Response to Junebug Gillam

You may be interested in contacting Anima Associates (Elena Romanova, Ph.D.), POB 365, St. Petersburg, Russia 196070 regarding their "Fairy Tale Therapy" which I found fascinating as well as most appropriate given their circumstances. After 50 years of Soviet domination, people of St. Petersburg had lost their true identities, their myths, and folklore. They couldn't/didn't emerge from fear of the consequences of speaking freely and certainly never about themselves.
Therapists at this center located some old books of fairy tales and used them as a starting point in treatment. The therapist selects a tale that seems suited to the presenting problem of the patient. The patient reads 40-75% of the story and identifies with one character. A puppet is made to represent their character as well as other important characters in the fairy tale. An ending is written for the partially read fairy tale, a stage set is created on which the patient will ultimately produce the fairy tale with its new ending in a puppet show. The patient choses the music needed, researches and makes the costumes, and serves as the voice of each character in the drama.
When this year+ process is completed the clinic regards the patient as healed if they express relief and satisfaction with the outcome they've provided to the fairy tale.
I haven't heard of any multi-disciplinary applications that I think are as fitting as this. AND...it has the added advantage of tapping into their proud heritage, bringing it into the present while incorporating it in their healing process.

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Re:Response to Junebug Gillam, by Lindsay Smith, 02/19/01

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