About Us
Patrick T. Barone is a Michigan criminal defense trial lawyer and author who first experienced psychodrama at the Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College in 2007. In 2010 he began the journey toward certification, and in 2022 he became a Certified as a Trainer, Educator and Practitioner of Psychodrama, Sociometry and Group Psychotherapy (TEP) by the American Board of Examiners (ABE). In 2018 he obtained practitioner certification. He is the only Michigan lawyer to hold these Certifications.
In 2014 Mr. Barone co-founded the Michigan Psychodrama Center with Elizabeth Corby, PhD, TEP, and together they provide a wide variety of workshops and training opportunities, including week-long and weekend intensives. They also co-lead a bi-monthly therapy group where psychodrama is a predominant modality and a once monthly psychodrama training group.
Patrick has trained extensively with his friend Dr. Peter Pitzele, and has lead many Bibliodrama workshops designed to facilitate subject matter competency and to inspire personal and spiritual growth. He is also the author of a chapter entitled Bringing Scripture to Life with Bibliodrama for Adam Blatner’s book entitled Action Explorations: Using Psychodramatic Methods in Non-Therapeutic Settings , (Paralax Productions, February 23, 2019).
Mr. Barone uses psychodrama and sociometry infused methods in the courtroom; in his role as a business consultant and when teaching trial skills.
In his capacity as a business consultant, Mr. Barone has worked with business owners and executives in businesses of all sizes throughout Michigan, including by way of example, TGI Direct, Movimento, AcuMax, A2 Energy Systems LLC, Spry Publishing, Compliance Training Partners/Drakeshire Dental, Booms Stone Co., The Hunter Group, LLC., Vistage Michigan, and dozens of other businesses and executives.
Additionally, Mr. Barone is the principal and founding member of the Barone Defense Firm, headquartered in Birmingham, Michigan with offices also in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He has an “AV” (highest) rating from Martindale-Hubbell, and since 2009 has been included in the highly selective US News & World Report’s America’s Best Lawyers while The Barone Defense Firm appears in their companion America’s Best Law Firms. He has been rated “Seriously Outstanding” by Super Lawyers, rated “Outstanding/10.0” by AVVO and was appointed to the advisory board for the Michigan edition of Leading Lawyers Magazine.
Finally, he is the author of several books on criminal law, gun law and DUI defense, including the well-respected two volume treatise Defending Drinking Drivers (James Publishing). He has also authored several chapters in West/Aspator Books “Inside the Minds” series on various aspects of DUI discovery and trial practice, and more than one hundred related journal articles that have appeared in some of the Nation’s premier Law Journals. For more information or to purchase any of Mr. Barone’s books, please visit his Amazon Author’s Page.
Dr. Elizabeth A. Corby is a Clinical Psychologist who provides evaluation and psychotherapy services to individuals, couples, families and groups. She became a Board-Certified practitioner of Psychodrama, Sociometry and Group Psychotherapy in 2016. In 2020 she reached the highest level of certification as a Trainer, Educator and Practitioner (T.E.P.) of Psychodrama, Sociometry and Group Psychotherapy. Dr. Corby also completed certification as a cognitive behavioral therapist at and is a Diplomat of the Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy in Philadelphia (2000).
Dr. Corby also maintains a private practice in Birmingham Michigan where she helps her clients through the transformative processes of psychotherapy. She works holistically with her clients; utilizing a variety of scientifically supportive neuro-behavioral, relational and action methods, including CBT, psychodrama and various other forms of psychotherapeutic treatment, such as dialectical behavioral, EMDR and mindfulness therapies. In both individual and group settings, Dr. Corby helps her clients integrate mind, body, and spirit thereby providing healing from a variety of challenges including anxiety, depressive disorders, and alcohol and substance use and dependence disorders.
Dr. Corby is also the co-founder of the Michigan Psychodrama Center, where she leads psychodrama workshops for therapists, clients, lay people, lawyers and other professionals. She and Mr. Barone are the only psychodrama trainers in Michigan, offering psychodrama, sociodrama, sociometry and group psychotherapy training groups for therapists and others.
Dr. Corby has an extensive formal and practice-based background in addiction. Dr. Corby’s Ph.D. early research involved contingency management of teen substance abuse. This research was ultimately published under the title: Contingency Management Interventions for Treating the Substance Abuse of Adolescents: A Feasibility Study. Another of Dr. Corby’s published studies related to this issue is entitled: Substance abuse risk reduction: Verbal mediational training for children by parental and nonparental models.
As a post-doctoral fellow Dr. Corby continued her research under the title of assistant professor at the WSU medical school’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences. She worked under the direction of former NIDA director Dr. Charles Schuster and collaborated in an FDA clinical trial study testing the use of buprenorphine (Suboxone) to curb addiction to heroin. This research contributed to its FDA approval and now widespread use. Dr. Corby also developed an adolescent dual diagnosis treatment program for the university while so employed.
Dr. Corby left academia to begin work in the private sector as a clinical director at Henry Ford Maplegrove, a well-known Michigan in-and outpatient chemical dependency treatment center. Since leaving that position, Dr. Corby has been in private practice focusing on the treatment of dual diagnoses and the family system.
What is Psychodrama?
Psychodrama is a form of psychotherapy that uses drama and role-playing to explore and understand one’s feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. It is a type of group therapy that encourages individuals to act out their personal and interpersonal issues in a safe and supportive environment.
Sociometry, which is an integral part of psychodrama, involves the use of structured exercises to explore and measure the social connections between members of the group. It aims to identify patterns of relationships within the group and to create opportunities for deeper understanding and communication.
Group psychotherapy is the overarching term that encompasses psychodrama and sociometry. It refers to any type of therapy that involves a small group of individuals meeting regularly with a trained therapist to explore their emotions, behaviors, and relationships. Group psychotherapy can be beneficial for a range of mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, addiction, and interpersonal difficulties.
Psychodrama
Psychodrama is a form of psychotherapy developed by J.L. Moreno that involves acting out real-life situations in a group setting as a way of exploring and resolving emotional and interpersonal issues. It can be used to help individuals or groups address a wide range of psychological and interpersonal problems.
In a typical psychodrama session, one person (the protagonist) chooses a real-life issue or problem that they would like to explore. Other members of the group take on the roles of significant others in the protagonist’s life, and the protagonist acts out different scenarios and conversations to gain insight and understanding into their own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
The therapist, known as the “director,” facilitates the session and helps the protagonist explore different perspectives and emotional responses. The group provides support, feedback, and validation for the protagonist’s experiences.
Psychodrama can be used to address a wide range of issues, including anxiety, depression, addiction, trauma, relationship problems, and communication difficulties. It can be particularly effective for individuals who have difficulty expressing themselves verbally or who prefer a more experiential form of therapy.
Overall, psychodrama is a powerful therapeutic technique that can help individuals gain insight, improve interpersonal skills, and make positive changes in their lives.
Sociometry
Sociometry is a term coined by Jacob L. Moreno, the founder of psychodrama. It is a method of measuring social relationships and group dynamics, and involves using sociometric techniques to explore interpersonal connections within a group.
Sociometry seeks to identify the patterns of attraction and repulsion that exist within a group, and to use this information to enhance communication, build trust, and facilitate social change. By measuring the connections that exist between group members, sociometry can help to identify subgroups, cliques, and social networks, and to understand the dynamics that drive these patterns of interaction.
In psychodrama, sociometry is used to help group members explore their own relationships and connections with others, and to develop a greater understanding of how they relate to the world around them. Through sociometric exploration, group members can gain insight into their own social roles and identities, and learn how to interact more effectively with others.
Psychodramatists use sociometry in a number of ways to explore and understand the social dynamics of a group. Here are a few examples:
Overall, sociometry is a powerful tool that psychodramatists can use to help group members connect with each other, explore social dynamics, and develop greater insight into their own relationships and identities.
Group Psychotherapy
Jacob L. Moreno’s group therapy is a type of psychotherapy that involves treating individuals in a group setting rather than in individual therapy sessions. Moreno believed that group therapy provided a unique opportunity for individuals to work through their problems in a supportive and collaborative environment.
Moreno’s group therapy is based on the principles of psychodrama, which emphasizes the use of role-playing and drama to explore and resolve personal issues. In a psychodrama group therapy session, individuals are encouraged to act out their emotions and experiences, often with the help of other group members who take on different roles in the drama.
The group therapy process is designed to help individuals gain insight into their own behavior and relationships, develop new coping skills, and build stronger connections with others. Moreno believed that the group setting could be particularly beneficial for individuals who struggled with social isolation or who had difficulty forming meaningful relationships.
Overall, Moreno’s group therapy is a highly interactive and dynamic form of psychotherapy that emphasizes creativity, spontaneity, and social connection as key elements of personal growth and healing.