Off The Rocks Theater

Director/Clinician Notes:

“Off the Rock” as a project was born from my personal and interpersonal needs. On a personal level I was curious to see what can come out of breeding two sides of my professional life. Being a theater director and a clinician I was always aware of the similarities and connection between those disciplines. Both of them are devoted to explore the human nature, both deal with creating new identities, both are considered as art, both are challenging the social norms and both deal with transformation. I also felt that the experience of working with client/actors during rehearsals resembles the experience of working with clients in the office. In both cases there is intensity, a search for truth, obstacles and a unique intimacy that stems from dealing with deep psychological wounds. I wondered what would happen if we would bring those two discipline together.

Along with the curiosity about combining those two disciplines I also wanted to challenge the isolation around the treatment world. I was puzzled after noticing that many of the people I worked with, did fine in residential treatment. They seemed to be getting it, they experience the benefits of being sober and then they would relapse soon after their discharge. It became clearer to me that something is happening that is beyond the treatment approach that we use and the personality of the counselors. Many clinicians attributed treatment success to the client’s readiness to change. That probably (you shouldn’t be guessing) is right but what are the factors that are creating the readiness to change. I noticed a pattern in the way we treat people that are struggling with problems, we don’t have answers for. We just lock them away, put a wall around them with a message that we will except them when they will be healed. We practice this drill with people that are mentally ill, with criminals, with addicts but also with people that are struggling with cancer or are dying. But what if those people are only carrying disorders that are a reflection of us. When I worked in a psychiatric unit it was clear beyond doubt that when the family was engaged in treatment the “identified patient” is doing better. I wondered if there is a way to engage the community in treatment process. The basic assumption was that when the community would be willing to embarrass it’s shadow, the people that are carrying the shadow would be able to own their health. The many walls between “us” and “them” were not easy to challenge. During the workshop phase and then during the rehearsal we used the Hero’s journey as a reference point. Do you need to explain the hero’s journey?  We as a group we were constantly challenged. We had to renew our commitment to this project every single day. It was hard because we were forced to face our demons. We wanted really badly to run away but we didn’t. I don’t know how much of the audience that witnessed the last part of our journey was able to identify their own shadow manifesting on stage but we got to own part of health. From emails that followed from the audience I know there were some that did see their shadows. I admire the strength and courage of the people that were part of this process. They are my heroes. I hope that we will continue to open the space for other people to go through this tough, amazing and transformative fire walk. It is only the beginning.

With love and deep appreciation, Tami