OBJECTIVE OF THE SESSION

The objective of this session is to provide caretakers with improvisation skills in order to help young people with anger and social rejection issues to identify their emotion, manage it and turn it into a positive emotion.

By the end of the session each member will be able to:

– use theatre techniques as a methodology for preventing emotional violence

– create a safe zone for any subtypes of victims and aggressors in the group via improvisation

– analyze and deepen the story and its impact on the group’s members, through drama conventions and digital drama activities

CASE SCENARIO

Mr. Pantelis is a 32-year-old gentleman who has been living in a psychosocial rehabilitation unit   (sheltered   apartment)   since   October   2018.   He   went   there   after   his   involuntary hospitalization, due to a suicide attempt, at a Psychiatric Hospital where he was diagnosed with manic disorder. He works in protected work in the evenings as a catering waiter and likes to work out in the mornings..

Mr. George, a 45-year-old gentleman, diagnosed with schizophrenia, has been living in the sheltered apartment for 10 years, working as a cleaner at a cleaning service in the late afternoon hours, and likes to sit at home and relax in the mornings. He calms down by reading his book, drinking his coffee and smoking (admits of being a frantic smoker).Mr. Pantelis and Mr. George are sleeping in the same room. They also have two other men roommates, aged 55, in the protected apartment who attend a Day Care Center. Coexistence could be described as calm and harmonious, without particular problems. Each of the tenants adheres to their own routine. They have split up the housework and each has his own outdoor program .But lately, Mr. Pantelis and Mr. George have been in constant dispute over the fact that Mr.Pantelis complains that he cannot follow the daily exercise program he does at home because Mr. George smokes constantly and the atmosphere at home is stuffy. .Mr. George constantly says nervously: «I am here long before you came, I will not change my habits for you, this is my home, stop acting like a baby all the time!”. In their latest quarrel, Mr. Pantelis addressed Mr. George by mocking him: «this is my home too, you’re going to get cancer, you crazy monkey!”. After that fight, Mr. Pantelis had stopped exercising and stopped talking to his roommate, whilst Mr. George kept smoking every day with a sad look on his face and told the other two roommates that he is sorry, but he won’t apologize to him!

TRAINING SESSION

The trainer welcomes the participants and informs them of the case scenario (see above) either through power point presentation or via narration. After having informed the participants of the case scenario the trainer presents the goals of the session by pinpointing the type of aggression, the emotions and the coping strategies:

  • Aggression Type:. Verbal aggression, escalating into relational aggression.
  • Emotions: anger, disgust
  • Coping: Stressors related to mental illness/social rejection. Functional coping strategies.
  • Questions and answers to reflect about/work on during the session relating the situation of the case scenario:

1st Question

At what point in the scenario do you find that the protagonist was a victim of violence? To what kind of violence does the scenario refer to? 

1st Answer

Mr. Pantelis was being a victim of emotional violence every time Mr. George was smoking (although he knew that it was irritating for his roommate), and he suffered from verbal violence when he was told that he was acting “like a baby” and when it was said that this is Mr. George’s home..Mr. George has been verbally attacked when said to him: «you’re going to get cancer, you crazy monkey!”

2nd Question

Do you think that the thoughts, the actions, the feelings and the attitudes adopted by the protagonist of the scenario helped him/her to cope with this situation? Are there any alternative ideas?

2nd Answer

Mr. Pantelis should have fought for his right; he shouldn’t have stopped training neither stopped talking to his roommate as an act of protest. On the other hand, Mr. George should apologize to his roommate after he realized he was wrong. Both of them should act with a greater sense of solidarity and humanity, friendship and understanding. Talking is always the best way to deal with misunderstandings

3rd Question

What other interventions and actions could further help the protagonist to deal with this incident and with any potential similar incidents in the future?

3rd Answer

Mr. Pantelis should work on his self – esteem and be more confident in defending himself. He should also be more careful when referring to others about health matters. Professionals should encourage him and help him cope with his shy character in order to find ways of dealing with issues like these. Mr. George should not be so rude and so strict when someone has different views about a matter such as smoking. He should also apologize when feeling like and not avoiding because of his pride .Professionals should help him by making him realize the importance of reducing smoking for his well being as well as the others, trying to raise awareness of his roommates’ particularities and how to express his feelings when necessary

And also:

– What are the main problematics exposed in the case scenario?

– How are the issues presented in the above case scenario related to specific emotions?

– Which are those emotions?

Then there is a discussion and the participants express their ideas. By the end of this part the participants should have determined that the case scenario deals with:

– communicating with each other in a positive way

– giving each other criticism without becoming personal

– listening to each other

– taking criticism not personally

PREPARATION

This session is carried out between the trainer (improvisation professional) and the caretakers. They should all wear comfortable clothes and shoes.

  • Duration: 90 minutes.
  • Number of participants: 6-20.
  • Place: A room where there is space to move.

NOTE: This sessions proposes a set of activities to deal with the emotions produced by verbal violence situations, some activities might be more suitable than others to the final trainees depending on factors like their culture or mental health illness (i.e those activities involving physical contact). The mental health professional leading the session can skip or modify those exercises adapting it to the needs of the trainees. It is recommended to include a short time break in the middle of the session.

PROCEDURE

Introduction

Duration: 10 minutes.

Description: Introducing the case scenario, the questions and the emotion.

Introduction Exercises – Improvisational training

Exercise 1: You, thank you!

Purpose: Activation of a partner feeling. Positive acceptance of an impulse and passing it on

Duration: 5 minutes.

Description: The participants are standing in a circle. Someone points to another person with their hand and says, «You!» The person addressed nods and replies with «Thank you!» This person’s turn and point to the next person with «You!». This is the way to continue.

Exercise 2: 1 – 2 -3

Purpose: Perceiving and supporting each other. Awareness of responsibility for myself and the other person

Duration: 5 minutes.

Description: Two participants are standing opposite to each other. First they are counting together by turns until «3», then it starts again at «1-2-3». A rhythm is quickly established. In the next step «1» is replaced by a clapping.  Here the participants will notice that the common rhythm can be disturbed by possible «mistakes». The participants are encouraged to support each other. Whenever a disturbance interrupts the common rhythm, both reduce the tempo to support each other and slowly build up the tempo again. When this works, «2» is replaced by a jump. Last Step: A predetermined sound is articulated instead of the «3». In this exercise it is important to focus on supporting each other. Not on preventing «mistakes».

Exercise 3: Yes, but…» & «Yes, exactly! And…»

Purpose: communicate positively with each other. Perceive differences between negative and positive communication. Train empathy towards potential dialogue partners

Duration: 15 minutes.

Description: Both participants are standing opposite to each other. One starts a neutral sentence, e.g. «Peter goes into a forest». The other person takes up this idea and starts the next sentence with «Yes, but…» and adds another idea to this sentence. The first person replies to this with «Yes, but…». The facilitator can help by giving some advice if the participants are stuck.

After some time the exercise is interrupted and the trainer asks how the story has developed in the participants’ opinion. Since the «But» always brought a «No» into the story, there will hardly have been a completed positive story. The participants are now motivated to react positively to the first sentence of the partner and to answer «Yes, exactly, and…» instead of «Yes, but…». In this way, as in the first variation, each of the two now says one sentence alternately. Again, the trainer can participate at times if the participants lack inspiration. After some time, feedback is also asked for on the stories. By accepting each idea, a story can always move forward and develop further. If I answer «no», the story stops and the story «fizzles out». Afterwards we can discuss with the participants what this means for our daily communication.

  • How often do we think «Yes, but» when someone talks to us?
  • Can we say «Yes, exactly! And…»  More often?
  • If I do, what changes for the conversation with another person?

Exercise 4: 1-Word-Story

Purpose: Promoting teamwork: only together can a story be developed. Enhance mutual assistance and creating a positive group dynamic

Duration: 10 minutes.

Description: All participants are standing in a circle. The first one starts with a fictitious name (if he/she can´t think of anything, the facilitator does it). Each participant now says only one word, thus creating a coherent story. Whenever someone can’t think of anything more or hesitates too long, this person can enthusiastically throw up his arms and shout «Again!» If the rest of the group notices that someone is about to make that statement, the group supports that person by doing exactly the same thing. This group dynamic creates a positive effect that turns an apparent «mistake» into something good, funny and enthusiastic.

Afterwards the trainer asks the participants about the effect of «Again!».

  • What changes in our inner attitude when I use this method?
  • What does the «Again!» mean for our behaviour in real life?

Exercise 5: Role Plays for communication

Purpose: Playing possible situations together and internalising what has been learned. Practical implementation in everyday life

Duration: 25 minutes.

Description: In order to practice practical examples, the participants can engage in role-plays using examples of concrete conflicts in their daily life. This exercise might be too violent for some participants; this is why it is also possible to use the alternative of less personal situations:

  • The neighbor’s dog is barking all the time and wakes you up every day very early.
    • Yesterday night you tried to have dinner in a restaurant, all the family together, but the waiter ignored you all the time, regardless the restaurant was almost empty.
    • Your best friend is asking you for money all the time.
    • I’m sitting in the tram and someone wants me to get up from my seat.
    • You need to make some formalities in the Social Security System (or bank, or any office), but they do not give you a good service and you were sent from one department to another.

Further examples of role play can be obtained from the participants.

In other words: Possible situations that might affect me personally and where I usually react angry, sad or intimidated. The task is in role play: How can I react in such situations in a friendly (i.e. positive) and yet confident manner?

This game can be made in groups of 3 or 4 persons. The trainer can participate in some of them in order to inspire the team and make the process smoother.

After each role play, the participants can discuss together with the trainer:

  • Was the person who had to cope with the situation in the scene able to react in a friendly way?
  • What did this person do well?
  • How did this person appear to the outside world?
  • Can anything else be done differently?

After the discussion, the scene is repeated with the same protagonists, this time with the discussed improvements.

Afterwards the trainer initiates a feedback:

  • How has the situation changed?
  • What do the spectators say about the effect of the second scene?
  • How did the protagonists feel when the scene was repeated?

Exercise 6: 1-Word-Expert

Purpose: Working together. Being aware of each other. Not having a plan in mind, but developing the confidence to always be able to react flexibly to what the partner says

Duration: 10 minutes.

Description: A stage play for 3 people: Person 1 is the presenter of a fictional science programme on television and interviews an expert on a topic that is as absurd as possible, e.g. «Yoga for polar bears». Person 2 and 3 together represent the expert by taking turns saying only one word. This is especially funny when the two of them move synchronously. If the participants have trouble being spontaneous, the trainer can ask the rest of the group for an advice, or even suggest ideas.

Exercise 7. Last Feedback:

Duration: 10 Minutes

Description: The trainer asks for insights into the current unit. These can be written down on the flipchart and discussed.

Possible questions are:-

  • Which exercises were helpful for you to fulfill the previously collected goals?
    • Which exercises help the protagonist concretely in his situation?
    • What wishes are there to add?