Doubling and Role Reversal in Therapies

The following techniques are used in CBT and psychodrama, especially for cluster B personality disorders.

Doubling: The therapist or counsellor acts and emulates the client’s emotions and behaviors. The therapist verbalize what the client may be thinking or what they seem to be withholding as well as the client’s disavowed and defended against behaviors.

Doubling connects the client’s internal reality with external reality (restores reality testing via insight).

The client then acknowledges that he sees himself in his double.

Mirroring: The client observes others as they act out scenes, events, and conversations for his benefit. This way, he gains perspective and some emotional distance and better understands his emotions.

Role-playing: The client assumes the role of a particular person or object, that is a source of stress or conflict in their life.

Role reversal: The client acts the role of another person in their life (could be the therapist or counsellor) while someone else (usually the therapist or counsellor) plays the part of the client. This can help improve empathy and understanding of other people’s perspective and separateness.

Soliloquy: The client describes his inner thoughts and feelings to an audience (e.g., the therapist or counsellor). This way he gains greater insight into his inner feelings and thoughts and experiences catharsis.

LITERATURE

Roleplay in Psychotherapy:General effects of roleplay techniques in psychotherapy by Roger Schaller, 25th June 2021 https://psychodrama.world/method/roleplay-in-psychotherapy-general-effects-of-roleplay-techniques-in-psychotherapy/

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Schaller, R. (2016, 2.Aufl.). Stellen Sie sich vor, Sie sind…- Das Ein-Personen-Rollenspiel in Beratung, Coaching und Therapie. Bern: Hogrefe
Schaller, R. (2017). Regiegespräch – die zentrale Technik für das Psychodrama im Einzelsetting. Zeitschrift für Psychodrama und Soziometrie, 2, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11620-017-0393-x

Tschacher, W. Junghan, U.N. & Pfammatter, M.(2014). Towards a Taxonomy of Common Factors in Psychotherapy – Results of an Expert Survey. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 21, 82-96. Published online 6 November 2012 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI: 10.1002/cpp.1822

Tschacher, W. & Pfammatter, M. (2016). Embodiment in Psychotherapy – A Necessary Complement to the Canon of Common Factors? European Psychotherapy, 2016/2017, pp. 5-21. CIPMedien https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/93002

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