Gestalt And Psychodrama Paper

I will apply a Gestalt and Psychodrama approach to a group of elderly women with symptoms of major depressive disorder, as established in the DSM-5, due to adjustment of the loss of a partner. Formation of the group and the Initial Stage of group process will be discussed. The goals of the group will be to promote socialization and decrease symptoms of depression. Through gestalt and psychodynamic (and sociometric) techniques, the group will enhance schematic connections through creative techniques that encourage self-exploration and social interactions. Group members will explore sensory perception and enactment to strengthen cognitive functioning, reciprocate relationships, and the self-awareness that is needed to identify and communicate …show more content…
Erikson’s psychosocial stages of development refer to the last stage as integrity versus despair and the virtue gained is wisdom (Fredericson & Hanlon, 2003). Elderly are moving down the stages of development and isolation, inferiority, incompetence, guilt, and shame may be mitigating contributors to their depression (Broderick & Blewitt, 2015). If the group members do not cope with the losses they are enduring, they will or may have already, develop remorse and regret. Kubler-Ross’s stages of grief, denial and isolation, anger, bargaining, and depression (Diessner, 2008) are inhibiting these ladies from experiencing life. Therefore, the goal is to bring them to acceptance of loss, not only the death of their partner, but also the loss of social investments (friends or family), physical abilities (getting up and down stairs, medical conditions/side effects of medications, fine motor deficits, or using to the bathroom on their own), and cognitive functioning (memory, sensory perception, or processing speeds) (Broderick & Blewitt, 2015). These losses contribute to the conception of hopelessness and loss of …show more content…
Therefore, my goal as facilitator is to help the women understand their needs, relationships to other, and behaviors, emotions, and cognitions. I will use the holistic approach of gestalt to raise their self-awareness and realign their authentic state of being. I will combine gestalt tactics with transformational techniques of psychodrama and sociometry, to encourage group members to develop and enhance Maslow’s characteristics of self-actualization, so they might reach for Erikson’s virtue of wisdom. Therefore, a major focus of the group is to raise the quality of life for group members (Fredericson & Hanlon,

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