149
9. Examples of role play
This section provides an example of role play. You should act out your part as either a helper or a survivor. Make use of your skills and your knowledge. The situation may evolve in directions you did not foresee; if it does, continue to play your part. It is a good exercise for learning how to communicate and how to react to a survivor’ s responses and body language.
PART III: THEORY
If you wear a scarf to indicate that you are the Survivor, be sure to take it off when you change roles or finish. Always brush off your role before you take on a new one and when you end the session.
Example of role paly 1: The first meeting between a Helper and a Survivor
Helper. Welcome, my name is Katy. Please come in. I am glad to meet you. What is your name? Survivor. I am Jenny. H. Welcome to our first meeting. I am glad you decided to come. H. Where would you like to sit? S. Hmm, I don’ t know. H. Is it OK to sit like this? Are you comfortable? S. No, you are too close, can you move further away? H. Is this OK? S. Yes. H. I can see that you do not feel comfortable. S. I feel terrible and very sad. H.
S.
Let me say that you decide what you want and don’ t want to say. I respect that there are things you do not want to say.
Thank you … H. I respect you and that you have your boundaries. S. You do not know what happened to me. H.
S. H.
I know and that is OK. You don’ t have to tell me anything about it. You completely choose what you want to say. Oh, I can see that you moved your legs a little bit, can you feel the ground under your feet?
No …
Because that is very important when we are overwhelmed by horrible feelings. Feeling our feet on the ground is a way of anchoring us in the room.
And you’ re here with me now, you are safe, you are sitting in a calm room. S. I am afraid.( Looks at the door.)