Hudson Valley Psychodrama Institute (HVPI) at TELE’DRAMA® International
SOCIODRAMA AND STORY WITH CHILDREN’S GROUPS: ENACTING FAIRYTALES AND FOLKTALES INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP WORK
With Rebecca Walters, MS, LMHC, LCAT, TEP
April 26, 2026
Sunday 10-1:30PM EST*
ONLINE
LANGUAGE: English
Translated Captions Available for 40+ languages
Questions? Contact Tele’Drama
Fairytales, folktales, and legends have historically played an important role in children’s development, offering symbolic narratives that address universal human experiences such as fear, courage, loss, conflict, and transformation. When used intentionally, these stories become powerful tools for supporting children’s emotional regulation, social development, and resilience.This experiential training explores the use of fairytales and stories through storytelling and sociodramatic, action-based methods in counseling and educational settings. Participants will learn how to use storytelling and story enactment to engage children, address emotional and behavioral challenges, and promote social connection and imaginative play.The training integrates theory, demonstration, and hands-on practice to ensure participants leave with practical skills that can be immediately applied in their work with children.
Why Sociodramatic Story Enactment?
Sociodramatic enactment of traditional stories provides a structured and psychologically safe way for children to explore difficult emotions and life situations through symbolic action and play. By enacting stories rather than simply hearing them, children gain emotional distance while actively engaging with themes relevant to their own experiences.This approach is particularly effective in group counseling, classrooms, and therapeutic settings where children present with varied emotional and behavioral needs. Sociodramatic enactments of stories provide children with opportunities to:
• Develop problem-solving skills and emotional resilience
• Build empathy and perspective-taking
• Strengthen group cohesion and social skills
• Engage in creative and imaginative play
Learning Objectives
Participants will learn how to:
• Select developmentally appropriate stories that match the needs and goals of a group
• Develop effective storytelling skills that engage and contain children emotionally
• Apply sociodramatic techniques to facilitate story enactments
• Use storytelling to support emotional regulation through psychological distance
• Engage disinterested children, manage disruptive behavior, and support quiet or withdrawn children within enactments
• Foster empathy, problem-solving, resilience, and group cohesion through story-based action
• Differentiate between the therapeutic use of traditional stories and modern narratives
Rebecca Walters, MS, LMHC, LCAT, TEP is Director of the Hudson Valley Psychodrama Institute in New York which she co-founded 1989. She was the Director of Child and Adolescent Psychodrama Services at Four Winds Psychiatric Hospital, New York where she ran psychodrama groups on inpatient and outpatient child, adolescent and adult units. Rebecca is an internationally respected trainer in the use of psychodrama and sociodrama with children, adolescents, substance abusers, trauma survivors and in teaching communication skills. She is a Fellow of the ASGPP and was the recipient of their 2018 JL Moreno Award for lifetime achievement in the field.
Registration Information and Payment
COST:
Professionals & General Public: $100
Current HVPI Core and Cohort Students & Tele’Drama Students: $90
University Students & Retired Professionals: $80
To register or for more information:
Tele’Drama
**3.5 Continuing Education Hours
*NYS Social Workers: In collaboration with Jacob Gershoni, LCSW, SW, CPE.
*NYS LCAT’s: In collaboration with Water & Stone, a Creative Arts Therapy PLLC.
*NBCC (National Board of Certified Counselors): Hudson Valley Psychodrama, LLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP #6789.
**There is a $25 fee for the above certificates. Many states accept NBCC and/or NYS Continuing Education for Mental Health professionals and Substance Abuse counsellors. Check with your state licensing board.
Contact us for more information.
This workshop offers 3.5 training hours towards certification by the American board of Examiners in Psychodrama, Sociometry and Group Psychotherapy.
Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Hudson Valley Psychodrama, LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. This course is approved for 3.5 CE’s.
For more information regarding Continuing Education hours please contact HVPI.
For other inquiries, please contact Tele’Drama.
PLEASE NOTE:
• This workshop is fully experiential.
• Confidentiality and safety are required.
• All participants must attend with video on and be fully present for the entire process.
• This module is unique to those who attend and will not be recorded.
• The best way to participate is via a computer.
• In the event of cancellation, payment will be credited toward a future Tele’Drama workshop.
• You will receive the Zoom invitation prior to the session at the email address used for registration and payment — this is the only email address we have on file.
*Times
United States – Pacific Time (PT): 7:00 AM – 10:30 AM
United States – Mountain Time (MT): 8:00 AM – 11:30 AM
United States – Central Time (CT): 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM
United States – Eastern Time (ET): 10:00 AM – 1:30 PM
United Kingdom (UK): 3:00 PM – 6:30 PM
Central Europe (CET): 4:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Greece: 5:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Türkiye: 5:00 PM – 8:30 PM
India (IST): 8:30 PM – 12:00 AM
Hong Kong: 11:00 PM – 2:30 AM
Japan: 12:00 AM – 3:30 AM