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Relational Trauma Repair (RTR): Virtual Training Course

Module 5: Talking to, Not About: Experiential Letter Writing

Tian Dayton MA, PhD, TEP
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Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

  • Explain how Letter Writing is a near-Psychodrama technique and a simple way to do an embodied role play.

  • Describe each step of the Letter Writing process and how it would be used in both an individual and group setting.

  • Explain how an individual can use Letter Writing as a way to talk to parts of the self or to process personal feelings and feelings toward someone.

  • Explain how Letter Writing can provide individuals with a format to hear words that they’ve always longed to hear in order to both add a positive template or memory and to have a direct experience of receiving what they have longed for.

  • Describe 2 ways Letter Writing provides a user-friendly way to add role-play to a practice that is focused, safe, and contained.

Educational Goal

The educational goal of this module is for participants to better understand the benefits of experiential letter writing and how it can be used in various ways when working with clients.

Description

Experiential Letter Writing is the easiest way to introduce role play into your practice. It is structured and focused and allows clients to express themselves fully to a part of themselves or a significant person in their lives. Clients may also write a letter they wish to receive and either choose a role player to represent that other person and have the letter read to them or choose a role player to represent themselves(or use an empty chair) and read the letter to themselves (playing that other person). Letter writing is a “near psychodramatic technique” that grows out of psychodrama. It has a beginning, middle, and end, and it is role-based in that it is to someone, and from someone, whether to the self or another. It is a good way to incorporate small forms of psychodrama in a contained manner.

 

In group therapy, experiential letter-writing can also be useful as a closure technique. If a lot of feelings come up for group members during a session or a floor check, for example, clients can write a letter to someone they feel they have something to say or to a part of themselves — not to send, but to use as a psychodramatic release. After they have finished, they can proceed with any of the following:

 

Letter Writing

Share the letters with the group, or if the group is large, form pairs or subgroups and share the letters.

  • • Read their letter to an empty chair representing the letter’s recipient.
  • • Choose a group member to play the person or part of self to whom the letter is written and read it to him or her. 
  • • Share the letters with a therapist in one-to-one work.

 

Role Reversal Letter Writing

Clients may also write letters they wish to receive from someone or a part of themselves. They may then: Choose a group member to play that person or part and experience the letter being read to them. NOTE: Letters can be written as homework and brought to session,

In both forms of letter writing clients may:

  • • Share their letter in one-to-one therapy, through an empty chair role play.
  • • Share the letter with the group.
    • Share the letter in pairs or subgroups.
    • Share the letter with a therapist in one-to-one work.

Presenters

Tian Dayton MA, PhD, TEP
For more than thirty years, Dr. Dayton has been a leading voice in the fields of trauma healing, addiction recovery and experiential, embodied therapy. A clinical psychologist, licensed creative arts therapist, and certified trainer in psychodrama and sociometry, with a master’s in educational psychology she is a Senior Fellow at The Meadows and the author of over fifteen acclaimed books including Growing Up with Addiction, Treating Adult Children of Relational Trauma, The ACoA Trauma Syndrome, Sociometrics, Emotional Sobriety, Forgiving and Moving On, and Trauma and Addiction.

Her pioneering work integrates psychodrama, sociometry, and nervous system-informed approaches into a cohesive model Relational Trauma Repair (RTR) used by therapists and treatment centers across the world. As a Fellow of the American Society of Psychodrama, Sociometry and Group Psychotherapy, she has received their highest honors, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, the Scholar’s Award, President’s Award and Gratitude Award. She also served for eight years as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Psychodrama, Sociometry and Group Psychotherapy. She is on the scientific board of The National Association of Children of Alcoholics, (NACoA). In the addiction’s field, her contributions have been recognized with The Martie Mann Award The Mona Mansell Award and The Ackermann Black Award.

Dr. Dayton’s work is widely respected in both academic and clinical settings, as well as in the public sphere. She has been a guest expert on NBC, CNN, MSNBC, and other national platforms, and is a frequent speaker at leading conferences on trauma, mental health, and recovery.

To learn more about her work, visit www.tiandayton.com.

Financially Sponsored By

  • Relational Trauma Repair (RTR)