International Sociometry Training Network

Birthday party invitations subject of debate in Swedish parliament

An eight-year-old boy has sparked an unlikely outcry in Sweden after failing to invite two of his classmates to his birthday party.

The boy's school says he has violated the children's rights and has complained to the Swedish Parliament.

The school, in Lund, southern Sweden, argues that if invitations are handed out on school premises then it must ensure there is no discrimination.

The boy's father has lodged a complaint with the parliamentary ombudsman.

He says the two children were left out because one did not invite his son to his own party and he had fallen out with the other one.

The boy handed out his birthday invitations during class-time and when the teacher spotted that two children had not received one the invitations were confiscated.

"My son has taken it pretty hard," the boy's father told the newspaper Sydsvenskan.

"No one has the right to confiscate someone's property in this way, it's like taking someone's post," he added.

A verdict on the matter is likely to be reached in September, in time for the next school year.

Trainer Question, May 31 - June 27, 2008

Trainer question:

You want to involve your students in an action session exploring mutuality and incongruity in sociometric choice involving the positive choice, the negative choice, the neutral position and the conflicted position. Describe a few of these activities. An answer suggested by Ann E. Hale, M.A., TEP

Practitioner Question, May 31 - June 27, 2008

Practitioner Question:
What are some ways you can work with someone in the whole group who has a fear of the positive star position? An answer suggested by Ann E. Hale, M.A., TEP.

Groups in the Time of Conflict: IAGP, Aug 24-29 in Rome

Groups in a Time of Conflict, is both a recognition of the stressful and chaotic times in which we live, and an appreciation of the confluence of the power of culture and society upon the individual, and hence the groups in which we are members. This is the announced theme of the 17th Congress International Association of Group Psychotherapy and Group Processes which will take place at the Ergife Palace Hotel in Rome. Deadline for submitting proposals is October 15, 2008.

This Congress will provide a platform for investigation, analysis and dialogue of issues and processes that affect all of us regardless of our ethnic, cultural, political similarities or differences. As group workers we are aware that boundaries are fluid and the interplay between what is "in" and what is "out" of the consultation room informs our interventions. We are committed not only to the people who we work with, but also to the world group.
For online information: http://www.ega.it/iagpcongress2009/

Ann Hale and Donna Little to Conduct Workshop at Hudson Valley Psychodrama Insti

A workshop, entitled Healing Our Interpersoanl Connections will be held beginning 10am, Thursday, July 24 - 1:00pm, Monday, July 28, 2008. The workshop is confirmed to take place. There is still space available.

This residential training focuses on friendship, family, and work connections, the depth of these connections and the level of well-being participants experience in all their important relationships. Enactments, such as psychodrama, family constellations explorations and playback theater will be available for intensively examining the dynamics which pose moments of difficulty. Short group centered sociometric explorations will allow group members to build on and strengthen their interpersonal relationships in the training group. Participants will receive up to 40 training credit which may be directed toward certification by the American Board of Examiners in Psychodrama, Sociometry and Group Psychotherapy. Group sessions will tend to run from 10am until 6:00pm each day except the last day which ends at 1:00pm.
Tuition: $650, does not include accomodation or meals. Payable to Hudson Valley Psychodrama Institute
Location: Boughton Place, Highland, NY
Registration: http://www.hvpi.net for information on travel to Boughton Place and accomodation suggestions.

ASGPP 67th Annual meeting in 2009

The American Society of Group Psychotherapy and Psychodrama will hold its annual meeting in St. Louis, March 26 - 30, 2009. Save these dates and contact http://www.asgpp.com for more information about the program which includes workshops and papers on sociometry, action methods, dreamwork, psychodrama with various populations, mindfulness, etc.

Liz White author of article on the sociometric test

Elizabeth White, M.A., TEP is author of "From Blunt Instrument to Courageous Conversations: Reflections on the Sociometric Test" which appears in the 2007 issue of the British Journal of Psychodrama and Sociodrama, Vol.22, no 1, pp. 55-62. The article delves into her two main reservations about the sociometric test: (1) "It takes far too long in its entirety; and (2) It is a blunt instrument, lacking the richness of nuance, ambivalence and possibility." The email address for Liz White is: lizwhiteinaction@rogers.com

Sociometry Texts available from Toronto Centre for Psychodrama and Sociometry

New Workbook for Personal Village by Marv Thomas

In 2004 Marv Thomas published Personal Village: How to Have People in Your Life by Choice, Not Chance through Milestone Books, Seattle, WA. Now he has produced a workbook which features "six steps to build your personal community" . The workbook is an excellent resource for persons working with resettlement, persons undergoing a move of household, and for persons wanting to feel more a part of a community. To check them out go to Marv Thomas' website http://www.personalvillage.com The publisher address is: Lakeridge Press, P.O. Box 27645, Seattle, WA 98165-2645 Telephone inquiries: 206-364-9494. Email: marv@marvthomas.com.

New DVD on Playback Theater

A live performance of Playback Theater is the subject of a DVD produced by the School of PLayback Theater. There are also subtitles in Japanese and Spanish. The cost is $45USD and includes postage and handling. To inquire go to playbackschool@hvi.net or call 845-255-8163.