Tahirova, D. (2025). From Disconnection to Dialogue: Exploring Hybrid Therapeutic Spaces With Children and Elders in Tele’Drama.

Tahirova, D. (2025). From disconnection to dialogue: Exploring hybrid therapeutic spaces with children and elders in Tele’Drama. Tele'Drama Press



FROM DISCONNECTION TO DIALOGUE: EXPLORING HYBRID THERAPEUTIC SPACES WITH CHILDREN AND ELDERS IN TELE’DRAMA

Daniela Tahirova, MEd, MPsy
Therapeutic Center Vitae; Tele’Drama Bulgaria Regional Institute Director


Abstract

This article reflects on the author’s experience, in collaboration with colleagues, in developing, applying, and presenting a hybrid therapeutic model during the session “Tele’Drama Storytelling: Co-Creation Across Generations.” The project brought together children and elder therapists from diverse cultural backgrounds, aiming to foster meaningful interaction and healing through structured creativity in both online and onsite spaces. The article highlights challenges encountered during the initial warm-up session and the insights gained in redesigning the final plenary demonstration. The findings emphasize the importance of structure, role clarity, and facilitator presence in creating a safe and dynamic hybrid therapeutic environment.
 

Keywords

Hybrid therapy, Tele’Drama, children, elders, storytelling, group dynamics, co-creation, intergenerational therapy, online therapeutic space
 

Summary

This article presents a reflective account of a panel session titled “Tele’Drama Storytelling: Co-Creation Across Generations,” designed to explore the therapeutic potential of hybrid spaces. The session involved children aged 8–10 and members of the 70+ Tele’Drama group—experienced therapists from various countries. The goal was to bridge online and onsite participants through creative, therapeutic storytelling processes. The article discusses the obstacles encountered during the initial warm-up session—primarily spatial disconnection and unexpected aggression—and the revised strategies that led to a more integrated and healing plenary session.


Introduction

Hybrid therapeutic formats are becoming more prevalent, yet little is known about how they can be structured to foster real connection—especially between participants of vastly different ages and cultural backgrounds. This article documents one such effort: a panel session designed to explore intergenerational co-creation in a hybrid environment. The initiative was the product of a collaboration between Daniela Tahirova, Borislava Petrova, Eva Miceva-Grigorova, and members of the 70+ Tele’Drama group, under the supervision of Dr. Daniela Simmons.
 

Context and Participants

The children involved were aged 8 to 10 and had strong in-person therapeutic relationships with their facilitators but limited, often negative, exposure to online group formats. In contrast, the elder therapists—professionals with decades of experience—were more accustomed to both in-person and virtual therapeutic work.Participants came from various countries, including Bulgaria, India, the United States, and the United Kingdom, providing a culturally diverse foundation for the experiment. The goal was to test whether hybrid storytelling could become a shared healing experience across age, distance, and experience.
 

Warm-Up Session: Challenges and Discoveries

A preliminary session revealed two major challenges:

Spatial Closure
Both onsite and online groups became inwardly focused, limiting cross-space interaction. Facilitators and children naturally gravitated toward participants in their physical or digital proximity, creating emotional separation. Onsite children exhibited competitive and sometimes aggressive behavior, while online children tended to be more open and inviting—though often ignored.

Aggression Toward Facilitators and Peers
Unexpected aggression, particularly from the onsite children, raised questions about the hybrid format’s impact. Factors identified included facilitator uncertainty, lack of clear structure, and the activation of trauma responses due to the unpredictability of the hybrid space.
 


Revised Approach: The Plenary Session

Drawing on feedback and reflection, the final session was redesigned with clear structure, intentional role-play, and a balance of spontaneity and containment.
 

Key Elements of Success

• Clear rules and expectations, including a group-wide “Stop” rule
• Immediate creative engagement through role-play and costumes
• Structured warm-up activities to build group safety and cohesion
• Use of professional auxiliaries in predetermined supportive roles
• The Zig-Zag Technique to alternate attention between groups
• Active bridging by facilitators to maintain connection between spaces
  

Reflections and Implications

The hybrid setting is not merely a fusion of online and physical environments—it is a distinct space that requires intentional design. When properly structured, it can support deep emotional work, creativity, and meaningful interaction. Facilitators must be emotionally present, flexible, and attuned to the group’s needs.Security, structure, and shared purpose were found to be crucial in facilitating healing in hybrid spaces. These findings suggest that hybrid storytelling models hold strong potential for future intergenerational and intercultural therapeutic work.
 


References

Moreno, J. L. (1953). Who Shall Survive? Foundations of Sociometry, Group Psychotherapy and Sociodrama (2nd ed.). Beacon House.

Simmons, D. (2025). Tele’Drama Fusional InterReality™: Bridging Time, Space, and Human Connection Through Hybrid Action Methods. Tele’Drama Press.

Additional insights and methodology drawn from the author’s direct facilitation and unpublished collaboration notes (Tele’Drama Community, 2025).



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