Psychodrama Therapy
Maria Zemlinskaya
Psychodrama Therapy
Psychodrama Therapist
I offer an integrative approach to therapy, with psychodrama at its core — a dynamic, creative method that uses action and role-play to explore emotions, relationships, and inner experiences. Each session is shaped by your unique needs, guided by both structure and spontaneity to support insight and real change.
What I can help with
Abuse, Trauma, Self-esteem and Confidence, Anxiety, Depression, Stress or Burnout, Relationship Challenges, Family Dynamics, Life Transitions such as moving country, changing jobs, or becoming a parent, Grief and Loss, Neurodiversity, Adults and Teenagers/Young Adults
- Qualifications
- BPA (British Psychodrama Association) member
- Certified in Psychodrama by the Institute of Group and Family Therapy (Moscow)
- Two years of post-graduate study in Humanistic Person-Centred Understanding Therapy at MGPPU (Moscow)
- MA Applied Theatre Goldsmith
- MFA Theatre Directing (Birkbeck/RADA)
- Currently studying for Postgraduate Diploma in Psychodrama Group and Individual Psychotherapy (London Psychodrama Centre)
- Experience
- Over 15 years of experience facilitating group workshops in education, therapy and theatre
- Worked internationally - United Kingdom, Russia, Israel, China, Georgia
- Led therapeutic and theatre groups in educational institutions, theatres, psychiatric clinics, and charitable organisations
- Past clients have included professionals such as doctors and teachers, bilingual teenagers and their parents, as well as vulnerable communities, among others.
Its creator, psychiatrist Jacob Levy Moreno, believed that simply talking about problems is not enough. To truly understand one’s experiences and change habitual reactions, it is important to relive the situation in action — through improvisation, role play, and movement. This process engages emotions, the body, and the imagination simultaneously, which deepens the therapeutic effect.
In a psychodrama session, the participant who wishes to explore an issue (called the “protagonist”) enacts significant life events together with other members of the group. Supporting participants may take on roles of real people from the protagonist’s life — such as relatives, friends, colleagues — or symbolic roles, such as feelings, fears, or desires.
This kind of role-play makes it possible to see familiar situations from different perspectives, become aware of hidden emotions and inner conflicts, and experiment with new ways of relating to others. All of this takes place in a safe, supportive atmosphere where one can explore freely without fear of judgment.
A Therapeutic Exploration of Stories We Inherit
Sat. 27 & Sun. 28 September 2025 | 10am-5pm | Islington
In this 2-day psychodrama workshop, we’ll explore the unseen threads that connect us to previous generations — the beliefs, emotions, and roles we’ve inherited, often without realising it.
Through role-play and group sharing, you’ll have the opportunity to:
- Discover how cultural and historic contexts relate to your current lived experiences
- Explore complex family relationships in a safe environment
- Learn to let go of some limiting past beliefs and experiences
- Find internalised figures of support and acceptance that can help you in the future
- Create new worldviews and connections for yourself and others
This weekend is open to anyone curious about personal development, family systems, or experiential therapeutic work.
Echoes Through Generations:
A Therapeutic Exploration of Stories We Inherit
Sat. 27 & Sun. 28 September 2025
10am-5pm
Islington
Unearth family history, inherited messages, unspoken rules, and shushed feelings. Reshape your story with tenderness and curiosity.
In this 2-day psychodrama workshop, we’ll explore the unseen threads that connect us to previous generations — the beliefs, emotions, and roles we’ve inherited, often without realising it.
Through role-play and group sharing, you’ll have the opportunity to:
- Discover how cultural and historic contexts relate to your current lived experiences
- Explore complex family relationships in a safe environment
- Learn to let go of some limiting past beliefs and experiences
- Find internalised figures of support and acceptance that can help you in the future
- Create new worldviews and connections for yourself and others
This weekend is open to anyone curious about personal development, family systems, or experiential therapeutic work.
What to Expect at an Experiential Weekend:
Each Experiential Weekend has its own focus — such as working with uncertainty, exploring family stories, or reconnecting with spontaneity. All are grounded in the same principles: safety, curiosity, and depth.
The weekend begins gently, with a warm-up to help the group connect and feel at ease. As trust builds, deeper exploration unfolds through psychodrama and other experiential methods.
Anyone who wishes can become a protagonist — the focus of a session — with others stepping into roles from that person’s life or inner world. It’s also possible to take part by supporting others’ stories. Participation is always at a level that feels comfortable, with the freedom to pause or step back at any time.
Confidentiality is a core principle: what is shared in the group stays in the group.
Two full days may feel like a big commitment, but the process takes time: the first day allows for settling in, and the second for deepening and integration.
Group work is not a replacement for long-term therapy, but it offers something unique — shared resonance, a sense of belonging, and the chance to see oneself reflected through others. It can also be a powerful complement to personal therapy.
All weekends are held in line with the ethical guidelines of the British Psychodrama Association (BPA) and the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP), ensuring a safe and respectful space.
(in person)
Free first session.
Sessions take place in Islington or Hackney.
(Online)
Each session will take 50 minutes.
(Early Bird £150)
Click here to book tickets for Echoes Through Generations on 27 & 28 September 2025
No places currently available.
maria.zemlinskaya@gmail.com
