The Role of Dreams in Psychotherapy


Thanks to dreams, your imagination gets the chance to run wild and free, with deeper depths reached without any of your conscious defences and your logical thoughts getting in the way all too easily. Your ego is also nonexistent in your dream world to either limit you or rein in your thoughts. This then allows your unconscious to engage in a more direct communication. 

Sigmund Freud referred to dreams as a royal road to the human mind’s unconscious and he couldn’t be far from the truth. Dreams indeed serve as the gateway to the intricate workings of your deepest self, serving as the bridge between your unconscious and conscious worlds. 

When you pay closer attention to your dreams, in turn, you are rewarded with richer content.

Infinite possibilities can take place in the imaginary realm because the whirlwind of imagery and events in your dreams holds all the riches of your psyche. It also wouldn’t be too much to say that your dreams are like a gift from your psyches. 

Having said all of this, what is the real role of dreams in psychotherapy? What does your psyche try to tell you every time you dream? 

Understanding the Intricacies of Dreams

Most of the time, a certain image in your dream is responsible for evoking a powerful response within you, with your unconscious using images rather than words to transmit its messages. 

Careful consideration of the connection of the dream to the characters or imagery in the dream, helps psychotherapists understand their possible meanings. 

Everything happening in the life of the dreamer during the time of his/her dream should also be considered when pondering on the dream. 

The reoccurrence of a character or characters might also be trying to convey something to the dreamer. A nightmare that constantly occurs might also indicate that a repressed material is starting to break through. Some characters might also represent a part of the dreamer that wishes or hopes to the acknowledged. This is the part of the dream that requires attention or even nurturing. 

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