Psychodrama and Sociodrama are like opposite sides of the same coin. Both are group action methods grounded in Moreno’s theory of spontaneity and creativity and his role theory of personality.  Both use similar methods and techniques of   spontaneous role-playing and of exploring aspects of our lives through concrete action.   Psychodrama focuses on the micro level of experience, while Sociodrama focuses on the macro level.

 A psychodrama in a group typically happens after some preparatory activities (warmup) when one person comes out of the group to explore some aspect or difficulty in his/her life – a difficult situation, relationship or need to change.  This person (the protagonist) is assisted and guided by a director who is trained and experienced in these methods.  S/he is also assisted by various group members whom s/he chooses to play the roles needed to do the exploration.  The unplanned nature of the psychodrama allows the protagonist to discover new insights and to express more fully emotions relevant to his/her situation.

 After the psychodrama ends, everyone resumes their role as member of the group.  The other group members share experiences from their own life which they relate to the events of the psychodrama.  This is the group psychotherapy portion of the session.