One form the work can take is the analysis of dreams. In waking life we have habitual ways of viewing our actions and circumstances. Dreams provide an alternative set of viewpoints that can balance one-sidedness and show us what we overlook. This can help provide resolution to conflicts and an experience of completeness to life.

But because dreams are products of unconscious processes they’re often non-rational, and challenging to understand when we’re awake. We benefit from translating them to a language we speak. Here’s how I support you in dream work.

First I ask you to tell me the whole dream from start to finish including how you felt during it. Where were you, what happened, what was it like? This brings the dream into the room with us, so that you’re in touch with it and I know its story.

Then I’ll ask you to make associations to the various images and happenings. What does a car, or being on an island, or your grandmother mean to you? Does the feeling you have in the dream match the feeling you have for car, island, grandmother in your waking life or is it different? If it seems helpful I might describe a story from fairy tales, mythology or comparative religion that seems similar to some part of your dream.

Next I’ll help you to relate your dream associations to what’s going on in your life currently. In this way you integrate material that was previously unconscious and “left out” into your picture of the world.

Finally I summarize what we’ve found and review it with you, so that you assess whether it clicks.

My experience tells me that dreams, like dreamers, are unique. You can review some articles that expand on these ideas here, here, here and here. As always, all personal identification of clients has been screened out.