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Digital Guidelines for Working Online

Zoom Guidelines for PIM Trainees, Trainers and Practitioners

1. When you start a new group, and as necessary in further sessions, please remember to include housekeeping items in your warm up. These include, leaving the group for any reason; group members can send a note to the whole group.

2. Things that are revealed in the group belong in the group. This means the group you are in at the time. Taking things out of the group affects the group members’ relationships and group trust. A copy of the ‘group oath’ written by J.L. Moreno can be found on the PIM Blog.

3. When Zoom, Skype, phone conversations etc are being used, we request that there is no note taking without asking the group or an individual's permission, each time you are in a session. There is to be no recording of sessions.

4. In a group, don’t send private messages to specific people in the group, as that is the same as whispering to someone in the group, during the group.

5. Given that working from home involves a whole lot of juggling, and moving from one set of roles to another, it is understandable that people may join the group late. All that is required is for the person to sit down, and get on board with what is going on. No apologies are necessary as that can actually disturb the session and break the dynamic or interrupt the warm up that has begun.

6. Don't wait for people before beginning on time. Start on time or as close to time as possible, even if only one person is there. Get going.

7. For anyone conducting a zoom group, especially a designated psychodrama group, it is recommended that you send a copy of these guidelines to your group members, or, make them familiar with the protocols before starting the group.

8. In one-to-one sessions make sure each person is comfortable with their environment or the environment of the other. For example, if someone lights up a cigarette, or other drug, including food, define your boundaries, make sure you are feeling comfortable, and if not, make that clear to the other, and if necessary end the session. Make sure no other person is listening in on the conversation, or if there is, make sure that you tell the other person so that they have an opportunity to take part in that session or not. Please ensure that you and your client or group members are adequately clad.

9. As you go along in your group or individual sessions you’ll establish and co-create a working methodology, that all are familiar with. Definitely do not assume anything.

10. All psychodrama trainees must be in ongoing regular supervision if they are using or intending to apply psychodrama in their work; this includes sociometry, role training, coaching, sociodrama and doing actual psychodramas. These guidelines are for your protection, our institutes and society's protection, and the people you work with.

11. Above all, be Spontaneous!

Thank you. We ask that you respect these guidelines. If you wish to discuss them we can arrange a time to talk with you or bring the topic up in your group. If you think of something else to be added to the guidelines let me know and I will update them as necessary. We could even have a session on ‘group ethics in the age of coronavirus’.

Sue Daniel

(updated Saturday 15 August 2020, at 4.40 p.m)

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