Our Legacy
"Healing happens in relationship, in the sacred space we create together."
About Dr. Herbert Propper, Ph.D., TEP
Dr. Herbert Propper: A Compassionate Teacher and Visionary Psychodramatist
Dr. Herbert Propper — affectionately known as Herb to his students — was a gifted psychodramatist, an inspiring teacher, and a profoundly compassionate human being. With a Ph.D. and the prestigious TEP (Trainer, Educator, Practitioner) certification from the American Board of Examiners, Herb devoted more than four decades to teaching, practicing, and advancing psychodrama, sociometry, and group psychotherapy.
Herb’s professional life reflected both excellence and deep commitment. He was a Fellow and lifetime member of the American Society of Group Psychotherapy and Psychodrama (ASGPP) and served on the American Board of Examiners, contributing to the growth and ethical stewardship of the field. His work extended far beyond the United States, and in 2009 he was honored as a Fulbright Scholar to Bangladesh, later joining the Fulbright Specialist Roster for his international contributions to psychodrama and education.
Read More...Primary Trainer & Advisor
Norma Kay Lord
Norma Kay Lord is a Licensed Master Social Worker, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and Nationally Certified Group Therapist in Texas and New Mexico. She is the founder of the Houston Psychodrama Institute and a trainer in psychodrama, sociodrama, and group psychotherapy. A continuing education provider, she is a Fellow of the American Society of Group Psychotherapy and Psychodrama (ASGPP), a lifetime member of the International Family Therapists Association (IFTA), and a member of TAMFT and NASW.
Counseling Associates of South Texas. (CAST) was started in 1989 by Norma Kay Lord and Ibolya Stipkovits. CAST was created as primarily a Psychodrama practice and every counselor at the time was either training in Psychodrama or certified as a Psychodrama Practitioner. In 1994, Ms. Stipkovits moved to Florida for personal reasons and the practice continued as a solo practice with Norma Kay Lord till 2005.
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Our Mission & Vision
Creating a safe space for transformative healing through psychodrama, fostering community connections, and empowering individuals on their journey of growth.
Vision
At House Of Psychodrama Education (HOPE), we are dedicated to empowering individuals and communities through the transformative practices of psychodrama and other evidence-informed mental health modalities.
By blending local traditions with creative therapeutic approaches, we aim to foster emotional awareness, personal growth, and collective well-being.
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Mission
Our mission is to provide low-cost, high-impact training that is accessible to all, creating a vibrant, inclusive community where every member plays a role in building a strong, supportive foundation.
Through the guidance of internationally renowned trainers, we offer transformative experiences that embody healing in action — using the language of role, story, and soul to foster personal and collective growth, one transformation at a time.
Read MoreHOPE Team
Our Guest Trainers
Learn from experienced practitioners who bring deep knowledge and compassionate guidance to every training session.
Clark Baim
Faculty member at Family Relations Institute (Miami, FL and Reggio Emilia, Italy)
Clark Baim, PhD, is a Senior Trainer in Psychodrama Psychotherapy (UKCP, BPA) and Director of the Birmingham Institute for Psychodrama in the UK.
Dr. Scott Giacomucci
Director/Founder, Phoenix Center for Experiential Trauma Therapy in Media PA: Trauma Therapist, Trainer, Author and Researcher
Dr. Scott Giacomucci, DSW, LCSW, BCD, CGP, FAAETS, TEP, is the Director/Founder of the Phoenix Center for Experiential Trauma Therapy in Media, Pennsylvania.
Jennie Kristel
Registered Expressive Arts Therapist, Accredited Playback Theatre trainer, Listening Hour Trainer, International trainer/ supervisor in Expressive Arts Therapy & Playback Theatre, Core Faculty at Lesley University
Jennie Kristel, MA, REAT, APTT, received her degree in expressive therapies from Lesley University in 1986 and her REAT credential in 2014.
Cissy Rock
Facilitator at Community Think Ltd
Cissy Rock studied Psychodrama with the Australian Aotearoa New Zealand Psychodrama Association (AANZPA) and is an accredited Sociodramatist.
Our Healing Community
Join a vibrant community of healers, learners, and changemakers who believe in the transformative power of psychodrama and collective healing.
Hi, I am a performance artiste - a singer, a dancer, and an actor. I work on radio, the stage, television and film.
I attended the Core Playback Theatre Intensive and the Expressive Arts Training workshops, essentially to understand and apply some of the approaches and objectives, in my own portrayals.to enhance presentation and performance.
The camaraderie and connection that blossomed, and the constant positive non-judgemental reinforcement and conversation that ensued, through the entirety of the training and instructional process - provided the ultimate breaths of fresh air - establishing healthy equations with fellow participants. Jennie Kristel is a superb instructor, teacher, artiste and a hugely evolved human being.Thank you so very much.
It was a wonderful experience being a part of the Expressive Arts Therapy workshop. I truly enjoyed it and learned so many new things and perspectives; such an inspiring and enriching session!
The Playback Theatre workshop was immensely enlightening. Learning the fundamental playback forms—such as tableau, long-form storytelling, and fluid sculptures—was particularly enjoyable to me. I now have a better understanding of how to hold and share personal stories in a respectful and creative way thanks to our mentor Jennie. Participants had an amazing sense of tele, which strengthened the group's sense of trust and connection. I am thankful to team HOPE for the engaging and motivating training that enhanced my abilities and my understanding of Playback Theatre.
The three-day workshop on expressive arts was genuinely life changing. It was fascinating and engrossing to use an intermodal approach that alternated between visual art, movement, sound, and narrative. Throughout the process, I felt as though I learned new things about myself, particularly about spontaneity and creating meaning in chaotic situations. I thoroughly enjoyed the chance to experiment with different forms of expression in such a nurturing setting and the workshop truly gave a sense to its title – Finding meaning in times of Chaos!! Thanks Team HOPE for arranging this wonderful workshop.
I attended Kay's workshop in Feb 2025. My first experience of Psychodrama. It blew my away.
Her experience, warmth and ability to get deep into the issue and the sense of safety that she created in the group was outstanding.
Her skill, experience and her empathy made her training invaluable to a beginner like me. It was definitely a motivating and deciding factor to continue my training in this field.
I attended Cissy's workshop in Delhi. Both Sociodrama and Psychodrama.
It was an amazing workshop with the perfect mix of theory and practice. The tools were fantastic. But more than that I have to credit Sissy for the exceptional facilitation which was so experiential, practical, open and fun. We learnt it all by doing. She took on our suggestions and tweaked it to ensure we were all with her at all times.
The layers and nuances that we discovered on the self journey while in class and after were so insightful and meaningful to me. Sharing other's takeaways also felt so safe and useful and added so much value and perspectives to me.
It was very hands on, well planned and executed with everything starting and finishing on time.
Cissy's instinct in getting under our skins to figure out what the real issues were was mind-boggling. Gave me a lot of HOPE and inspiration that the ethical practice of this form can really upskill me if I continue to trust my gut and hold space and traverse with deep empathy.
I want to take this opportunity to than Kay and HOPE Foundation for bringing Cissy to us.
I had the privilege of learning Fundamentals of Psychodrama with Kay. Wow. It was a transformative experience - giving me the tools and exercises to understand myself and others in profound ways. Kay has a magic about her and an instinctive ability to work deeper layers of consciousness. I highly recommend her classes and would jump at taking future sessions with her.
I feel very fortunate in life to explore socio-drama. It made me travel my life and made me rectify my mistakes. This is that one experience of my life which i will always cherish. Thank you HOPE and Cissy. We should always keep an eye for such things which enriches our thought process.
I found that the playback theatre technique was very innovative and it is a beautiful way of having our own ideas, feelings and thoughts be presented before us and to have us witness this. In doing so, we were able to actually see for ourselves what it is that we experienced. There was also a sense of communion where the other participants were able to hold, even if momentarily, whatever it is that the feelings attached to those events and experiences were. Overall, there was also a sense of community in the group, a sense of belonging that was very precious to me, and there were moments that were very joyous and light, which felt as if there was another frothier side of me that perhaps had been submerged for a very long time. I intend to use these techniques in my workshops as well.
Once I became aware of each of the techniques I learned about in the Expressive Art Therapy workshop, it was the way in which each one was woven into the other rather seamlessly, that is what was very unique in this workshop. Of course, the games that we played, the space that was so holding and accepting, which allowed us to express ourselves and our innermost feelings was very very precious and valuable to me. In this, I found, that there were many techniques used, for example, poems, writing, puppetry, drawing, drawing using the non-dominant hand, acting, all of this and more.
My experience with Jennie’s Core Playback and Expressive Arts beginner training has been absolutely wonderful. The sessions were great fun, deeply informative, and filled with insightful moments that expanded my understanding of both myself and the processes involved.
Jennie creates a space that feels safe, warm, and encouraging, making it easy to explore, take risks, and express freely. The training felt truly enriching. I walked away with new tools, clearer perspectives, and a renewed sense of creativity.
I’m grateful for the depth, clarity, and joy Jennie brings to her facilitation. It has been a meaningful learning journey, and I look forward to continuing this work further.
Thank you HOPE for creating this opportunity.
