Book Review

“Rebels With a Cause: Working with Adolescents Using Action Techniques” By Mario Cossa, 2005 – Jessica Kingsley Publishers ISBN: 1-84310-379-6

Reviewed by Vaughan Titheridge

ʻA sacred space is a place where we, as humans, can be at our very best.ʼ (Zeka Moreno, workshop conversation, May 1992).

This is the quote on the first page of the book. Mario Cossa takes the reader on a journey into the techniques he has developed and learnt to enable adolescents to achieve the above, and what an inspiring journey it is!

Cossaʼs background is psychodrama, dramatherapy and sociodrama. He incorporates his approaches within the framework of the therapeutic spiral model, action techniques and group dynamics from a developmental perspective.

The therapeutic spiral model addresses internal roles according to their function. These roles are broken down into roles of restoration: Interpersonal strengths, Personal strengths, and Transpersonal strengths. We then have roles of observation: The Client, and the Observing Ego. Finally roles of Containment: Manager of Defences, and Containing double (someone holds the role as auxiliary).

Cossa breaks down action techniques into group stages: Beginning stage – which includes container exercises for developing trust, holding personal material, and holding secrets. The next stage is Transition: This incorporates channelling chaos into direction through sociodrama and vignettes. The Working Group stage follows next; here we have psychodramatic and sociodramatic vignettes, in which members of the group role reverse applying strengths and courage for exploration through the roles.

The final stage – Termination, is again a psychodrama and sociodrama approach applied with emphasis on future projections, this can include personal goal settings. To add to this is a rehearsal for ending, e.g. unexpected departures. “Rebels With a Cause: Working with Adolescents Using Action Techniques” By Mario Cossa, 2005 – Jessica Kingsley Publishers ISBN: 1-84310-379-6 The final two chapters of Cossaʼs book look at adapting action techniques to the adolescent populations and their settings, and practical considerations for implementing adolescent action groups.

This is very much a working book that explains the structures applied for working with adolescents clearly, and gives practical ʻhow-toʼ techniques that can be used in group work. In the appendices are sample information packs for participants and families, permission forms, group norms and ideas for opening and closing circles, warmups, cool-downs and de-roling. The methods and structures employed could easily be integrated into dance movement therapy, through the use of vignettes, adopting roles through movement, body double work and also understanding issues affecting adolescents from a developmental and psychological perspective.

Association for Dance Movement Therapy (ADMT) U.K. Quarterly Spring 2006