“Unity of Opposites”: Hope in Psychodrama Group Psychotherapy Based on the Jewish Hassidic Spiritual Approach

Following is an interview conducted in Hebrew by Dr. Varda Silberberg with Dr. Ziva Bracha Gidron, founder of the Jerusalem Psychodrama Institute. A summary of the interview in English is provided below the recorded interview.

Thoughts about the Corona Pandemic Crisis

Ziva Bracha- Gidron

“Even if a sharp sword is hanging over one’s neck, he should not prevent himself from mercy” (Talmud, tractate Berakhot 10a). This perception of doing everything we can create hope, is manifested in the Talmudic expression as one of the fundamental essences of Judaism. In the therapeutic field, hope is part of our psychological structure but mostly it is an essential infinite crave for growth, that exists in every aspect in human’s life. It expresses the opposites sides of the self; both psychological inner urge for change, together with the spiritual belief in his/her own ability to create this change. Creating hope within Opposites sides of the self, can be compared to the definition of hope as a dialectical experience.

Dr. Ziva Bracha Gidron

It is evident when one enters the therapist’s room and claims hope, yet unconsciously does everything he/she can to “sabotage” it (Mitchel 1993\2003). Opposites sides of the human experience, are part of every therapeutic relationships such as; anger and self-regulation; helplessness and creativity, and the “sense of inner death” alongside with the sense of inner vitality (Eigen, 1996/2010) Therefor hope reflects the existence of “per of opposites” within the self ,that redefine our in-personal and interpersonal relationships. Eigen’s perception that “psychoanalysis recognizes the opposites such as body, soul and spirit” (Eigen, 2004/2014 p.68) emphasizes the patient’s capacity to generate an image that consists of all the parts of the self; to realize that she/he is a whole that consists of opposites that represents multiplicity.