What is Dream Work Therapy?

One of the services that is popular at East-West Therapy is dreamwork therapy, a very effective tool for helping individuals understand themselves better and how their world works, creating more understanding, increased well-being and another resource for problem-solving.

What is Dream Work?

In the late 1800’s, Sigmund Freud presented dream therapy to the world. In his book, The Interpretation of Dreams, Freud introduced the idea that a method could be used to generate meaning from dreams in order to possibly understand a patient’s mental makeup. Dream therapy became quite popular throughout the 20th century until psychologists began to question its value. And then, in the latter part of the 20th century and the 21st century, alternative medicine used dream therapy as a way of treating patients, which led to its comeback.

As one of our services, dreamwork is the practice of noticing, remembering and recording dreams. Once this practice takes place, dreams begin to deliver up messages and guidance that may be needed at a particular time in one’s life. Dreams can also generate certain information regarding one’s feelings towards events, relationships and more. Profound images and figures can also connect us “with our guides,” meaning dreams can sometimes be referred to as the messenger of the gods. As Carl June, the father of analytical psychology, used to say, dreams are “the royal road to the unconscious.”

Heal from Dream Work

Reflecting Jung’s philosophies, Jungian Methodology believes that:

• dreams are symbolic self-portraits of the actual psychological state of the unconscious.
• dreams can help contribute to solving problems in our waking life.
• dreams point out specific aspects of our self that we might not see in our conscious life.
• dreams point out the underlying reasons why we do the things we do.
• dreams can give meaning to our waking life.

How Does it Work?

Psychologists who work with dreamwork, us this method to help patients problem solve, understand self, improve-self worth and for helping create well-being.

Dreamwork happens when dreams are incorporated into therapy. With dreamwork, the therapist does not analyze or interpret the dream. Instead, the therapist guides the patient through his, or her, dream while helping him, or her, discover the meaning. As each person does so, waking thoughts and concerns begin to formulate a message or meaning of the dream. During the session, the therapist may ask questions, but only for the purpose of obtaining as much information as possible.

We are fortunate to have so many resources available to be able to effectively help those who desire to life a fuller, more rewarding, life.

Contact East-West Therapy today, and let us help you get started understanding yourself, your life and what you can do to have the life you hope for and dream about.