brindusa balasa's essay - the 40plus community

Brindusa Balasa’s essay – The 40plus community

The 40plus community

In 1966, promoting an aggressive demographic policy, the communist regime issued a

decree that outlawed contraception and abortions. For the entire Romanian society, this was a

drama with disastrous results. More than 15.000 women died and many were left physically and

psychically wounded, following their empirical attempts to get rid of an unwanted pregnancy.

Suddenly passing from a rather libertine period, when pregnancy termination was legal and

family planning was possible for all couples, the state set a new dimension of the family. The

sexual and reproductive behaviours changed, and the effects were seen in the dynamic of the

couple formation. Following this decree, 2 million Romanians were born in communist

Romania, forming the most numerous generation I also belong to.

We’re not only many, but also special: we were born, raised and have need educated in

communism, and in 1989, Romania’s stepping towards democracy coincided with our stepping

towards maturity – we became adults. We built freedom, adapted to it, carrying along the

frustrations of an unhealthy and totalitarian society. We are considered “history’s paradox and

revenge”, since we, the ones born on the system’s command, have actually dethroned it and

we’re now concretizing Romania’s integration in the EU.

We’re now 40 and around us, on all levels – social, economic, professional, familial, personal –

changes occur at an amazing speed, generating tensions, uncertainties and fears. The society we

live in undergoes continuous transformations and we need all our resources to find a balance in

managing our roles of responsible adults, in charge of our lives, but also of the welfare of our

families. The dizzying rhythm and the diversity of live challenges ask for viable and quick

answers. We’re sometimes overwhelmed by the speed of the events, and other times we’re

simply stuck in the process.

For me, the age of 40 got a certain meaning only when I reached it. I used to think that my life

had entered a smooth trajectory; I no longer had any special expectations, I had become blasé, I

was a married woman, I had a son and a good job. The divorce and, later one, the loss of my job

1


were two of the major transformations that came over me, threw me into analysis and into re-

settling life. I was intensely living the economic crises, trying to also manage my own middle

age crisis. I realized that there were changes I hadn’t been generating, even if I perhaps had

wished for them, but had not yet had the courage. It’s pretty strange to admit that these two hits I

took proved beneficial, that they ended up leading me towards something I had previously

yearned for, even without knowing.

I had been brought up as a woman destined to have a job, get married, have children, and then

dedicate her life to them and the family. Not only I was told so, but I had also seen this in people

older than me, so I seriously integrated these moral values that came from the family and the

society. Why hadn’t I, back then, understood what was happening to me? Why had I not tried to

change something, anything? Because, caught up in my own life’s whirlwind, I had no time to

talk to myself, to understand what I actually wanted. I had chosen to become stuck in a cultural

and social conserve. I had taken on a role of responsible adult and I had become a frustrated one.

I had not realized, back then, that I was giving up my own identity. I had lots of roles, but all of

them were dominated by the “adult” role, an overdeveloped one, and, as I later saw, un-

personalized, a cliché I had taken on and had assumed through education, based on the fact that I

was associating it with the role of “mature woman”.

I had lost two very important roles – the employee and the woman-lover, so I felt lost, I needed

to make sense of who I was anymore, what I wanted and where I wanted to go. What might I

have needed, in order to go further? Till then, how did I manage to live? What had I done well

and wanted to keep, what did I want to have and couldn’t get?

It was a difficult moment. It took a while before I understood that I was my own resource and

that I could enhance this resource if only I understood what was happening to me and if I

managed to stay around other people.

These were the headlines of the context that brought me to the sociodrama group, where I started

an interesting journey, sometimes happy, sometimes sad, but that offered me a lot of answers. I

had the chance to experiment new roles, to exploit fears, concerns, both mine and the group’s, or

I simply enjoyed people and the experience each of them brought to the group. It’s interesting to

2


see how many people had feelings similar to yours’, to connect to the group’s energy and to get

charged up with it.

Such a group offers support, understanding, respect, a new perspective, courage, honesty,

friendship, joy, communication, reciprocity, trust... these are all human qualities that make you

want to experiment, to understand, to accept, to learn from mistakes, to enjoy the results. And

my life started changing for the better. I started being more cheerful, more relaxed, wiser, more

spontaneous, and more creative.

I realised that I need to stay like this. I like being like this. And then I thought: but would it

actually be beneficial for me? How could I share this wellbeing with others? What do I do so that

others, like me, get a chance to recover their energy and joy of living? And so, I got the idea of

building a community. Everyone’s stories become our stories in a group with similar concerns,

interests, beliefs and life norms.

All the activities associated with this community are planned, aimed at and subordinated to a

purpose: to train creativity via practicing spontaneity. To anyone, regardless of age, these two are

un-drainable resources. Once activates, one can enjoy the life’s journey, whose events are no

longer surprising, there are no more blockages and the answers one needs come quicker. We, the

40 years old generation, find ourselves, unlike the younger ones, quite challenged by the need to

navigate this period. We are the segment in which the divorce rate is the highest, comparing it to

the other age groups; and, for us, if the two partners survive as a couple; they have to constantly

fight routine and lack of interest. We’re the ones for who, in case of a job lost due to the latest

economic hardships, it’s a lot harder to get another one, as offers are a lot less in number for

people who are specialised. We are the ones responsible for the emotional and financial welfare

of our families. Both us and our children suffer a rather hard time – they face the peak of their

puberty, we face the middle age crisis. So we started wishing for change. If some of us search for

a new perspective, more interesting, more colourful, more joyful, others look for balance. I am

convinced that, for many of us, this community is the answer to improving their quality of life,

because everything that happens here supports the activation of valuable resources, using: the

group’s energy, the common stories, humour, everyone’s spontaneity, creativity through

drawings, improvisation or theatre.

3


I started with the Forty-Shop. It is a workshop addressed to the 40plus group, where the two of

us (Anabela and I) are the trainers and the objectives are to socialize / do some networking, to

discover something about oneself and to have fun.

If, in Anabela’s presence, people feel more comfortable to explore deeper realms, since she is

perceives as a warm, empathetic and understanding trainer, I am perceived as a partner-in-

naughtiness , and with me people became extremely available for play and exposure. If she

manages to offer comfort and a rhythm that promotes introspection and analysis, with me, people

quickly give themselves permission to talk about intimate things. If Anabela offered them

acceptance, I offer partnership. Thus, based upon the theme, but also upon each of our abilities,

we take turns in creating different, complementary experiences that maintain the level of energy

and involvement. The themes we took on varied from childhood dreams and play, the journey of

a lifetime, anger management, to the mechanisms of intimate interactions in adults. Now, during

the last sessions, we all were a lot braver, daredevils both in term of choosing and approaching

the themes but also as far as disclosure and involvement were concerned. This proves that the

group grows, and functions following a satisfactory recipe that brings on new members.

Usually, out of the workshops’ 3 hours, we reserve 45 minutes for warm-up, a crucial stage in

managing group dynamics and energy levels, since this is an open group and we have

newcomers all the time. Sometimes, the degree of exposure is quite high, so we need the group

members to quickly make acquaintance with and get used to one another and the proposed

theme. From the introductory exercises, we move to energizers and we finish warming-up with

sociometric choices (step in, spectrograms) that offer a mirror of the group, in relation to the

theme. Usually, the theme is known beforehand and the interest towards it already declared, by

the sheer presence in the room, we follow the intensity of these states, the duration of exposure

to the theme and/or their relative positioning towards the theme.

The main activity, staging the theme, involves the whole group. Based upon its size (that varies

along with the interest towards the theme) we can start from working in dyads or trios and/or

directly from a scene that would involve everyone. For instance, during the “Good Sex” Forty-

Shop we started from trios that segregated men from women, because we thought it was

4


interesting to see whether there will be any gander-based differences of perception and approach.

There were certain small differences, but it was interesting to build a mirror of the needs, wishes

and also of the mechanisms of interaction between sexually-active adults.

During the Forty-Shop on the importance of money, the entire group built a country on stage, a

country called Abnormalia, and defined its political, social, and economic characteristics, while

each person took on a role in the life of this imaginary country – someone was an emperor,

another person, a doctor, and we also had a wizard and a hunter. It was surprising to see that each

of us could easily accept a life without money, since we all rejoiced at the chance to enjoy the

simple things in life.

Among the instruments we used there were role-reversal, double, mirror, role – classic tools of

psychodrama and sociodrama that the group is already familiar with. We did have a harder time

in the beginning, but now, since some of the participants have been with us from the very

beginning, the explaining and the use of the tools has become much simpler.

So far, during our thematic meetings, we looked for the optimal manner of staging and I am

positive we managed to find it. We managed to experience:

Social atom – when we explored childhood wishes

forum theatre – when we looked for anger management resources

playback theatre – especially for the warm-ups and role preparation.

As well as in any other sociodrama session, after warm up and staging comes sharing

(integration). Each participant shares from both her/his role and from the associations (s)he made

with events in her/his life. Now is the time for everyone to put their thoughts in order, chances

for role-learning increase, and the group cohesion becomes stronger – the group members see

that they are not alone in that matter, they find support, a new perspective but also some hope

that they will manage to find solutions to properly face their real-life issues.

Even when we’re exploring a serious theme, every time, during the closing of the Forty Shop, we

have a playful moment. It is our way of parting ways, it is the moment to have fun and get

5


energized. So far, in order to keep training spontaneity, we chose improvisation theatre exercises.

The practice of various roles and the creating on stories following recipes that work and prompt

laugher every time encourage the participants to be at ease, to act in line with their feelings, and

moves them to a positive state. Along the way, they will take on this joy in everyday life also,

and learn to see challenges in a more detached manner.

The way we organized the workshop and the themes we selected would allow us to access all

tools and scenic representations of the action methods, but sometimes we either did not have

enough self confidence, or we feared we might lose control. Our role of trainers of the 40plus

group evolved and only now, a year later, I can say we really start to elaborate on our role. It is

interesting to see how the group becomes more of a community now that we strengthened our

roles as trainers, have more energy and enthusiasm, have become more courageous and more

creative.

The effects of our evolution have also been noticed by the group, who started growing and wish

to spend more time together. Here’s the time to propose more ways of interaction. Even if they’s

be structured, build and organized differently, they’ll share a common purpose: to train creativity

via group activities.

After analysis our abilities and competencies, we selected 3 more types of workshops:

FortyShop-ul in colors

A sociodrama closed group

Living newspaper

The coloured FortShop-ul shall be structured just like a regular workshop – warm-up, staging

and sharing. This time, personal moods and feeling will be brought to light by drawing. It is very

important that we use colors, during warm-up, apart from the introductory and group bonding

exercises, so that colours could be easily accessed and naturally chosen, without any technical,

specific criteria.

Using a special technique and unusual materials that will allow them lots of freedom in choosing

shapes and colours, the participants will create a small work of art, away from the classic rules of

6


drawing. Once the drawing finished, we’ll stage the mood it sets / transmits. Initially, I thought

that participants could role-reverse and put their thoughts in order from this position, but I

realized that it was a lot more important to let the entire group participate and play a role. We can

build statues, playback, or merely let the group create a scene that they associate with each

drawing. Also, I think it’s important for the author to witness the staging of her/his work. This

way, (s)he will manage to disengage and her/his perception will be improved by the group’s, a

good reason for analysis and introspection. Another significant benefit of this approach will be

the chance to create an anchor. I gladly think about the fact that one of the drawings will create a

positive mindset that the author will constantly be able to easily access, once the work of art is

taken home and hanged on the wall.

The closed group will target especially people who undergo a harder time and who need, first

and foremost, support, analysis and an understanding of the context they wish to overcome. If up

until now we targeted whomever wanted to join us in order to explore a certain theme, this time,

the group will be closed and its members will commit to participating for a certain given period.

In this case, cohesion is increased and kept at a high level, since the group’s main role is to offer

support. This is the case where sociodrama will promote healing.

Each of us is interested in subjects that can offer things similar to the ones in our life, with our

concerns. We’re also the generation that follows the economic, social and political news in an

attempt to understand what’s happening and what the effects are on us. We’re socially involved

and the interest for media’s different topics is remarkable and consistent. Since 40plus represents

a generation with similar life paths and common stories, the “Living newspaper” story could

prove a great success.

The only functionally-validated product we offered to the 40plus community is the Forty-Shop,

but we have 3 more types of workshops in the pipeline. We’re certain that they’ll also be

successful, once we finish organizing them and we start promoting them. We no longer are a

simple group and we’ve grown, and the variety of our products will help the group in growing

further.

7


In October, 40 plus celebrated 1 year of existence, there’s already a community. I picture it as a

baby that has just learned to walk and who enthusiastically explores, discovers, learns, grows.

Just like this baby, in order to continue to evolve we need curiosity, joy, spontaneity, creativity.

Once these values are activated, our journey through life will become a leisure expedition, and

each event, a source of knowledge.

Sources and references:

Wiener, R. – Creative Training

Boal, A. – Games for actors and non-actors

Garcia, A. – Healing with Action Methods on the World Stage

8


Comunitatea 40plus

In 1966, promovand o politica demografica agresiva, regimul comunist a emis un decret

care a interzis contraceptia si intreruperile de sarcina. Pentru intreaga societate romaneasca a fost

o drama cu consecinte dezastruoase. Au murit peste 15.000 de femei iar multe dintre ele au

ramas cu rani fizice sau psihice, dupa incercarea lor, cu metode empirice, sa scape de o sarcina

nedorita. Trecand de la o perioada libertina, cand intreruperile de sarcina era posibile si

planningul familial era la dispozitia cuplului, statul a stabilit o noua dimensiune a familiei. S-a

schimbat comportamentul sexual si reproductiv, efectele vazandu-se in dinamica constituirii

cuplurilor. In urma acestui decret, 2 milioane de romani s-au nascut in Romania comunista,

devenind astfel cea mai numeroasa generatie, din care fac si eu parte.

Nu suntem doar numerosi, suntem si speciali: ne-am nascut, am crescut si am fost educati

in comunism, iar in 1989, pasul Romaniei catre democratie a coincis cu pasul nostru catre varsta

maturitatii, noi devenind adulti. Am construit libertatea, ne-am adaptat la ea, avand in bagaj

frustrarile unei societati nesanatoase si totalitariste. Suntem considerati “paradoxul si razbunarea

istoriei”, noi fiind cei care ne-am nascut la comanda sistemului, l-am rasturnat si acum

concretizam integrarea in Uniunea Europeana.

Acum am ajuns la 40 de ani si in jurul nostru, pe toate planurile – social, economic,

profesional, familial, personal – schimbarile se produc cu o viteza uimitoare, generand tensiuni,

nesigurante si temeri. Societatea in care traim este intr-o continua transformare si avem nevoie

de toate resursele pentru a gasi un echilibru in gestionarea rolurilor noastre de adulti responsabili

de vietile noastre dar si de bunastarea familiilor noastre. Ritmul ametitor si diversitatea cu care

primim provocari de la viata ne cer raspunsuri viabile si rapide. Uneori suntem depasiti de viteza

evenimentelor, alteori ramanem blocati in proces.

Pentru mine, varsta de 40 de ani a capatat o semnificatie aparte doar atunci cand am ajuns

la ea. Credeam ca viata mea a intrat pe un fagas lin, nu mai aveam asteptari speciale, ma

blazasem: eram o femeie casatorita, aveam un copil, o slujba buna. Divortul si apoi pierderea

slujbei au fost doua transformari in planuri majore ale vietii care au venit peste mine, m-au

aruncat in analiza si reasezarea vietii. Traiam cu intensitate criza economica, incercand sa

gestionez si criza varstei de mijloc. Mi-am dat seama ca erau schimbari pe care nu le-am generat

eu, chiar daca as fi vrut sa le fac, dar inca nu avusesem curajul. Este destul de straniu sa recunosc

9


ca cele doua lovituri mi-au fost benefice, ca m-au dus spre ceva spre care tanjeam fara sa fi stiut

inainte.

Am fost crescuta ca o femeie care va avea o meserie, se va casatori, va face copii, apoi isi

va dedica viata lor si familiei. Nu numai ca asa mi s-a spus, dar asa am vazut la cei mai mari

decat mine, asa ca mi-am insusit cu seriozitate aceste valori morale ce veneau din familie si din

societate. De ce eu, cea de atunci, nu am inteles ce este cu mine? De ce nu am incercat sa schimb

ceva? Pentru ca, prinsa in mersul vietii, nu am avut timp sa stau de vorba cu mine, sa inteleg ce-

mi doresc eu. Alesesem sa raman blocata intr-o conserva sociala si culturala. Imi asumasem un

rol de adult responsabil si devenisem unul frustrat. Nu realizasem atunci ca renuntam la propria

identitate. Aveam o multime de roluri, dar toate erau dominate de rolul de adult, un rol

supradezvoltat si, asa cum am vazut, nepersonalizat, un cliseu preluat si asumat prin educatie si

asociat de mine rolului de femeie matura.

Imi pierdusem doua roluri foarte importante – cel de angajat si cel de femeie-iubita, asa

ca, ma simteam pierduta, am avut nevoie sa-mi dau seama cine mai sunt, ce imi doresc si incotro

vreau sa ma indrept. De ce as avut nevoie ca sa pot merge mai departe? Pana atunci cum

reusisem sa traiesc? Ce facusem bine si vroiam sa pastrez, ce imi doream sa am si nu avusesem?

Era un moment greu. A durat ceva pana am priceput ca eu sunt propria mea resursa si ca pot sa o

potentez daca inteleg ce mi se intampla si daca raman in preajma altor oameni.

Cam acesta era contextul care m-a adus in grupul de sociodrama, unde am inceput o

calatorie interesanta, uneori vesela, alteori trista, dar care mie mi-a oferit o multime de

raspunsuri. Am avut ocazia sa experimentez roluri noi, sa explorez temeri, preocupari ale mele si

ale grupului sau m-am bucurat pur si simplu de oameni si de experienta pe care o aducea fiecare

in grup. Este interesant sa vezi cati oameni au avut trairi asemeni tie, sa te conectezi la energia

grupului si sa te incarci cu ea. Un asemenea grup iti ofera suport, intelegere, respect, o noua

perspectiva, curaj, sinceritate, prietenie, bucurie, comunicare, reciprocitate, incredere… Calitati

umane care te fac sa vrei sa experimentezi, sa intelegi, sa accepti, sa inveti din greseli, sa te

bucuri de rezultate. Si viata mea a inceput sa se schimbe in bine. Am inceput sa fiu mult mai

vesela, mai relaxata, mai inteleapta, mai spontana, mai creativa.

Mi-am dat seama ca am nevoie sa raman asa. Imi place sa fiu asa. Si-atunci m-am gandit:

Oare doar pentru mine ar fi benefic? Cum as putea sa impart si cu altii aceasta stare de bine?

Cum sa fac ca si altii asemeni mie sa-si recupereze energia si bucuria de viata?... Si asa mi-a

10


incoltit in minte ideea de a construi o comunitate. Povestile fiecaruia dintre noi devin povestile

noastre intr-un grup cu acelasi preocupari, interese, credinte si norme de viata.

Toate activitatile asociate acestei comunitati sunt gandite, menite si subordonate unui

scop – antrenarea creativitatii exersand spontaneitatea. Pentru oricine, indiferent de varsta,

acestea doua reprezinta resurse care sunt inepuizabile. Odata activate, poti sa te bucuri de

expeditia vietii, evenimentele ei nu te mai surprind, nu te mai blochezi, iti gasesti mult mai

repede raspunsurile de care ai nevoie. Noi, generatia de peste 40 de ani, mai mult decat cei tineri,

suntem solicitati de traversarea acestei perioade. Noi suntem cei pentru care rata divorturilor,

comparativ cu celelate categorii de varsta, este cea mai mare, iar daca cei doi rezista in cuplu, ei

se lupta cu rutina si dezinteresul. Noi suntem cei care, daca am pierdut o slujba – din cauza

evolutiei economice actuale - reusim mult mai greu sa ne revenim, ofertele fiind reduse pentru

cei specializati. Noi suntem cei responsabili pentru bunastarea emotionala si financiara a

familiilor noastre. Atat noi, cat si copiii nostri, trecem printr-o perioada destul de grea – ei sunt in

plina pubertate, noi traversam criza varstei de mijloc. Fiind adesea blocati in clisee, orice

modificare a contextului ne-ar dezechilibra. Si am inceput sa ne dorim schimbarea. Daca unii

dintre noi cauta o noua perspectiva, mai interesanta, mai colorata, mai vesela, unii isi cauta

echilibrul. Sunt convinsa ca, pentru multi dintre noi, aceasta comunitate reprezinta raspunsul

pentru imbunatatirea calitatii vietii, intrucat tot ce se intampla aici se subordoneaza activarii de

resurse valoroase folosind: energia grupului, povestile comune, umorul, spontaneitatea fiecaruia,

creativitatea prin desen, improvizatie sau teatru.

Am inceput cu FortyShop-ul. Este un workshop adresat grupului 40plus, unde noi doua

(Anabela si cu mine) suntem traineri iar obiectivele lui sunt socializarea, descoperirea unui lucru

despre sine si distractia. Daca alaturi de Anabela, oamenii sa simt mult mai confortabil sa

exploreze zone mai profunde, ea fiind perceputa ca un trainer cald, empatic si intelegator, eu

sunt perceputa ca un partener de sotii, iar oamenii devin foarte disponibili catre joaca si

expunere. Daca ea reuseste sa le ofere un confort si un ritm care te indeamna la introspectie si

analiza, cu mine, foarte repede isi permit sa vorbeasca deschis lucruri intime. Daca Anabela le

oferea acceptare, eu le ofer parteneriat. Asa ca, in functie de tema, dar si de abilitatile fiecareia

dintre noi doua, cream pe rand experiente diferite, care se completeaza pastrand nivelul de

energie si de implicare. Temele accesate au fost de la jocurile si visele din copilarie, calatorii de

vis, anger management, pana la modul de interactiune intima a adultilor. Acum, la ultimele teme,

11


toti am fost mult mai curajosi, mai indrazneti, atat in alegerea si abordarea lor dar si in dezvaluire

si implicare, dovedindu-ne ca acest grup creste, functioneaza dupa o reteta care ne-a adus

satisfactii dar si noi membri.

De obicei, din cele 3 ore ale workshp-ului, 45 de minute sunt rezervate incalzirii, o etapa

foarte importanta in gestionarea dinamicii de grup si a nivelului de energie, intrucat este un grup

deschis si de fiecare data sunt si membri noi. Uneori, gradul de expunere este foarte mare, asa ca

avem nevoie ca membrii grupului sa se cunoasca si sa se acomodeze repede unii la ceilalti, dar si

la tema propusa. De la exercitiile de cunoastere, trecem la energizere si terminam incalzirea cu

alegerile sociometrice (step-in, spectograme) – care ne ofera o oglinda a grupului in legatura cu

tema. De obicei, tema fiind cunoscuta si interesul pentru ea declarat (prin prezenta in sala),

urmarim intensitatea starilor, durata expunerii la ea sau pozitionarea lor in legatura cu aceasta.

Activitatea principala, punerea in scena a temei, implica intregul grup. In functie de

marimea lui (care variaza in functie de interesul manifestat fata de tema) putem porni de la lucrul

in grupuri mici de 2 sau 3 membri sau direct de la o scena in care vor fi implicati toti. De

exemplu, la FortyShop-ul despre calitatea sexului am plecat de la grupuri de 3, in care barbatii

erau in grupuri separate de cele formate din femei, intrucat ni s-a parut interesant de vazut daca

vor aparea diferente de gen in perceptie si abordare. Diferentele au fost mici, dar a fost interesant

sa construim o glinda a nevoilor, dorintelor, dar si a mecanismelor de interactiune a adultilor cu o

viata sexuala activa. La Fortyshop-ul despre importanta banilor, tot grupul a construit pe scena o

tara, care s-a chemat Abnormalia, careia i-au definit caracteristicile politice, sociale, economice,

fiecare asumandu-si un rol in viata acestei tari imaginare – unul a fost imparat, altul medic, unul

a fost vrajitor, altul vanator. A fost surprinzator ca fiecare dintre noi ar fi putut accepta o viata

fara bani, perspectiva de a se bucura de lucrurile simple din viata bucurandu-i pe toti.

Ca instrumente am folosit ceea ce psihodrama si sociodrama ne-au oferit – inversiune de

rol, dublu, oglinda, preluarea rolului, acum grupul fiind deja familiarizat cu acestea. Daca

inceputul a fost destul de greu, acum cand unii dintre participantii la grup sunt alaturi de noi inca

de la start, explicarea si folosirea uneltelor specifice metodelor de actiune a devenit mult mai

simpla.

Pana acum, in intalnirile noastre, in functie de tema, am cautat varianta optima de punere

in scena si sunt convinsa ca am reusit sa o gasim. Am reusit sa experimentam:

atomul social – atunci cand ne-am explorat dorintele copilariei

12


forum theatre – cand am cautat metode de gestionare a furiei

playback theatre – mai ales pentru incalzirea in tema si in rol

Ca in orice sesiune de sociodrama, dupa incalzire si punere in scena, urmeaza sharing-ul,

respectiv integrarea. Fiecare impartaseste din rolul sau dar si din asocierea pe care a facut-o cu

un eveniment din viata sa. Acum este momentul in care fiecare poate sa-si puna gandurile in

ordine, cresc sansele ca participantii sa invete din rolul respectiv, iar coeziunea grupului de

intareste – membrii grupului vad ca nu sunt singuri in acea problema, gasesc suport, o noua

perspectiva dar si o speranta ca vor reusi sa gaseasca solutii pentru a face fata cu bine

problemelor din realitate.

Chiar daca exploram o tema serioasa, de fiecare data, in incheierea FortyShop-ului noi

avem si un moment de joaca. Este modul in care ne despartim, este momentul in care ne distram,

ne energizam. Pana acum, ca sa ramanem in registrul antrenarii spontaneitatii, am ales exercitii

din teatrul de improvizatie. Exersarea diferitelor roluri si crearea de povesti dupa niste retete care

functioneaza si starnesc rasul de fiecare data, ii incurajeaza pe participanti sa fie in largul lor, sa

se comporte asa cum simt, le da o stare de bine. Pe parcurs, ei vor prelua aceasta bucurie si in

viata de zi cu zi si vor privi provocarile ei cu mai multa detasare.

Felul in care este organizat woorkshop-ul si temele abordate ne-ar permite sa accesam

toate uneltele si reprezentarile scenice specifice metodelor de actiune dar, uneori, nu am avut

destula incredere in noi si ne-am temut ca am putea pierde controlul. Rolul nostru de traineri ai

grupului 40plus a evoluat si abia acum, un an mai tarziu, pot sa spun ca incepem cu adevarat sa

ne elaboram rolul. Este interesant de vazut cum grupul devine comunitate, acum cand noi ne-am

intarit rolurile de traineri, avem mai multa energie si entuziasm, am devenit mai curajoase, mai

creative.

Efectele evolutiei noastre au fost remarcate si de grup, care a inceput sa creasca si sa-si

doreasca mai mult timp impreuna. Iata ca a sosit momentul sa propunem mai multe modalitati de

interactiune. Chiar daca vor fi structurate, construite si organizate diferit, scopul va fi acelasi –

antrenarea creativitatii in activitati de grup.

Dupa ce am facut o analiza a abilitatilor si competentelor noastre, ne-am oprit la inca 3

variante de workshop-uri:

FortyShop-ul in culori

Grupul inchis de sociodrama

13


Living newspaper

FortShop-ul in culori va fi structurat asemeni unui workshop obisnuit - incalzire, punere

in scena si sharing. De aceasta data, modalitatea prin care vor aduce la lumina stari si emotii

proprii va fi desenul. Este foarte important, ca in partea de incalzire, pe langa exercitiile de

cunoastere si de acomodare la grup, sa folosim si culorile, astfel incat ele sa fie accesate cu

usurinta iar alegerea lor sa se intample natural, fara criterii tehnice specifice.

Folosind o tehnica speciala si materiale inedite, care permit participantului foarte multa

libertate in alegerea formelor si a culorilor, participantii vor crea o mica opera de arta, unde

regulile clasice ale desenului nu exista. Odata finalizata lucrarea se va pune in scena starea pe

care o transmite aceasta. Initial m-am gandit ca participantii ar putea intra in inversiune de rol si

ar putea sa-si puna gandurile in ordine din acea pozitie, insa mi-am data seama ca este mult mai

important ca intreg grupul sa participe. Putem sa realizam statui, playback sau pur si simplu sa

lasam grupul sa creeze o scena pe care ei o asociaza cu lucrarea respectiva. De asemenea, mi se

pare important ca autorul sa fie spectator la punerea in scena a propriei lucrari. Asa, el va reusi

detasarea iar perceptia lui va fi imbunatatita de cea a grupului, un bun motiv de analiza si

introspectie. Un alt mare beneficiu al acestei abordari cred ca va fi posibilitatea de a crea o

ancora. Ma gandesc cu bucurie ca una dintre lucrari va aduce pe scena o stare de bine pe care

autorul, odata ce o va aduce acasa si o va pune pe perete, o va putea accesa de cate ori va fi

nevoie.

Grupul inchis se va adresa, in special, celor care traverseaza o perioada mai grea si au

nevoie in primul rand de suport, de o analiza si intelegere a contextului peste care doresc sa

treaca. Daca pana acum ne adresam oricui doreste sa vina sa exploreze o tema anume, de aceasta

data, grupul este inchis iar membrii lui isi asuma participarea la grup pe o durata determinata de

timp. Aici coeziunea este crescuta si pastrata la un nivel inalt, rolul de suport al acestui grup fiind

preponderent. Aici este locul unde sociodrama va functiona, mai ales, prin calitatile ei de

vindecare.

Pe fiecare dintre noi ne intereseaza subiecte in care putem gasi lucruri asemanatoare cu

ceea ce ni se intampla noua, cu ceea ce ne preocupa. Totodata noi suntem generatia care

urmareste stirile din plan economic, social sau politic, in incercarea de a intelege ce se intampla,

cu ce fel de efecte asupra noastra. Suntem implicati in viata sociala iar interesul pentru diversele

subiecte din media sunt remarcabile si consistente. Intrucat 40plus reprezinta o generatie, care

14


are o evolutie asemanatoare, cu povesti comune ar putea face din worshop-ul de “living

newspaper” un mare succes.

Singurul produs verificat ca functionalitate si oferit de noi comunitatii 40plus este

FortyShop-ul, insa mai avem 3 alte categorii de workshp-uri care asteapta sa fie concretizate.

Suntem sigure ca vor fi un succes, odata ce vor finaliza organizarea si vom incepe promovarea

lor. Nu mai suntem un simplu grup si am crescut, iar varietatea produselor va face ca ea sa

creasca in continuare.

In luna octombrie 40plus a implinit 1 an, deja a devenit comunitate. Mi-o imaginez ca pe

un copilas care tocmai a invatat sa mearga si cu entuziasm exploreaza, descopera, invata, creste.

Asemeni lui, pentru a ne continua evolutia avem nevoie de curiozitate, bucurie, spontaneitate,

creativitate. Odata aceste valori activate, calatoria noastra prin viata va deveni o expeditie de

placere iar fiecare eveniment, o sursa de cunoastere.

Bibliografie

Wiener, R. – Creative Training

Boal, A. – Games for actors and non-actors

Garcia, A. – Healing with Action Methods on the World Stage

Antonina Garcia, Eva Leveton – Healing with Action Methods on the World Stage in Healing

Colectiv Trauma – Using Sociodrama and Drama therapy, Springer Publishing Company, New

York, 2010

Datele sunt: Creative Training Sociodrama and Team-buildingRon Wiener

London and PhiladelphiaJessica Kingsley Publishers 1997

15

brindusa balasa's essay - the 40plus community

Documents