, founded in Vienna in 2005 by Maurizio Gasseau (Italy), Eva Fahlström (Sweden), and Melinda Meyer (Norway). The Task Force recognizes the teachings of Jacob Levy Moreno as a foundation for peace work and applies Morenian methods to collective trauma, including the psychological impacts of war, environmental disasters, and migration.The Task Force has organized seminars in various countries—such as Norway, Sweden, Italy, Bulgaria, Spain, and Türkiye—and actively supports practitioners working in high-conflict zones and vulnerable regions including Ukraine, Russia, Egypt, Gaza, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Israel, Jordan, El Salvador, Honduras, and Colombia. Intervision among members is a core element, strengthening the support of professionals who help others in the field of peacebuilding.

Facilitation Details:
The workshop is supported by the University of Valle d'Aosta, Department of Human and Social Sciences (SHS), and will be conducted online via the Gasseau group.

• Presenter: Maurizio Gasseau (joining from Tarragona, Spain)
• Co-leader: Nilufer Demirhan (joining from Türkiye or Italy)
• Participants: Students at the University of Valle d'Aosta, Department of Human and Social Sciences

Learning Objectives:

1. Learn how to address collective trauma through the use of rituals, dreams, and tapping techniques.
2. Explore the application of Jungian psychodrama to dreamwork within group processes for peacebuilding and conflict transformation.

Topic: THE WISDOM WITHIN: EXPLORING IDENTITY, STRENGTH, AND DISABILITY THROUGH ACTION; Andrea Wilches (Colombia/Argentina/USA)
Presenter: Description: This experiential psychodrama workshop invites participants to explore the deep wisdom that emerges from living with a disability.Disability can be a profound source of insight, creativity, and resilience. Through guided action methods, participants will give voice to personal stories, explore roles shaped by lived experience, and uncover sources of inner strength and meaning. Together, we will connect in a supportive space and reimagine identity beyond societal definitions.This workshop welcomes people with disabilities—both visible and invisible—as well as allies and anyone interested in the healing potential of action methods.Together, we will honor differences, reclaim our voices, and celebrate the wisdom that lives within us all.
Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will be able to identify and embody at least two roles shaped by lived experience with disability, using psychodramatic techniques.
2. Participants will apply action methods to explore inner strengths and reframe identity beyond societal definitions of disability.

Topic: TRAINING THE FUTURE OF MEDICINE THROUGH PSYCHODRAMA; Colleen Baratka, MA, TEP, CTP-3 (USA); Pamela Goffman, LCSW, TEP (USA)
Presenter: Description: Training the Future of Medicine with Psychodrama introduces an innovative application of psychodramatic methods to prepare aspiring medical professionals through trauma-informed education. Delivered in a hybrid format, this session shares how action-based tools are integrated into a U.S. vocational course, Medical Careers, for students entering doctor shadowing and hospital placements.Participants will explore how role training, doubling, and sociodrama support ethical awareness, embodied empathy, and practical trauma-informed skills. This session demonstrates how psychodrama can be a powerful teaching method in shaping the next generation of healthcare workers across cultures and systems.

 Hybrid Format: Presenter working with a group physically gathered at a location. Classroom at Riddle Hospital in Media, PA, USA; Delaware County Intermediate Unit
Major: Medical Career Preparation; Participants: Participants will be in person.
Learning Objectives:

1. Apply psychodramatic techniques—such as role training, doubling, and sociodrama—to teach trauma-informed care to pre-professional medical students.
2. Model and facilitate ethical, trauma-informed interventions using psychodramatic methods, with a focus on boundary setting, power awareness, and patient-centered communication.

Topic: TRANSFORMING SURVIVAL ROLES: EXPLORING VIRGINIA SATIR’S FAMILY COMMUNICATION MODELS; Inara Erdmanis (Sweden)
Presenter: Description: Virginia Satir, known as the "Mother of Family Therapy," identified five survival roles—Blamer, Placater, Computer, Distracter, and Leveler—that individuals unconsciously adopt in response to stress, conflict, or family dysfunction. While these roles help maintain self-worth and reduce anxiety, they often block authentic communication and emotional intimacy.This experiential workshop explores Satir’s model through role-play, reflection, and group interaction, offering participants the opportunity to recognize these patterns in themselves and others and explore ways to move toward more congruent and creative communication.
Learning Objectives:

1. Identify and explore Satir’s five survival roles—Blamer, Placater, Computer, Distracter, and Leveler—and recognize how these communication patterns appear in families, groups, and personal experiences under stress.
2. Practice shifting from survival roles to congruent communication through experiential exercises, enhancing emotional awareness, trust-building, and connection in relational and professional settings.

Topic: Experiential Session: WHEN STUDENTS BECAME TEACHERS: A TRIBUTE TO YOUTH-LED SOCIAL CHANGE; Bojana Glusac Draslar (Serbia); Mirjana Stankovic (Serbia); Anna Kononenko (Serbia); Svetlana Iloski (North Macedonia); Mina Zivkovic (Serbia); Dragana Nikolić (Ser
Presenter: Description: Around the world, youth movements are increasingly stepping into the role of
educators—challenging the status quo, modelling courage, and awakening collective
responsibility. This interactive sociodramatic session explores the transformative power of
student-led protest as a form of education and social innovation, through the lens of
psychodrama and sociodrama.
Participants will engage with stories and action scenes inspired by real events—such as the
2024 university protests in Serbia, where students became powerful agents of civic teaching.
In these movements, classrooms expanded into public squares, and traditional hierarchies
were reversed. Students taught not only their elders but entire communities—bringing forth
voices that too often go unheard.
In the spirit of J.L. Moreno’s vision, this session uses creative action methods to reflect on
how spontaneity, role reversal, and collective imagination can catalyze healing, justice, and
intergenerational dialogue. Whether in Serbia or elsewhere, such moments offer insight into
how education and activism can merge into living laboratories of democracy.

Goals:
Participants will:
 Reflect on the phenomenon of students taking on teaching roles in times of social
upheaval.
 Explore the psychodramatic and sociodramatic dynamics of protest, leadership, and
transformation.
 Learn from real-life examples, including the Serbian student protests of 2024, as
models for civic engagement.
 Consider how similar movements could be nurtured in their own cultural or
educational settings.


Methodology:
 Interactive Action Methods: Sociometric and role-based exercises adapted for the
online space.
 Embodied Storytelling: Enacted and co-created protest vignettes with audience
participation.
 Collective Reflection: Shared inquiry into the meaning of youth leadership and
education through action.
 Cross-cultural Dialogue: Exchange of experiences and ideas on intergenerational
learning and social change.
Learning Objectives: Participants will learn how youth-led movements can drive social change by using
sociodramatic tools such as role reversal, collective enactment, and group storytelling.

Participants will learn how sociodramatic methods can support intergenerational dialogue
and community reflection, fostering civic responsibility and social transformation.

Topic: Theoretical Webinar: THE POWER OF DOUBLING: A PSYCHODRAMATIC KEY TO HEALING; Julie Wells (USA)
Presenter: Description: This one-hour webinar offers a lively introduction to Moreno’s Theory of Child Development and its application in clinical and educational settings. Learn how the core concepts of doubling, mirroring, and role reversal support identity formation and emotional development.Discover five types of doubling and how the presence of a skilled double can help contain overwhelming emotions, support expression, and repair misattunement—especially in the aftermath of trauma, neglect, or confusion.Join us to deepen your understanding of these essential psychodramatic interventions and the driving theory behind them.
Learning Objectives:

1. Explain the basics of Moreno's Theory of Child Development and its relationship to the psychodramatic techniques of doubling, mirroring, and role reversal.
2. Identify and differentiate between five distinct types of doubling used in psychodramatic practice.

Topic: Experiential Session: (Coming Soon); Heloisa Fleury (Brazil)
Presenter: Description:

Topic: Theoretical Webinar: FACILITATING COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE WITH ACTION METHODS; Chantal Nève Hanquet (Belgium) & Agathe Crespel Brussels (Belgium)
Presenter: Description: What is collective intelligence? What are its foundations and methods?
Drawing on their book Facilitating Collective Intelligence (Routledge, 2020), Chantal Nève Hanquet and Agathe Crespel will explore how action methods—including psychodrama, sociodrama, and others—serve as pioneering and still highly relevant approaches for fostering collective intelligence in groups.This theoretical webinar situates these methods within a broader framework that includes the facilitator's posture, essential process markers, and practical techniques to expand what is possible in group settings. The presenters will share both theoretical insights and experiential tools that support co-construction and activate multiple forms of intelligence. Presenters: Online from home in Brussels
Participants: Online from Collège Institut Provincial de Formation Sociale – www.ipfs.be
Learning Objectives:

1. Gain insights and practical markers to support various groups and promote co-construction.
2. Understand the value of action-based methods to activate different forms of intelligence, including emotional, cognitive, and embodied intelligence.

Topic: COMPASSIONATE AND DEEP LISTENING: Jaye Moyer, LCSW, TEP, CTP-2 (USA); Cristina Hockl, CTP-2 (Germany)
Presenter: Description: What is our relationship to listening? Let us find out together—all you need is your curiosity and enthusiasm.Listening is not only about sound. As Gregory Kramer writes, “All of our senses, all of our being listen. Listening is stillness and the vibrating of that stillness.” In this experiential session, we will explore listening as a full-bodied, relational act—one that engages stillness, presence, and the hospitality of the heart.Compassionate and deep listening is not about fixing, interpreting, or offering solutions. It is about offering refuge—creating a space of calm and welcome where others can speak and simply be heard. Together, we will explore practices that help cultivate this kind of listening and reflect on how it shapes our personal and professional relationships.
Learning Objectives:

1. Explore the principles of compassionate and deep listening as a relational and embodied practice.
2. Practice listening skills that foster presence, trust, and non-judgmental connection in both personal and professional settings.

Topic: PSYCHODRAMA AND EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE; Héctor A. Montalvo Escandón (Mexico)
Presenter: Description: Psychodrama, as an experiential and action-based method, is intrinsically related to emotional intelligence by using the body to recognize and express emotions. Through its implementation, it facilitates the identification of one's own and others' emotions and feelings, and understanding how they influence thinking (emotional facilitation).Sociodrama explores the historical and cultural influences on our emotional responses. Psychodrama offers practical tools—such as role reversal, mirroring, and the auxiliary self—to regulate emotional intensity and promote self-management.In essence, psychodrama is an experiential laboratory that cultivates emotional awareness, interpersonal understanding, and the ability to navigate the emotional world with greater wisdom and authenticity in a social context.Hybrid format: Presenter working with a group physically gathered at a location — Centro de Inteligencia Emocional “Casa Luz,” Universidad Mesoamericana.
Learning Objectives:

1. Apply psychodramatic techniques to recognize and regulate emotional experiences through bodily awareness and expressive action.
2. Demonstrate understanding of how role reversal can foster empathy and enhance emotional intelligence in individual and group contexts.

Topic: REST ACROSS BORDERS: BUILDING GLOBAL COMMUNITY THROUGH THE SEVEN (7) TYPES OF REST, POETRY, AND PSYCHODRAMA; Jeanie Low, LCSW-S (USA)
Presenter: Description: In an increasingly connected—and often exhausting—world, students from diverse cultures face the ongoing challenge of staying energized, creative, and emotionally present. This workshop explores the 7 Types of Rest—beyond just sleep—through a global and communal lens.Using psychodrama, poetry, and shared artistic expression, the session will co-create a brave space where students from different backgrounds can connect, express, and restore—together. Through guided enactments, collaborative writing, and storytelling, participants will explore how rest is experienced differently across cultures, identities, and life circumstances, and how community support can promote balance across languages, time zones, and personal realities. 

Presenter: Online from office in Houston, TX
Participants: Students gathered across the city on individual devices
Learning Objectives:

1. Identify and reflect on the 7 types of rest (physical, mental, emotional, sensory, creative, social, and spiritual) and how each impacts well-being in the context of university life and cross-cultural experience.
2. Engage in expressive practices—including psychodrama, poetry, and collaborative storytelling—to explore personal and communal experiences of rest, while fostering empathy, connection, and community-building across diverse student backgrounds.

Topic: THE PIÑATA EFFECT: HOW ANXIETY HOLDS, BREAKS, AND FREES US; Betty G Garrison (USA); Cynthia Freeman-Valerio (USA)
Presenter: Description: This workshop will offer a methodology for exploring anxiety patterns using the Tele’Drama approach, which incorporates psychodramatic techniques and experiential methods. By symbolizing anxiety as a piñata, the process reveals its impact on thoughts, emotions, and relationships, and fosters deeper self-awareness.Participants will be introduced to role-playing and guided enactments as tools to analyze common triggers and habitual responses, gaining insight into inner strengths. The session continues with symbolic exercises designed to release emotional tension and enhance resilience. Practical techniques will be shared to support emotional balance, personal growth, and effective navigation of life’s challenges.
Learning Objectives:

1. Identify the symbolic framework of the Piñata Effect and examine emotional triggers commonly associated with anxiety.
2. Learn and apply at least one experiential technique or coping strategy from the Tele’Drama methodology to support anxiety awareness and self-regulation.

Topic: TROOPS IN CONTACT: A PILOT PSYCHODRAMATIC MODEL FOR VETERANS AND FIRST-RESPONDERS; Jeffrey Ian Bass, PsyD, ABPP (Clinical and Forensic), Active-Duty US Army Psychologist, Colonel, Medical Service Corps (USA)
Presenter: Description:

Topic: EMBRACE YOUR DYNAMIC CAREER JOURNEY: APPLYING THE CHAOS THEORY OF CAREERS THROUGH PSYCHODRAMA AND SOCIOMETRY; Amna Jaffer, PhD, TEP (USA); Jimma Cortes-Smith, MA (USA)
Presenter: Description: The Chaos Theory of Careers emphasizes that career development is non-linear, unpredictable, and influenced by complex systems.  This perspective challenges traditional models by highlighting uncertainty and adaptability.  In this workshop, participants will explore the main tenets of chaos theory, the butterfly effect, and their deeply embedded life interests.  Activities will include the creation of a non-linear career map and role reversing with core skills and values. Participants will also concretize short-term flexible goals focused on behaviors and direction versus fixed outcomes.  By integrating theory with embodied action methods, participants will leave with a sense of preparedness to navigate career complexity using creativity and self-awareness.
Learning Objectives: 1: Explore key principles of the chaos theory of careers such as your butterfly moment using psychodrama and other action techniques.  

2: Design a non-linear career path by constructing a career map and concretizing at least one short-term flexible career goal. 

Topic: ACTION METHODS IN COACHING TRAINING: FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE; Roberto Bonanomi, PsyD (Italy)
Presenter: Roberto Bonanomi, PsyD (Italy / Switzerland)
Description: This session presents an integrative model using Action Methods to train professionals in one-on-one coaching and team coaching. Drawing from five years of application in our international certification programs, we demonstrate how sociometry, role reversal, and other action techniques create immersive learning experiences that enhance both skills and self-awareness. Participants will explore theoretical foundations and engage in live demonstrations, experiencing how Action Methods transform coaching competencies into embodied practice. This session is suitable for trainers, coaches, and organizational consultants.

 
Learning Objectives: 1. Understand how Action Methods enhance experiential learning in coaching training.
2. Experience practical applications of sociometry and role reversal in developing coaching competencies.

Topic: ROLES, BOUNDARIES AND FUNCTIONALITY IN DISASTERS: WHO AM I, WHAT AM I DOING AND HOW MUCH AM I DOING?; Hande Karakılıç Üçer, MD; Aliye Mavili, Feyruz Usluoğlu, Kamuran Özdemir, Müjdegül Zayıfoğlu Karaca, Nigar Etizer Karacık, Nihal Uyar Özer, Candan Terzio
Presenter: Description: Main presenter: Hande Karakılıç Üçer, MD, Chair of ANKA Association of Group Psychotherapies and Psychodrama (Türkiye)
Co-presenters: (in alphabetical order) Aliye Mavili (Ankara); Bahar Gökler (Ankara); Feyruz Usluoğlu (Mersin); Kamuran Özdemir (Alanya); Müjdegül Zayıfoğlu Karaca (Ankara); Nigar Etizer Karacık (Çanakkale); Nihal Uyar Özer (Ankara); Özlem Ulutaş (Ankara); Yaşar Çavdar Kolbüken (Ankara) | MEMBERS of ANKA Association of Group Psychotherapies and Psychodrama


Eight groups live on-site, and each one of them—in separate locations—will participate simultaneously in the virtual space to explore the nature and extent of their responsibilities when called to respond in their professional roles to disasters.These hybrid groups, although homogeneous professionally within themselves (undergraduate students of social work, psychological counselling, psychology, and medicine), are all joint actors who have to learn to cooperate and collaborate in a highly flexible way in order to be efficient in disaster interventions.Each professional group—if faced with such an event—will be challenged to relegate their classical everyday roles and to assume unfamiliar ones, depending on the demands of the disaster phase. Or, as is often the case, they might suddenly find themselves thrown into the role of disaster victim, with multiple jolted personal roles, sometimes leading to self-questioning of their core identity and existence.Indeed, is there really ANY role which is left untouched when a disaster abruptly tears down the very texture of our routine life?This large group, therefore, is not restricted to receiving only the hybrid groups consisting of health-care provider candidates, but has been planned to welcome everyone interested in exploring the fluidity of roles and boundaries in times of crises and disasters.What better theory is there than role theory, what better method than sociodrama and role-training to peek at such an unsettling territory?Lest we forget, disasters and traumas are not just about broken boundaries—they are also about mended, rebuilt, and even expanded stronger boundaries.

 
Learning Objectives: Objective 1:
A. Develop awareness of the need for flexibility in order to enhance efficiency in professional interventions during current or future crises and disasters.
B. Increase awareness of the phenomenon of overlapping or crossed boundaries in disaster contexts, through the lens of role theory, in order to support the preservation of healthy and functional boundaries in multidisciplinary work.Objective 2:
Gain deeper insight into the overarching self-care needs of care providers, and understand the direct relationship between self-care, role flexibility (Objective 1A), and healthy boundaries (Objective 1B).

Topic: JOURNEY THROUGH TIME: LIVE FROM UNIVERSITIES THAT SHAPED AND CARRY FORWARD THE LEGACY OF PSYCHODRAMA
Presenter: Description: Join us for a unique hybrid virtual-in-person signature event that bridges historical legacy and modern innovation through Tele'Drama’s Fusional InterReality methodology. This dynamic session connects participants worldwide in real time, offering an educational and deeply inspiring journey through academic institutions that have played a meaningful role in the development and transmission of psychodrama.This experience highlights the foundational and continuing impact of Dr. J. L. Moreno through the lens of universities where he studied, taught, or inspired generations of professionals. With the collaboration of Tele'Drama colleagues, university faculty, students, and psychodrama organizations globally, the session will explore how the spirit of Moreno’s work lives on in contemporary academic environments.Participants will engage with live-streamed segments from significant universities—such as the University of Vienna’s Department of Psychiatry (where Moreno studied), Harvard University (where he served as honorary president), Sofia University in Bulgaria (hosting a psychodrama master’s program), and others. These academic settings will be brought to life through shared narratives, reflections from faculty and students, and immersive multimedia.This is more than a history lesson—it is a living celebration of psychodrama’s intellectual and institutional roots, inviting participants into a global dialogue across time, space, and learning communities.
Learning Objectives:

1. Explore the historical and contemporary role of academic institutions in preserving, teaching, and advancing the practice of psychodrama.
2. Understand how educational environments around the world continue to carry forward Dr. Moreno’s legacy through interdisciplinary approaches, student engagement, and global collaboration.

Topic: TRANSLATING RELATIONAL TRAUMA REPAIR (RTR) FOR THE VIRTUAL SPACE: MAINTAINING CONNECTION AND EXPERIENTIAL DEPTH ONLINE; Tian Dayton, PhD, TEP (USA)
Presenter: Description:

Topic: DR. MORENO’S WORK WITH MARGINALIZED GROUPS EXPLORED THROUGH SOCIODRAMA; Antonina Garcia, EdD, TEP, RDT/BCT (USA)
Presenter: Description: This one-hour plenary experiential session will explore Dr. J.L. Moreno’s work with marginalized groups through the method of sociodrama. Based on real-life populations Moreno engaged with during his early and later practice, the session will allow participants to engage in role exploration, enactment, and reflection.By drawing connections between Moreno’s early social justice efforts and the ongoing realities of systemic exclusion, this session highlights the transformative potential of action methods in promoting human dignity, visibility, and inclusion.The experience also honors the cultural and human diversity within the global Tele’Drama community and encourages participants to contribute their presence and perspectives with awareness and respect.
Learning Objectives:

1. To explore the historical contributions of Dr. Moreno’s work with marginalized groups through experiential sociodramatic enactment.
2. To deepen understanding of diversity and social exclusion as essential considerations in psychodramatic and sociodramatic practice—supporting their relevance in both therapeutic and educational contexts.

Topic: BUDDHIST PSYCHOLOGY IN PSYCHODRAMA; Jaye Moyer, LCSW, TEP (USA); Daniela Simmons, PhD, TEP (USA)
Presenter: Description: Drawing from Buddhist psychology and the action methods of psychodrama and sociometry, we will introduce ten "heart" qualities known as the Paramis. The Paramis are guiding resources not only for healing but also for ethical living. They will always point us in the direction of well-being. This one-hour session invites participants into embodied reflection and playful, mindful engagement with their values and aspirations. 
Learning Objectives: 1. Become familiar with the 10 Paramis  as psychological strengths and ethical qualities.
2. Understand how psychodrama and role-play can illuminate inner capacities and pathways for growth.

Topic: BRIDGING GAPS AND REACHING OUT; Erica Hollander, JD, PhD, TEP (USA); Amna Jaffer, PhD, TEP (USA)
Presenter: Description: This experiential session includes in-person students from San José State University’s Counseling program connecting with online participants in a hybrid setting. Participants will be invited to form dyads with someone they do not know and who is different from themselves in some way—someone they are curious about. Through guided interaction and reflection, they will explore hesitations that arise when bridging gaps of any kind and learn how to build trust, empathy, and group cohesion in newly forming relationships. The session fosters connection, curiosity, and mutual understanding in both counseling and educational contexts.  

San José Califonia State University’s Counseling Program
Learning Objectives:

1. Identify personal and cultural hesitations that may inhibit connection with individuals from different backgrounds or identities.
2. Practice interpersonal techniques that support curiosity, connection, and group cohesion in diverse and hybrid group settings.

Topic: CONSTRUCTING POETIC HOMES: SAFE HOLDING SPACES USING NARRATIVE DRAMA THERAPY IN COACHING AND COUNSELING; Dr. Myriam (Mimi) Savage (USA); Jennifer Larsh, MFT (USA); Michelle Diamond, MFT (USA); Amanda Rogers, MFT (USA)
Presenter: Description: This workshop invites authentic self-construction through creating safe holding spaces implementing intermodal arts and assemblage. The experiential projective and embodied methods of narrative drama therapy, inspired by Narradrama steps-- a method of drama therapy are facilitated, asking participants to deconstruct and reconstruct a literal box container after intentional dyadic encounter, movement and writing which leads them to the preferred identity of their making, separating them from the "problem" of life situations such as loss or being othered during these challenging current times. Emphasis is on Winnicott's third space of creativity; the transitional space of repair and developmental connectivity and how it applies to grounding and trauma informed intervention. Narrative therapeutic experience generated through embodiment, the imagination, using found or easily accessible readymade objects and exploring the "imaginal dialogue"(Shaun McNiff) are part of the intervention's framework that parallels a "broaden and build" principle of positive psychology.
Learning Objectives: 1. Identify the presenter's unique approach and intervention implementing narrative drama therapy that is trauma informed for building resiliency in vulnerable populations.
2. Describe collaborative, co-constructive person-centered projective methods that lend to personal and group perspectives, resulting in witnessed dynamics between facilitator/coach and participant and mutual aid between group participants from diverse populations.

Topic: DRAWING THE LINE: EXPLORING BOUNDARIES THROUGH DRAMA THERAPY; Tanja L. Lee, PhD (USA), SP; Serita Reels (USA)
Presenter: Description: This experiential session applies Drama Therapy (DT) principles—such as dramatic projection and creative expression—to offer participants a glimpse into how DT can be implemented to explore personal boundaries within virtual emotional wellness settings. The session promotes self-insight, emotional regulation, and empowerment by integrating action-based methods with creative reflection.

• Fuller Theological Seminary, School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy
• Saint Thomas University, School of Psychology, Marriage and Family Therapy, & Educational Leadership

Learning Objectives:

1. Examine and reflect on personal boundaries.
2. Identify the emotional impact of boundary violations and affirmations.

Topic: EMBODYING WISDOM FIGURES IN INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP WORK; Rebecca Walters, TEP (USA)
Presenter: Description: Wisdom Figures, under different names, can be an important part of intrapsychic and interpersonal psychodramas. Some refer to it as the Wise Mind (DBT), the Self (IFS), or the Autonomous Healing Center (Psychodrama). Others find it within newly found or deeply held spiritual beliefs: Higher Power, Buddha-Nature, the Light Within.However, people who lack positive, nurturing role models are frequently challenged to engage with this part of their own authentic self. Using deep interviewing and role reversal, we can help them develop a role from their own actual or imaginary life that will help guide them to their own grounded truth.
Learning Objectives:

1. Describe the difference between deep interviewing and interviewing for role.
2. Practice role reversal to help individuals develop, connect with, and successfully engage a personal Wisdom Figure.

Topic: ETHICALLY GROUNDED EXPERIENTIAL TREATMENTS FOR TRAUMA AND ADDICTION; Adena Hope Bank, LCSW, CP (USA)
Presenter: Description: This action-oriented workshop offers practical, applicable, and effective interventions for use with individuals and groups in various treatment settings. ABL Trauma-Responsive Psychodrama, which integrates models such as Internal Family Systems, Relational Trauma Repair, and The Therapeutic Spiral Model of Psychodrama, among others, will serve as the foundation for our work.Experiential methods are the treatment of choice for traumatic stress and related issues due to their ability to access all levels of the brain and "lock in" learning. A history of little t or big T trauma(s) often underlies presenting problems such as depression, anxiety, and addiction. It is, therefore, essential to equip ourselves with trauma-responsive techniques to enhance our clinical work.This is a strengths-focused workshop; however, sensitive emotional material may be explored due to the nature and topic of the seminar. Practicing healthy emotional boundaries is, therefore, a must. Engage your curiosity and creativity while gaining valuable skills!

 
Learning Objectives:

1. Practice at least one ethically sound intervention for trauma.
2. Discuss the importance of safety and containment in trauma treatment.

Topic: INNOCENCE AGAIN: REAWAKENING THE INNER CHILD THROUGH PSYCHODRAMA; Phil Armour, LPC (USA)
Presenter: Description: Wherever you are on a scale from 0 (feeling no connection to your innocent inner child) to 10 (fully in touch and operating from a place of childlike goodness), what would it be like to go just one level higher?

This experiential training invites participants to reengage with the elusive state of innocence and wonder through the use of psychodrama. We will explore common roadblocks to reconnecting with the inner child and apply five selected action techniques designed to revive spontaneity, joy, and emotional truth. Come join the quest to become young again—playfully, powerfully, and with purpose.
Learning Objectives:

1. Identify common personal and societal roadblocks to accessing childlike innocence.
2. Apply at least five psychodrama techniques to deepen connection with the inner child in oneself or clients.

Topic: THE ENNEAGRAM EDGE: ENHANCING THE THERAPEUTIC JOURNEY; Melanie Raimundo (Australia)
Presenter: Description: Discover the Enneagram as more than just a personality tool—it’s a powerful framework for transformation. In this interactive workshop, counselor Melanie Raimundo introduces the nine Types and how they shape the way we see the world.Learn how the Enneagram can support clients in healing childhood wounds, building stronger relationships, and reconnecting with their true selves. Therapists will gain insight into core motivations and patterns, allowing them to tailor interventions with greater precision and empathy.Whether you’re new to the Enneagram or experienced in its use, this session offers valuable guidance for deepening your therapeutic practice.
Learning Objectives:

1. Identify and describe the core characteristics of each Enneagram Type and how they influence personal worldview and behavior.
2. Apply the Enneagram framework to therapeutic work by recognizing client motivations, relational patterns, and opportunities for healing.

Topic: PSYCHODRAMA OF LOVE; David Moran, TEP (USA); Haydn Briggs, LCSW, CP (USA)
Presenter: Description: How do we bring love into our practice, family, and life?
The goal of unconditional love is awesome and lofty. This workshop is designed to help participants identify their love language, explore the five types of love, and—most importantly—reflect on how we love ourselves, others, and our work.We all came into this field with passion and a love for some aspect of it. Together, we will explore the power of love from and for the self, nature, and family. The lived experience of these emotional connections requires balance, boundaries, and respect.Participants will use personal examples of compassion, passion, and love—psychodramatically.
Learning Objectives: 1. Participants will explore and apply sociometric and expressive methods—including spectrograms, locograms, and sociodrama—to identify and integrate the five love languages, along with the five types of love: Romantic, Eros, Agape, Pragma, and Philia.2. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of personal and cultural blocks to expressing love, identify internal and external resources, and establish healthy boundaries in relationship to self and others.

Topic: VOICES OF OUR PREDECESSORS: QUOTES AND WISDOM FROM AROUND THE WORLD – A CASE STUDY IN ACTION; Ichiro (Okkady) Okajima (Japan); Mizuki Muronaka (Japan); Shota Shirahama (Japan); Ryo Shigetomi (Japan)
Presenter: Description: In this presentation, university students and psychodramatists from around the world will share their favorite or meaningful words from their home or current countries.In our lives, we encounter many words and quotes from our predecessors. Perhaps some of them strike you as favorites or guide you in your personal life.This presentation aims to promote international exchange, mutual understanding, and the passing on of wisdom by sharing such quotes internationally.It is expected that participants will strengthen their connection to these words and to their predecessors by using role reversal and by hearing the favorite quotes of others. It is also expected that participants will begin to incorporate others’ quotes into their own preferences.


 プレゼンテーションの説明（日本語訳）:このプレゼンテーションでは、世界中の大学生やサイコドラマ実践者が、それぞれの母国や現在住んでいる国の大切な言葉や、お気に入りの名言を紹介します。私たちの人生では、先人たちからの多くの言葉や名言に出会います。その中には、心に響くものや、自分の人生の指針となるような言葉もあるかもしれません。このプレゼンテーションの目的は、そのような言葉を国際的に共有することで、国際交流や相互理解、そして知恵の継承を促進することです。参加者はロールリバーサル（役割交換）の技法を通じて、自分の言葉や先人とのつながりをより深めるとともに、他者のお気に入りの言葉を聞くことで新たな視点を得ることが期待されます。また、他者の言葉を自分の心の中に取り入れていくことも期待されます。
Learning Objectives: 1: To broaden your own insight by learning the wisdom of people from different countries.
2: To deepen the enjoyment of interacting with people around the world through Tele'Drama.

学習目標（日本語訳）
目標 1： 他国の人々の知恵を学ぶことによって、自分自身の洞察を広げること。
目標 2： テレドラマを通じて、世界中の人々と交流する楽しさをさらに深めること。

Topic: COLORS OF CHANGE: FROM DARKNESS TO RAINBOW A JOURNEY OF GROWTH; Tamar Pelleg (Israel)
Presenter: Description: This workshop explores the transformative power of biblical archetypal roles through a dynamic integration of Bibliodrama and Bibliotherapy. Using the story of Joseph as a reflective mirror, participants will engage with universal human experiences such as family dynamics, trauma, and forgiveness.Through psychodramatic action methods and reflective writing techniques, attendees will embody characters from this timeless narrative, generating dialogue between biblical texts and personal stories. This process fosters deep self-reflection and connection between collective wisdom and individual growth.Participants will uncover universal themes that resonate across time, building bridges between sacred stories and present-day challenges. This creative journey supports healing, insight, and the capacity for inner transformation.
Learning Objectives:

1. Identify and embody key biblical archetypal roles (such as those in the story of Joseph) to explore universal themes—including trauma, forgiveness, and family dynamics—and relate them to personal experiences through action methods and reflective writing.
2. Apply and evaluate at least one ethically sound experiential intervention for trauma, while recognizing the importance of psychological safety and containment in the use of action-based approaches.

Topic: EMOTIONAL PROJECTIONS ON STAGE: A TELE’DRAMA JOURNEY THROUGH IMAGES; Elena Petrova (Bulgaria); Maya Maria Naydenova (Bulgaria); Desislava Klochkova (Bulgaria)
Presenter: Description: This experiential session explores emotional projection through Tele’Drama and projective image work. Participants select evocative photographs to externalize inner states through role-play, dialogue, and improvised scenes. By dramatizing what they see—and how it mirrors their internal world—they uncover unconscious emotions and relational patterns. The process fosters empathy, self-awareness, and emotional insight, enriching both academic and personal relationships.Participants will include individual students from the Faculty of Philosophy at South-West University "Neofit Rilski" and the University of Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria.
Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the nature of emotional projections in relationships and how they influence perception and behavior in both social and professional contexts.
2. Develop skills to apply Tele'Drama techniques—such as role-play, visual imagery, and group reflection—to identify, explore, and work through emotional projections.

Topic: IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO PLAY – A BRIDGE BETWEEN THE AGES; Ofra Faiman (Israel)
Presenter: Description: In this hybrid workshop we will explore together, the potential of playing between young students and a group of the elderly, in order to improve our creativity and well-being. As D.W Winnicot wrote "It is in playing that the individual, child or adult, is able to use the whole personality. It is only by being creative that the individual discovers the self." (Playing and Reality, Routledge, 2005). We will play games; improvise scenes from real life; and discuss our involvement, playfulness, learning and seeing the other from different perspectives. 
Learning Objectives: 1. The interaction between groups with very different life experiences promotes creativity.
2. The value of playfulness as a learning and teaching tool.

Topic: NOT MY SHAME: BREAKING FREE FROM GENERATIONAL GUILT; Cristina Schmidt (Romania)
Presenter: Description: Every time someone experiences something invisible, unnamed, and deeply felt, I begin searching for traces that might reveal a transgenerational source. These symptoms often show how shame silently lives within us.In this workshop, we’ll explore how shame and guilt are carried across generations, shaping those who follow. The most effective results in my practice have come through the empty chair technique from psychodrama. I invite participants to bring out the silent voices of shame and give form to inherited messages. This process opens the way to awareness, compassion, and the freedom to release what was never truly theirs.
Learning Objectives: 1. Identify and understand how shame and guilt can be unconsciously transmitted across generations, and recognize their impact on individual emotional well-being.2 Gain practical experience in applying the empty chair technique from psychodrama to externalize internalized voices of shame and reinterpret inherited emotional messages.

Topic: RECONNECTING WITH OUR PLAYFULNESS; Suneetha Saggurthi, PhD (India); Mala Bali (India)
Presenter: Description: In this 2-hour psychodrama workshop, we’ll journey into the playful parts of ourselves—those often hidden beneath roles, responsibilities, and old stories. Through guided action methods and reflection, we’ll explore what playfulness means to each of us, what blocks its expression, and how reclaiming it can bring greater joy, spontaneity, and emotional freedom. This is a space to experiment and to reconnect with your playfulness.
Learning Objectives:

1. Identify internal roles and patterns that inhibit access to playfulness and self-expression.
2. Explore the value of play as a pathway to greater spontaneity, creativity, and emotional well-being.

Topic: THE FUTURE OF THE DOCTOR-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP IN THE “EVER NEW” AI ERA: WHAT DOES THE DOCTOR HAVE TO SAY? WHAT DOES THE PATIENT HAVE TO SAY?; Hande Karakılıç Üçer, MD; Yaşar Çavdar Kolbüken; Müjdegül Zayıfoğlu Karaca, MD (Türkiye)
Presenter: Description: Two groups of medical students from two different Faculties of Medicine in Türkiye—1) Hacettepe University and 2) Gazi University—will come together for a hybrid group encounter. Both groups will gather live in separate physical settings, yet will join and perform a sociodramatic play together, along with other international guests participating in the workshop.All will be invited to bring forth their opinions, hopes, excitement, wonder, questions, worries—even anxieties—or any other emotions or thoughts they hold regarding the real or imagined possibilities and risks associated with technology in relation to human health and lifestyle.What a wonder that these reflections will be expressed on a virtual stage made possible by the very technological advancements being discussed. Some may choose to speak from the role of a healthcare provider, others from the role of a healthcare receiver. It’s worth remembering that all of us—eventually and without exception—are bound to the latter role, as being human is our one unique and shared denominator.Hence, the deep relevance of contemplating the future of the doctor–patient relationship.Hybrid format: Presenters working with groups physically gathered at their locations
Presenters:

• Hande – on-site at Gazi University
• Yaşar and Müjdegül – on-site at Hacettepe University

Name of universities: Gazi University and Hacettepe University
Department or major: Faculties of Medicine
 
Learning Objectives:

1. Encourage future medical doctors to reflect deeply on the evolving nature of the doctor–patient relationship and the empathic requirements of their profession.
2. Provide role training for exploring potential challenges faced by both doctors and patients in an era of rapidly advancing technology, including opportunities for role reversal and perspective-taking among medical and non-medical participants.

Topic: INNER WARS AND OUTER WARS: EXPLORING THE INNER ROLE SYSTEM AND REHEARSING RESILIENCE THROUGH PSYCHODRAMA: Nathalie Soussan (Israel); Mina Zivkovic (Serbia)
Presenter: Description: External crises often ignite intense inner conflicts. Even individuals far from war zones may experience upheaval due to personal losses, global instability, or vicarious trauma. This training session invites participants to explore the “inner wars” that are triggered by outer chaos, using psychodramatic methods to strengthen their inner role system and rehearse responses rooted in resilience.Co-facilitated by two psychodrama therapists who lived through the recent war in Israel, this experiential training integrates classical psychodrama techniques with brief somatic grounding tools to promote emotional embodiment and a sense of safety in an online setting. The session is designed to support practitioners in working with trauma-related role fragmentation and enhancing clients' internal resources. 
Learning Objectives:

1. Apply psychodramatic techniques (e.g., role reversal, doubling, role training) to explore and support the inner role system during times of external crisis.
2. Integrate brief somatic grounding practices into online psychodrama sessions to foster resilience and safety in group and individual settings.

Topic: PHENOMENAL WOMAN: UNMASKING HER – A TELE'DRAMA JOURNEY THROUGH SHADOW AND LIGHT; Abrar Ali J. Qariр, MD, CTP-1 (Saudi Arabia); Betty G Garrison, CTP-3 (USA)
Presenter: Description: This training session introduces action-based methods designed to support therapeutic and educational work with women’s identity, empowerment, and integration. Participants will learn how to apply tools such as masks, metaphor, movement, and role-play to facilitate self-exploration and expression within diverse group contexts. Emphasis will be placed on the practical use of these techniques in addressing themes of visibility, resilience, cultural narratives, and the integration of both shadow and light aspects of self. This training equips clinicians, educators, and group leaders with experiential interventions that can be adapted across populations and settings.
Learning Objectives:

1. Demonstrate how to integrate masks, movement, and metaphor into experiential practice for exploring themes of identity, empowerment, and internal role dynamics.
2. Develop skills in directing structured, culturally sensitive group processes using action methods that support narrative transformation and role integration.

Topic: RITUAL AS RESOURCE – RECOGNIZING THE POSITIVE TRANSMITTED RESOURCES FROM OUR ANCESTORS; Cristina Hockl (Germany); Mihaela Marin (Romania)
Presenter: Description: This experiential workshop explores ritual as a vital resource for healing, connection, and transformation. In a world marked by loss, fragmentation, and disconnection, ritual offers a pathway to reclaim meaning and reawaken the “village mind”—a sense of collective support and belonging. Drawing from transgenerational practices, participants will learn how to uncover hidden resources within ancestral grief, transforming inherited wounds into strengths that can guide us through life. Through storytelling, symbolic action, and community reflection, we will explore how ritual can be used to hold grief, foster resilience, and build relational bridges across time.
Learning Objectives:

1. Identify ancestral and symbolic resources hidden within personal and collective grief experiences that can support emotional and spiritual growth.
2. Explore the use of ritual and community-based practices to cultivate connection, healing, and a “village mind” approach in therapeutic or group settings.

Topic: SPOONS AND SCENES: USING PSYCHODRAMA TO RECLAIM ENERGY AND SELF-COMPASSION; Colleen Baratka, MA, TEP, CTP-3 (USA); Pembegül Liter, CTP-3 (Türkiye)
Presenter: Description: This workshop blends Spoon Theory and psychodramatic techniques to help participants visualize, honor, and manage limited energy impacted by chronic illness, grief, compassion fatigue, and social stress. Through guided visualization, role training, and action methods, participants will explore energy patterns, release shame, and practice self-compassionate choices.Strategies for spoon-aware eating—such as batch cooking, simple meals, and choosing rest over perfection—will also be discussed. Psychodrama’s goals of insight, catharsis, and role rehearsal support the creation of sustainable routines and embodied healing.This experiential session is ideal for clinicians, caregivers, students, and individuals navigating life with fewer spoons.Format: Online, with the inclusion of a university class. West Chester University, Psychology department, online individual students 
Learning Objectives:

1. Use Spoon Theory to gain insight into personal energy use and emotional patterns.
2. Apply psychodrama tools to develop a personalized energy preservation plan, incorporating strategies such as meal planning, boundary setting, and work-life balance.

Topic: THE ART OF POSSIBILITY: HELPING CLIENTS HARNESS THE POWER OF HOPE; Regina Sewell, PhD, TEP (USA); Jennifer Salimbene; TEP (USA)
Presenter: Description: Many of our clients come to us with a fixed mindset. They focus on limitations, negative interpretations, and problems. Our job is to help them shift to a growth mindset so they can see positive possibilities and tap into the belief that they have control over their talents and abilities—and can therefore make meaningful changes in their lives.This workshop will demonstrate how to use psychodrama to help clients see possibilities and identify their potential in order to access hope.
Learning Objectives:

1. Define the terms “fixed mindset” and “growth mindset.”
2. Describe one psychodrama technique to help clients access a sense of hope.

Topic: THE SOCIAL DREAMING MATRIX: DREAMING OUR WORLD AND SOCIETY IN A SAFE SPACE; Dott. Domenico Agresta (Italy); Istituto Conversazionale Parma (Italy)
Presenter: Description: Social Dreaming Matrix is a psychological tool used to explore and understand society and organizations. The practice of sharing, associating to, and working with dreams in a matrix helps communities identify social trends and dynamics.In the matrix, dream thinking is transformed through free associations, thematic amplification, and systemic thinking, creating bonds, discovering connections, and releasing or generating new thoughts. The matrix is also a “place” where the conscious world of waking life mirrors the unconscious and infinite realm of dreams that occurs during sleep. It is a place where “something can grow.”Format: Hybrid
Presenter: On-site with students at Istituto Scuola Psicoterapia Conversazione
Learning Objectives:

1. Develop an understanding of social dynamics by observing unconscious processes within a shared dreaming framework.
2. Foster co-creative connections and promote free associations to support collective insight and reflection in group settings.

Topic: AWAKENING TOGETHER: COLLECTIVE DREAM EXPLORATION WITH INTEGRAL DEEP LISTENING & TELE’DRAMA; Joseph Dillard, PhD (Germany)
Presenter: Description: This two-hour experiential online workshop, led by Joseph Dillard, PhD, combines Integral Deep Listening (IDL) and Tele’Drama to explore the potential of collective dreaming. The session merges IDL’s structured approach to perspective-taking with the action methods of Tele’Drama, including virtual psychodrama and sociodrama, to engage participants in a collaborative exploration of dream roles and shared unconscious themes.Participants will select and embody a dream character of their choice, visually represented through a transformed profile image. Using a guided process, each character will reflect on their purpose for attending, their preferred ways of engaging with others, and their vision for what the group might dream collectively. Characters will also offer guidance on how their human counterpart can prepare for and recall a collective dream, as well as how to integrate the experience meaningfully. The process concludes with each character expressing what they hope the human participant will carry forward from the experience.
Learning Objectives:

1. Learn how to integrate Tele’Drama’s Social Dreaming Matrix with Integral Deep Listening character interviewing techniques in an online setting.
2. Practice embodying and interacting as a dream character to access shared themes and promote collective meaning-making.

Topic: BECOMING A GOOD ANCESTOR; Mark Wentworth (UK)
Presenter: Description: We are all ancestors in training. Every action, every word, ripples through our descendants. It makes no difference whether we have children or not because we will always be connected and belong to someone. Ancestors are beyond family; what legacy do you intend for those in your professional field? What about the provenance of you culture and country? 

Using Colour PsychoDynamics methodologies we will explore in action the legacies and the provenance that we are sending forward, often to generations that we will not see. We are all learners in the school of becoming a good ancestor.
Learning Objectives:  

1. Gain a deeper understanding of what it means to become a good ancestor.
2. Apply the exercises taught in the workshop for personal use and in work with clients.

Topic: MEETING OURSELVES WITH COMPASSION: AN EXPERIENTIAL ROLE JOURNEY; Catherine D Nugent, TEP (USA); Thomas Northrup (USA)
Presenter: Description: Self-compassion is not simply a feeling—it is a set of roles we can strengthen. Drawing on Kristin Neff’s concepts of tender and fierce self-compassion, and grounded in J. L. Moreno’s role theory and psychodramatic methods, this experiential session guides participants in exploring six inner roles.Through reflection, role activation, and embodiment, participants will practice meeting themselves with both kindness and strength, fostering resilience, healing, and growth. No prior experience with psychodrama or self-compassion work is required.The session will be hosted in a university setting, with students from three counseling classes invited and encouraged to participate.
Learning Objectives:

1. List the six inner roles of self-compassion as defined by Kristin Neff.
2. Explain the stages of role development as identified by J. L. Moreno.

Topic: THE PERSONAL ODYSSEY: EXPLORING INNER RESILIENCE THROUGH ACTION METHODS; Angeliki Lefa (Greece)
Presenter: Description: Odysseus, the legendary hero of Homer’s Odyssey, faced trials, temptations, and unknowns on his long journey home from the Trojan War to Ithaca. In this experiential training session, participants will revisit this enduring myth as a structured framework to explore themes of motivation, courage, and resilience within personal and professional development. Through guided reflections and action methods inspired by psychodrama and narrative work, participants will examine:
 
    What drives us to keep moving toward our goals, even when the path is uncertain?
    What inner resources help us withstand adversity?
    How can ancient symbols and stories support our self-awareness and growth?
 
Drawing on the richness of ancient Greek oral tradition—still shaping hearts and minds across the world—this session offers a unique opportunity to bridge myth and method in personal and professional transformation.
 
Learning Objectives:

1. Demonstrate how ancient mythological storytelling can be used as a powerful tool for meaningful self-exploration and as an immersive, experiential approach to literature-based learning.
2. Illustrate how Tele’Drama techniques can enhance the online learning experience by promoting active participation, sustained attention, and deeper emotional and cognitive engagement.

Topic: THE PLACE WHERE THE WATERS MEET: CENTERING OUR KNOWING; Leticia Nieto, PsyD, TEP (USA); Andrea Wilches (Colombia/Argentina)
Presenter: Description: How do we quiet so we can find our own center and listen to the wisdom of all and of our most essential nature? How do we listen to the signs of our time and find the invitation to co-create that lies beneath the fear of difficult news? The places where the waters meet contain rare possibilities. As creatures of the brackish place, the middle zones, the stage; we can call in our adaptive talents and mixed natures uniquely needed at this time. Together we will explore song and action to listen to the rhythm of consciousness and center ourselves as loving beings. We can resource ourselves and each other to be the change we want to see in the broader world. Participants will develop tools for finding the quiet, staying centered, and using that medicine for individual and collective transformative change.
Learning Objectives: 1. Identify and learn three tools for centering into yourself.
2. Practice three centering techniques for grounding and acting from center amidst challenge.

Topic: CLOSING CEREMONY & GALA: CO-MASTERS: Mirjana Stankovic (Serbia); Lyudmila Zlatova (Czech Republic); Osta Iwobi (Nigeria/United States)
Presenter: Description: Every year, the annual Tele'Drama Conference concludes with a festive Closing Ceremony and Gala—our signature event celebrating the remarkable coming together of people from around the world, learning and co-creating. This year, the team of three Masters of Ceremony will guide us through an extraordinary experience filled with intercultural, interdisciplinary, intergenerational, and interreality adventures. Staying true to the model of the entire conference, the Closing Ceremony and Gala will be a hybrid event, involving groups from across the globe and focusing on the future of humanity, including the perspectives of today's children. Don’t miss this extraordinary event of the year!