[Listserv] Passing of Zerka Moreno

[Steve Kopp]

To our local psychodrama community,

I just received the below email from Lin Considine on the passing of Zerka Moreno.  I don't think I could find better words right now, so am forwarding Lin's statement.

I remember an early experience in ASGPP one evening at a conference, seeing Zerka and saying 'Good evening'.  She responded by greeting me by name. Being a newbie at the time, it was an incredibly powerful experience to realize that Zerka knew who I was!  I soon learned that she had a gift for seeing each person as special and unique.  Connie Newton, our presenter for the October MAC meeting has already said she wants to take time in her presentation to honor Zerka.  Meanwhile, Zerka believed in celebrating life.  Please take some time to hold her family in your thoughts and to celebrate the life she led. And to honor and celebrate your own life, as this was her gift and her wish.

Steve Kopp

President, Mid-Atlantic Chapter, ASGPP



Lin's email:

It is with humbled heart we inform you of Zerka T. Moreno's passing. She entered this mortal realm as Zerka Toeman on June 13, 1917 in the Netherlands, and exited as Zerka T. Moreno on September 19, 2016 in Rockville, Maryland.

She is survived by her family - Regina, Miriam, Janos, Jonathan, Leslye, Jarrett and Jillian. Her family has requested that they be allowed to mourn in private. In keeping with her wishes there will be no funeral or memorial service apart from the celebrations of her life scheduled within the psychodrama community.

As she stated in her memoir, "I was born unwanted, too early and too fast." However to our community and far beyond she left as a beloved and cherished extraordinary human being who had a most remarkable life and journey. For us there is no better way to remind us of her life and legacy than by reading or re-reading her most recent books ("The Quintessential Zerka: Writings by Zerka Toeman Moreno on Psychodrama, Sociometry and Group Psychotherapy" and "To Dream Again: A Memoir").

Zerka's professional life was devoted to healing others, and our planet. Part of her enduring legacy is the attention, validation, and connection she gave to each of us, and in keeping with that spirit she has instructed us to celebrate her passing. In her memoir she wrote, "When I die, go out and have a good dinner and celebrate your life. I've had a great life."

Please heed her words gather your friends and family and have a good dinner and celebrate your own life. There will be a celebration of her life at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Psychodrama and Group Psychotherapy that will be held from May 4-7, 2017 in Clearwater, Florida. There will also be a special edition of "The Journal of Psychodrama, Sociometry and Group Psychotherapy" focusing on her life and legacy. Her obituary will be published in both the ASGPP ("Psychodrama Network News") and the ABE ("Board News") .

In conclusion we ask you to take a moment to reflect and honor Zerka T. Moreno by carrying forward her legacy in your life and work.

Blessings to all,

Lin

Lin Considine, LMHC, TEP
President, ABE
American Board of Examiners in Psychodrama,
Sociometry and Group Psychotherapy

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