A central psychodrama technique in which the protagonist changes roles with another person or part in the scene to experience the situation from the other position.
Step-by-step guide
- Set the scene concretely.
- Ask the protagonist to take the other role physically and verbally.
- Explore what the world looks like from that position.
- Return to the original role and notice what changed.
- Integrate the new perspective.
When to use
- When the client can stay within the tolerance window
- When an experiential intervention fits the live process marker
- When verbal insight alone is not producing change
Key phrases
Let us stay with this and see what role reversal makes possible right now.
Follow-up questions
What do you notice in your body as this unfolds?
What changed when you spoke or acted from this place?
Alternative phrasings
There is no need to perform this correctly; we are looking for what becomes alive.
Let us slow it down and listen for the emotion or role underneath.
Warnings
- ⚠️ Do not intensify emotion faster than the client can integrate
- ⚠️ Avoid turning experiential work into performance or technique display
- ⚠️ Ground and integrate before closing the task
Source: Moreno, J.L. Moreno, Z. Blatner, A. Kellermann, P.F. Psychodrama and sociometry literature
Materials are informational and educational and summarize publicly available scientific sources. They are not medical or psychological advice, are not intended for self-diagnosis or self-treatment, and do not replace consultation with a qualified professional.