AMA
ALBA METHOD ASSOCIATION
Applications of the Alba Method
"Alba Emoting offers an original and potent affective education, one which can enhance emotional intelligence."
Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence
Alba Emoting has been applied to stage acting, psychotherapy, and other fields. However, Alba is not an acting method. It is also not a method of psychotherapy. Alba is a method for working with emotions and for developing emotional intelligence. Similarly, algebra is not just a method for splitting the tab at a restaurant. It is also not only a method for designing rocket ships. But algebra is used in both cases because math is everywhere. Likewise, emotions are everywhere; they are inherent to being human. So any human endeavor can benefit from a method that promotes understanding, awareness, regulation, and utilization of emotions.
As you learn Alba Emoting, you will find that it spontaneously "comes" to you in some situations. This is like the "wax on, wax off" story from the "Karate Kid" movies. For example, a participant in a workshop had a minor argument with her husband. But because she had just attended a workshop, she noticed that her husband was not angry (as one might expect) but scared. This was not the deliberate application of a method but rather the natural expression of what she learned. Also, the Alba Method did not tell this person how to deal with her husband's fear, only that it was fear, and not anger, that she was dealing with.
A certified Alba Method teacher is qualified to teach Alba Emoting to anyone regardless of the teacher's professional field. For example, a psychologist who is a certified Alba Method teacher can teach the method to an actor. It will then be up to the actor to apply this learning to acting. Similarly, a person dealing with depression might benefit from an Alba Emoting workshop taught by an actor. This is not therapy nor a substitute for therapy, but it is likely to be beneficial.
Some professionals who have learned the Alba Method have developed specific ways to apply it to their respective crafts. For example, a theatre director may apply Alba Emoting when directing a play. This does not mean that the actors in the play will necessarily learn the method. A psychotherapist may also apply Alba in therapy. Again, this does not mean that the therapy clients will have learned the method. The specific way Alba is applied depends on the professional as well as the context. Some professionals may develop explicit protocols for using Alba in their fields.
For several years, Alba Emoting was exclusively applied to acting. This is still a very strong area of application of the method. Most of the certified Alba Method teachers in the United States are actors and/or directors. Many actors in Europe and South America have trained in Alba Emoting. The application of Alba in psychotherapy has been relatively more recent. The uses of Alba have also been explored in many other fields, including other art forms (such as music, dance, and literature), education, organizational development, advertising, and sport.