About these warm-ups

Version 1. April.99

I collected these warm up exercises as part of a computer-based psychodrama project

which includes definitions of psychodrama, personal experiences, recordings of Moreno,
and a Sociodrama programme. Unfortunately, these other items only work on Macintosh
computers. Here they are converted to HTML so they can be read on your Internet
browser.

If you want to add more to the warm up resource document great.Just email them to me. I
look forward to hearing from you.

Martin Gill

Martin@dryw.freeserve.co.uk

After Death,

1: Ask group member to contemplate and share with another person (in
pairs) what they believe happens after physical death.

2: Ask them also to consider and share how their views influence the way
they live their lives.

Breathing and Vocal

Yawning and sighing,

The group can sit or stand for this exercise. Ask them to ~o ~ huge, silent
yawn.

Then to yawn and allow a modest sound to come out and finally to yawn
very noisily.

Next, show the group how to breathe in through the nose and give a sigh;
then breathe in and sigh longer; and finally to exaggerate this by making
a loud noise.

Development/variations:

(i) Divide into pairs and ask one person to yawn while the other sighs at
her partner.

(ii) Divide the group in half and instruct one half to yawn then make a
pare-arranged sound (e.g. groaning, fearful, dragon like etc.) The other
half of the group guess what sort of noise it is meant to be.

Deep Breaths

It is best to ask the group to stand for this activity. However, for some it
may be easier to sit.

Demonstrate how to breathe in through the nose to a count of 3 hold the

breath for 3-and breathe out to a count of 3. Explain that, when
breathing naturally, we pause between inhalation and exhalation.

Important: Warn members against tensing their necks or raising their

shoulders when breathing in deeply.

Development variations:

(i) Gradually expand the count, e.g.. Breathe in 1-2-3-4-5; hold it 1-2-3-
4-5; and now breathe out -3-4-5

(ii) To provide a contrast with the above, suggest breathing in sharply;

holding; and then breathing out sharply through the mouth, using 'Ha!’

 
Disturbed Family .

1:Instruct the class or group to picture in their mind a scene which

symbolises a disturbed family communication system.

2: Ask the group to collaborate and identify a family situation. Then ask
volunteers to assume each role.

3: Together decides upon the time place and circumstances for the
interaction. Let the interaction flow.

4: When the action has reached a natural conclusion, invite members of

the group or class to critique the process they were witnessing.

Disturbed Person.

1: Ask one member to assume the role of someone in need of emotional

or psychiatric help.

2: Ask them to speak to the class or group about how he or she

experiences intra personal and inter personal interactions.

3: Instruct the class or group to be aware of the communications that are

apparent but not directly articulated.

4: Share.

Doubling Exercise

Instruct each group member to select a partner and to sit facing one
another: -

1: Assign one partner to be the role of protagonist and the other the
interviewer.

2: Ask the protagonist to assume the role of his or her parent; the
interviewer then interviews the parent. Allow proceeding for five minutes.

3: Ask interviewer to stop interviewing and to double for the protagonist

(in role as the parent) Instruct each interviewer to sit beside and
physically mirror the positions of the protagonists and verbalise the
feelings and thoughts. The doubles are to act as kindly as perhaps their
best friend would. Proceed for five minutes.

4: Instruct the protagonist to remain in the role of parent and set a scene
where an interaction could take place between the son or daughter and
the parent. Ask the doubles to remain in parental role and to help the
protagonist set the scene by asking questions until the setting is clear.

5: Instruct the protagonist to return to own role as son or daughter. The

doubles to continue doubling (now as son or daughter) and for them both
to enter the scene and address the parent, who is imagined sitting in the
scene (empty chair)

6: Instruct the protagonist or double to indicate a need for role reversal

whenever necessary (with parent and back to son or daughter) and
complete the interaction.

7: Allow time for sharing in pairs. The process may take one hour. The
partners then reverse roles, such that the former protagonist becomes
the interviewer, then the double.

8: Director leads all seven stages again.

9: Group sharing of only the essence of what the dyad experienced.

Drawing A Picture.

Ask people to experience how they are feeling about themselves?

With crayons or paint and paper/s: -

Share with one other.

Share with group.

Dreams.

Ask group members to tell about their most recent dream or re-occurring
dream.

Tell about most frequent daydream.

Share with group.

Enacting A Picture,

a: Ask people to experience how they are feeling

about themselves.

b: With crayons or paint and coloured or plain paper, draw a scene,

which best represents themselves at that moment.

c: Instruct the members to individually enact their scene.

d: Have each member set the scene, introduce auxiliary egos

and place him or herself in it.

e: Allow the various parts and other people in the scene to interact.

Enclosed Feeling.

1: Have each group member take a turn at being encircled by a group of

5 or 6 people.

2: Instruct the circle to link arms. The person in the middle is to be a

feeling in need of expression and the circle is representative of those
prescriptions and proscriptions which prohibit its full expression.

3: Have each group member define how the roles can best be played to
represent his or her own unique struggle.

4: Share.

Energy Warm Up.

Instruct the group that they have one minute in which to:
"Touch four corners of the room; the floor,

and six pairs of knees".

Indicate when 50 seconds have elapsed, and

when the time is up.

Invite the group to retrace their steps exactly. Can they

remember whose knees they touched, and in what order?

Development/variations:

(a) A variation for less mobile individuals is to ask the group to "touch
your head; your knees; and hold the hands of the person next to you." No
time limit is imposed here.

(b) Ask the group to "touch the floor; the ceiling; all corners of the room;
and then 'hide' under a chair."

This variation is popular with high-energy groups!

Evolution of life.1: From the foetal position. Slowly unfold. / Face eyes /
rest.

Arms legs individually / Shoulder, hips etc.

" This has taken a million years to accomplish".

2: Play with this new movement.

Sensory.

Standing.

3: Form pairs. Threes main group.

4: Share...

 
Face Massage.

1: Ask two people, consecutively, to massage

the face of his or her partner.

2: Sculpt and mould the face into various feeling states

( May use cream)Allow 5-7 minutes for the entire exercise.

3: Share.

Fairy Tale.

1: Ask group members to collectively enact a fairy tale of their choosing.

2: Guide them through the setting of a scene, assign roles and give them
the freedom to create their own story and interact with one another.

3: At the conclusion of the story, allow time for sharing.

Family Sculpture.

1: Ask group members one at a time to sculpt their families in terms of

who feels closest to whom.

2: Ask how each feels about himself or herself and who is repulsed by
whom.

3: Allow other group members to assume the auxiliary ego roles of family
members and to instruct the family sculptor to give each" statue" one
line to say to the family or individual members.

4: Share.

 
 

Fantasy Trips.

1: Have members imagine they are approaching a door.

2: Open the door, descend down a flight of stairs, and encounter

Another door

3: Open it and see a scene or mirror with a face

(Other than your own) or see a person standing there.

4: Say something to the person or situation which they have wanted to

say for a long time, the person answers, they have a dialogue and the
member re-traces their steps.

5: Share.

Alternative Trip

1: Have members go to a movie and create their own motion

Picture.

2: Go to scene in nature and meet an animal,

Have group members enact.

Favourite Scene,

1: Ask each group member to show the rest of the group his or her
favourite place.
2: Set the scene using props and people.

Do in small groups if group is large.

3: Ask people in the scene to speak a key line that represents the feelings
that the person has in the scene.

4: Share.

Feedback with Role Reversal

.1: Ask group to form dyad's.

2: Ask them to become aware of those parts within themselves that might
interfere with experiencing their partner.

3: Ask them: -

(a) To share those issues which might hinder them

from making a connection.

(b) To give there partners feedback in the here and now with regard to
the way they are perceiving and feeling that person.

(c) To reverse roles with each other and continue giving feedback (reverse
back)

(d) To reverse roles and support or correct any perceptions.

4: Share.

Feeding Your Partner.

1: Ask two people to non-verbally feed each other. The one

being fed closes eyes while other may keep his/hers open.
2: Supply a variety of foods with different textures, e.g. Oranges,
bananas, crackers, cookies grapes etc.

3: Share.

Feelings Continuum.

1: Spatially create a continuum for the group; one end representing

warmth, the other cold.

2: Ask all members at once to place themselves on the continuum

according to how they feel. Cold----------------------Warm.

a: Feelings for food "about cabbage. Etc.

b: Feelings for specific people.

c: Specific events, situations.

d: Feelings for feelings, e.g. Sadness, anger, joy etc.

Feelings.,

Ask group members to consider for themselves privately

1. What brings you most joy?

2. What brings greatest pain?

3. What they find themselves feeling most of the time?

Share with the group or dyad.

 

Fingertips,

Instruct two people to touch fingertips with each other.(Both hands

facing partner with fingertips paint to ceiling.)

Close eyes and communicate the following through their fingers only

1. Think perhaps, maybe, sometime I'd like to get to know you; however,
I'm not too sure. At times I think I would, and at other times I think I
wouldn't. It feels very tentative. (Pause)

2 Then for whatever reason, I decide that I will get to know you better,
and to accomplish this, I joke with you. Perhaps I make a sarcastic
comment, tease you, and laugh with you, and in my way play with you
(Pause)

3: The playing gets rougher and rougher, until it's difficult to know if
we're playing or fighting. It feels more like a "one up" game, the goal of
which is to find out who's the stronger, and/or more clever."

(Pause)

Now no one is laughing and it’s a very serious struggle.

4: Again a decision is made, the struggle has ceased, and in a split

second a decision is made to stay with the relationship rather than leave.
I want to express to you how much I care, the warmth I feel inside is
allowed to flow out (pause)

5: I recognise that I times I want to be alone and I want to communicate

to my partner a need to leave; I am not rejecting you, I simply need my
space. Sometimes I need to be alone and sometimes I need to be with
you. I will communicate to you where I need to be. I would like you to do
the same. (Pause.

It is now time for me to be alone.

Verbally share with your partner your experience.

 
 

Future Projections.

Ask group members to consider their future.

1: How and where they see themselves in, five, twenty years, etc?

2: Where they will be, and who will be with them?

Enact a future scene from five, ten, or fifty years from now.

Givers and Takers.

1: Ask the group members to form pairs.

2: Instruct one member of the dyad to assume the role of a giver and the
other a taker, and assign them a task, which is relevant to the group or
class; and the specific counter roles. I.e. In a mental health setting.

3: Ask them to define the nature of a giver Vs taker relationship.

4: In a counselling class, ask them to decide if a relationship is ever

terminated through the eyes of a counselled or counsellor.

Grandparents.
1: Ask the group members to close their eyes and picture one of their
grandparents.

2: Ask the group members the identity of a grandparent and talk about
his or her son or daughter (group member's mother or father).
Emphasise the importance of physically sitting, talking and gesturing as
the grandparent.

3: The grandparents can interact in a dyad or with entire group.

Group Body.

1: Ask the group members to identify a part of the body that best
represents what function they individually provide for the group.

2: Ask the members to take the role of the body part, identify themselves
to others, and physically position themselves in relationship to others,
e.g. The head is at the head, the heart, lungs centre appropriately, etc.

Let the roles interact with one another.

3: Share

Group Dance.

1: Instruct group members to move to music, periodically stop the music

and ask members to freeze in their positions.

2: Ask them to make a statement, which is congruent with their body

message.

3: Share.
Variation: Give each other statements (a dialogue) which are congruent
with the body messages received.

Group Feedback,

Have the group divide into small groups of 5 to 8

Have each member receive feedback from all small group members on

1) What is seen as his or her strongest attribute?

2) What gets in his or her way of maximising it to its fullest potential?

After hearing from each member, allow the individual to respond before
moving to the next group member.

Share.

Group Grope,

Ask group to close eyes slowly milling through the room carefully
acknowledging others in the group with dignity.

1. Continue moving even though making contact.

2. Find owns space and experience self.

3. Mill and make contact if you choose or move if choose.

4. Non verbally make some statement about yourself.

5. Indicate non-verbally what you need.

Ask the group to somehow insure that everyone is connected to someone
else.

Ask group to connect and then swiftly push people away.

Do the excise with eyes open

Instruct to communicate various feeling non-verbally, e.g. Love hate

ambivalence distance closeness. Etc.

Group Mural.

1: Supply group with strips of paper and crayons or paint.

(a) Ask the group to create a mural, which depicts the group.

(b) Share.

2: Create a mural of the feelings only-associating a colour with a feeling.

Group Sculpture.

1: Ask group member to sculpt the group and individual members in

terms of their feelings of closeness and who is repulsed by whom.

2: Instruct the sculptor to give each statue one line to say to the
group/or other individual group members.

3: Share.

 
 

Growing Old.

1: Ask two people to pretend they are very old.

2: Insert cotton wool balls in their ears, dim the lights and ask them to
converse with each other.

3: Give them a topic e.g. what is going on in your life.

Hand Examination.

Instruct two people to non-verbally examine each other's hands.

Ask them to decide which one will examine first and to allow at least 3
minutes to touch and look at the partner's hands, before instructing the
other partner to be the examiner.

Ask each to verbally share the experience and specifically what they were
able to discover about their partner.

Head to Toe,

Give the group the following explanation:

"I am going to call out two body parts.

Let one part of you touch the other part of someone else, e.g. If I call out
'thumbs to waist,' your thumbs must touch the waist of someone else"

This activity can be developed according to the abilities and Inability of

the group, i.e. "Head to toe" for flexible, energetic people; "bottom to toe"
for relaxed and mobile people!
Let group members call out their own suggestions.

Development/ variations:

(i) Hand to head; elbow to shoulder; chin to knee etc.

(ii) Body parts matching-knee to knee, finger to finger etc.

(iii) Hands touching, all feet touching etc.

Healthy Family.

1: Instruct the class or group to picture in their mind a scene, which

symbolises a healthy family interaction.

2: Ask each person to identify a family member role, which they would
like to assume, and share their thoughts with the rest of the group or
class.

3: assign, ask for volunteers or democratically elect for their interaction.

4: Let the interaction flow. When the action has reached a natural
conclusion, invite members of the group to share.

5: Move other members of the class or group in and out of the role-
playing situation. I.e. Replace characters or to introduce new characters
such as aunts, uncles grandparents etc.)

Here and Now Feedback.

 
1: Instruct individuals in pairs to experience each other in the here and
now.

2: Give each other feedback and relate the feelings that are evoked within
while in the other's presence.

If they find themselves talking of the past or future, and/or about

someone else, ask them to simply stop talking until they can refocus on
the here and now.

3: Share.

Heroes and Heroines.

1: Ask individuals to consider whom they admire, respect and /or love
from literature or history.

2: Ask each person to do a self-presentation of the famous figure to the

rest of the group.

3: After the self-presentation, instruct the person to choose a group

member to role-play the figure, and as himself or herself.

4: Have a conversation with the historic or literary figure.

Role reverses if desired.

5:Share.

Note: - If the group size is small, allow time for heroes and heroines to
spontaneously mill and mix.

Select certain famous members to sit together and be interviewed as

guests by a group moderator.

Holidays.
Move around the room and recall a family holiday, which still has
resonance for you.

Pack a suitcase with all the things that are important to you at that time.

Let’s hear from each group member what we have in out suitcases.

Hear from the group what is a strength object in this case or what would
you like to be in this case that you did not have at the time.

Is there a suitcase, which interests the group enough to follow this

person on holiday to do a psychodrama this evening?

Humming,

1: Ask members to breathe in then start to hum very quietly, getting

gradually louder, and finish before they begin to feel uncomfortable

2: Reverse this process: breathe in deeply, start humming very loudly

and gradually diminuendo as the breath runs out.

Development/variations:

(i) Suggest that members hum with a partner, forehead to forehead and
then cheek to cheek, to try to feel the vibrations they create. The greater
the oral resonance, the more vibration they will feel.

(ii) Ask the group to hum up and down the scale, discovering how high
and how low each one can reach

Imaginary Force.

1: Ask group members to lie face up on the floor, and to imagine that a
powerful force is holding them down.
2: Instruct them to strain against that force with their bodies until they
can push no more.

3: Allow each then to relax. Repeat if desired.

4: Share.

Intros.Through Parents Eyes.

1: Instruct the group members to use paper and crayons to draw one of
their parents, (abstract or real form)

(a) Talk about the parent in paper-crayon depiction.

(b) Then do a self-presentation of the parent focusing particularly

On the relationship with son or daughter who is in this group.

2: Have the pairs return to the group and ask each partner to assume
the role of their partner's parent, and introduce themselves and the son
or daughter who is present in the group.

Infant and Parent

Ask group members to pair with one another.

Ask one member to become a parent and the other an infant.

The parent is asked to hold the infant who relaxes completely in the
parent's arms.

Initially instruct the infant to close eyes and completely sense the
parents breathing. Heart rate muscle tension, sell temperature, gentle
comfort and security.
Next ask parent purposefully to begin concentration on something that
creates anxiety and to allow there bodes to reflect this state.

Then, ask babies to sense the change and to open eyes and look into
parent’s eyes and face and to make noises, which correspond, to the way
each is feeling. (Some babies bay cry while parent becomes more anxious
and tighter.)

Reverse roles after guiding the dyads through the experiences.

Approximate time for each role is fifteen minutes or more.

Share verbally after each has played both roles.

Last People on Earth.

1: Instruct the group that a holocaust has struck the earth, and they
find themselves to be the sole survivors.

2: Help them establish the time place and circumstances.

3: Ask them to enact how they would behave and what they would do.

4: When the drama has reached a natural conclusion, have the members
share.

Life Cycle,

1: Take the group through the life cycle.

2: Warm them up to being (any or all): -

(i) In utter. (ii) Newborn. (iii) Infant. (iv) 4 one year old.
(v)Ten.....Fifteen....Eighteen.....Twentyone.....Thirty...Forty...
Fifty five...Seventy five... Ninety.

Create scenes along the way, orienting them to time place people and
circumstances.

Life Line.

1:Ask members to draw a line which represents the flow of the

individuals life.

2: Place on the line those events, which were most significant, to them.

3: Share with a group member or entire group.

Listening In.,

1: In groups of three, two people talk about the third as if they were not
there saying positive things about them.

2: The third person sits with their back. Turned away from the other two.
Try saying things with a specific focus. I.e. Clothing, spontaneity, ability,
friendliness.

Literary Perspective.

1: Enact a scene from literature.

2: Establish the time, place, circumstances, people, and allow the action
to flow.

3: Portray in 20th century speech and setting, situations from

Shakespeare; for example: - Hamlets relationship with his Mother and
Uncle. Othello's being married to a woman of different race or
backgrounds.
4: Put a literary character in a chair before the class and encourage free
discourse between the character and the class.

5: Share.

Living Newspaper.

1: Divide the group into small groups of four or five people.

2: Give each group a newspaper asking them to select one article, which
they will enact, for the rest of the group.

(a) Set the scene of the event.

(b) Introduce the characters via a self-presentation.

(c) Provide a warm-up to the circumstances

(d) Establish the time.

(e) Tell the story through action.

3: Share.

Masks.

1: Ask group to put on a pretend mask which will hide their true feelings.

2: Instruct them to present their mask to the rest of the group and to
share what is hidden.

3: Share

 
 

Name,

1: Ask group members to consider his or her name.

What it means to him her.

2: Share

Name-word introductions group or class assembles for the first time ask
the members to introduce themselves by presenting their names and one
word which best represents them at that moment.

If the size permits, have members repeat the names and words of all
those who have already spoken before adding their own.

Ask Members not to describe themselves with words utilised by someone

else.

Share.

Nature Walk.

1: Ask group members to take a nature walk and bring something back
which best represents how they are feeling about themselves.

2: Share.

 
 

Non-verbal Sharing.

1: Have group stand in a circle.

2: Each member, one at a time, non-verbally transmits a feeling message

to each member in the group.

3:Share.

Exercise may be done with eyes opened or closed.

Obituary,

1: Ask members of the group to separate themselves from one another

and find a comfortable place to write.

2: Instruct them to write their own obituaries indicating the cause, date,
time and place of death.

3: List any surviving members, life accomplishments of the deceased and

other relevant data.

4: Allow time for contemplation, writing and re writing.

5: Choose one of the following methods of sharing: -

(i) Posting on a wall or bulletin board for other members to read.

(ii) Having each member read his obituary to group

(iii) In the role of a survivor.

(iv) Enact the funeral and ask the auxiliary ego, in the role of

Minister, priest, rabbi or friend to read the obituary.

6: Share. (Thoroughly)

Object Presentation.

1: Ask group members to become an object, which best represents how

they feel about themselves. Let the objects interact as a group or in
dyads.

2: Choose: -

(a) An object they admire.

(b) An object they detest

(c) An object they find useful

(d) An object they find useless.

Objects.

Instruct the group members to reverse roles with an object in the room
and dialogue with other objects in the room, which are embodied by
other group members.

Let interaction flow.

Share

 
Picture Encounters.

1: Ask group to bring a picture of themselves (at any age).

2: Have each member take a turn at doubling for his/her picture in the
front of the rest of the group.

Picture Frame,

1: Bring into a group an empty picture frame (an imaginary one will do.)
and ask each group member to imagine a scene or picture for the frame.

2: Instruct the group to create a scene which best fits the situation. E.g.
In a history class, a scene from history, in counselling, scene from their
lives, etc.

3: After a few moments of silence allow the members to verbally share

their picture in the group.

4: Share.

5: Have group enact their pictures by setting the scene and using group
members to represent the various parts, or choose only one to enact.

Poems,

1: Ask people to experience themselves, and write a poem that best

describes how they "are'

2: Ask them to read their poems to one other person, or to the entire
group as an introduction.

3: Share.
 

Power Exercise.

1: Ask group members to from dyads,

2: Instruct one member of the dyad to get down on hands and knees on
the floor, while the other stands on a chair.

3: With one foot on the chair and the other gently on his or her partner's
back. Ask them to ascertain which person has the power and what is the
nature of their relationship.

4: Share.

5: Ask the person on the chair to identify who he / she has such a
relationship with and carry on the dialogue from the two positions. (Then
reverse roles and repeat the process from the other person's perspective.)

Role Party,

Instruct group to assume roles and interact with one another as if they
were attending a party together. Establish the time place and
circumstance. Do one, some or all of the following:

Be your hero or heroine.

Be part of your body.

Be a villain or anti-hero.

Be a character from literature.

Be a figure from history.

Be yourself and bring something you have created, e.g. picture, object,
song etc.

Share.

Role/Counter Role,

1: Ask one person, (person 1) to create a role and situation, and another
member (person 2) to spontaneously come to the stage and assume a
counter role in the situation.

2: Let the interaction flow.

3: Instruct the group members to spontaneously move to the stage of

action and to spontaneously begin interacting with person 2 (already on
the stage) who begins creating a new role and situation person 3 must
spontaneously assume the counter role in the new situation.

4: Each person is to initiate a new and different role and situation from
the last person on stage (not a continuation of the previous vignette.

Share.

Significant Other Presentation.

1: Ask each person in a dyad to do a self-presentation of someone that

knows him or her fairly well.

2: Allow time for them to warm up physically, emotionally, spiritually

and intellectually to their respective roles simultaneously.

3: Ask them to talk about themselves through the eyes of this role. For
example: Sally chooses to assume the role of her mother, and as her
mother, talks about her daughter Sally and their relationship.
Share

Alternatively:

a. Ask them to assume the role of someone who dislikes them.

b. Ask them to assume the role for their favourite teacher, student,
supervisor, supervised, parent child a friend a sibling, a stranger, and a
pet, a house, community, nation, hero or heroine.

Situational test.

Ask group members to share those situations, which give them the most
difficulty.

a: Ask them to describe at least three situations on separate pieces of

paper.

b: Collect the pieces of paper.

c: Ask three volunteers to leave the room.

d: Create one of these situations by setting the scene and utilising group
members as the role players.

e: One at a time, ask the three volunteers to return and spontaneously

enter the situation.

f: Give each volunteer an orientation to the time place, people and

circumstances before beginning each action.

g: Let the action flow to a natural conclusion.

Share.

Soliloquy,

As the group or class is silent and in the process of preparing to

Interact.
Ask each member, in turn, to soliloquise about what he or she is
thinking and feeling.

Do not encourage interaction among members; simply allow people the

opportunity to articulate their warming up processes.

After the reporting, allow interaction and the action to flow.

Share.

Spatial Sociogramme.

Design an area of the room to represent the centre of the group and ask
group members to physically pace themselves in relation to this area
according to how much a part of the group they feel.

Have them address the group as a unit, using the structure.

1. I feel I am in this position because...

2. I feel I would rather be...

3. This all tells me that...

Allow interaction to ensue.

Share

Spontaneity Tests.

Ask three members of the group to leave the room.

The remaining members then create a situation or a scene to which each

of the three, one at a time, must respond spontaneously upon re.
entering the room.
The situation or scene is anchored in time, place, circumstance and
people and is repeated as exactly as possible for each of the three who
enter the scene.

Examples:

1 place. An airport lobby with one telephone.

Time. Five minutes before the protagonists plane is about to leave, 5 PM.

Circumstances and People: the protagonist has left a stove turned on in

his or her home, and needs to call a neighbour who has an hour layover
and is talking to an old friend. The task of the protagonist is to
spontaneously deal with the situation. The phone user is reluctant to
hang up.

2. Place a market in Mexico.

Time mid afternoon.

People: a Mexican selling tortillas enchiladas etc.

Circumstances: the protagonist needs to go to the bathroom. He cannot

speak Spanish; the Mexican cannot speak English.

Share.

Strongest Role

1: Instruct each group member to think of his or her most developed and
positively regarded role.

2: Next, identify a scene where the role occurs, and the most typical or
special person who is associated to the role (counter role)

3: One at a time set the scene.

4: Present the other person, select an auxiliary ego for that person, and
take 10-15 minutes interacting with that person.
Share.

Summary:

(i) Pictorial depiction.

(ii) Pair off. Self-presentation.

(iii) Roles reverse and introduce partner through eyes of: -

Parent...Best friend...Sibling...Co-worker...Enemy...

Teacher...Lover...Spouse...Self.

Talk To Yourself.

Instruct the group members to imagine they sitting in a chair, and one at
a time, address the chair as if they were having a heart to heart talk with
themselves.

Share.

Alternatively:

Ask them to imagine they are looking at themselves in a mirror.

Ask them to talk to themselves at different ages, e.g. One month one year
ten years, forty eighty etc.

 
The Funeral,

1: Ask the group members to separate themselves from others in the

group and to contemplate their own deaths.

2: Have them visualise the date, time, place and cause of death.

3: Ask them to picture their funerals.

Who is there?

What they are saying and feeling?

Does the deceased leave behind any unfinished business?

The Playpen,

1: Establish the boundaries of playpen large enough to accommodate the

group members.

2: Allow group members to interact as babies and toddlers in the

Playpen.

Note: Establish the rules of no slapping, or biting, or hurting the other

children.

3: Let the interaction flow.

The Toy,

1: Allow the group members to recall their childhood.

2: Ask them to focus on a specific toy, which brought them pleasure.

3: Have them describe the toy and how and with whom it was used.

4: Have group members bring their favourite toy to the class or group.

5: Have group members role-play their favourite toy.

The Well,

In full view of the group or class construct a fantasy well utilising various
objects and accoutrements in the room or area.

Ask the members to help in its construction, and then to individually

approach the well to draw a bucket full of whatever they need.

Stipulate that the well can give tangible or intangible items; and after it
is drawn, each member must specify how each item will be used.

Each member demonstrates how the item is used. Example, if warmth is

received from the well, the member might demonstrate his or her warmth
to someone in the group.

Three Questions,

Instruct the group to find a comfortable place for themselves either lying
on the floor or couch or sitting in a chair.

Ask them to answer for themselves the following three questions:

1: Who am I.? (That is what makes them uniquely different from others
and what they have in common with others.)
2: Where do I fit? (That is what are the collectives of people with which I
have an affiliation, and who are the people that feel special and vital.)

3: How well am I functioning? (Consider the various roles enacted

through the day, week and month and have them conduct a personal
evaluation on them.

Share

Unfinished Business.

Consider with whom you have unfinished business.

E g. Someone they wish would have said or done something with.

(This warm up can be geared to any level of disclosure.)

Examples.

Someone v close to you

Situation which involved strangers.

Someone with whom you work

With whom a communication problem exists for them or you

Someone who died.

Childhood.

God.

Yourself

Depending upon the setting, share with group dyad, or small group.

Pretend the person is in the auxiliary chair, assign an auxiliary ego and
let them talk to the person about the unfinished business.
Role reverse if necessary, to complete the interaction.