Phobia & Totem

Exercise 1: Phobia Ash Walk

This is a psychodrama about phobias, one of the major psychiatric complaints.

First, the participant(s) are to take 5 to 10 minutes to explore any phobia or irrational fear they have. Then, everybody gets into pairs and one person tells the other person their phobia, whether it’s fear of spiders, closed spaces, or fear of germs. Any fear.

(Jo) One participant ash walks while another participant approaches who represents (and acts out) the ash walker’s phobia. It may be that it’s easier to act out something like an animal, but will take more creatively to act out something like open spaces or needles. This is the challenge for the perpetrating participant, to resonate with the qualia given to them.

(Ha) As the ash walker reaches the other side, the embodied phobia participant gradually intensifies the fear. Phobias are known to be overblown, so the perpetrator is to also amp up the level toward the max.

(Kyu/Kyu to New Jo) Max intensity is reached. Because of the ash walker’s continued ash walk representing resilience despite the circumstances, the perpetrator begins transforming into a pet instead of an attacker. The ash walker can now move in different directions, and the pet will now be a loyal protector, totem, and source of self-power.

Exercise 2: Fearless Mirror