Enhancing Therapeutic Outcomes through Dream Work
Discover the value of Dream Work
Dream Work and the Therapeutic Setting
Work with dreams was an integral part of Carl Jung’s therapeutic approach and still remains a guiding principle in Jungian thought and dream analysis today. However, dream work is often overlooked in other therapeutic settings, and the potency of dream work as a modality and the depth psychological approach is often severely stymied in favor of cognitive behavioral approaches. As a result, the unconscious material driving symptoms and neurosis is frequently overlooked. Consequently, the opportunity to bring unconscious content into the light of day gets undermined.
In order to enrich self-understanding, develop greater consciousness, and promote psychological wholeness it is imperative to access psychological material that resides behind the surface of ordinary awareness and penetrate behind the walls of the defense mechanisms.
When you incorporate the art and practice of dream work in the therapeutic setting it allows access to psychological material that lies outside conscious awareness facilitating greater understanding and increased self-awareness for the patient. Dream work essentially builds a bridge between the unconscious realm and conscious processes. This bridge allows access to psychological material you may otherwise never uncover in the clinical setting. The dream also provides you with important insight into the inner workings of the patient’s individual psyche, relational dynamics that are operating beneath the surface of awareness, and reveals hidden aspects of the personality. Furthermore, the discussion of personal associations related to symbolic material in the dream contributes to more meaningful exchanges and deeper resonance in the clinical setting. These exchanges lead to developmental growth in what is referred to in Jungian psychology as the individuation process. Consequently, dream work results in greater understanding, deep healing, and meaningful transformation.
The Importance of this Work in Contemporary Society
For Jung, a disconnection to the inner realm was considered responsible for widespread contagion, susceptibility to lies and propaganda, and the blind following of authority figures. The ability to influence a populace with misinformation is a consistent thread throughout history, and the capacity to convince individuals of untruths has always been a grave concern to humanity. This existential threat is very much alive and perhaps ever more prevalent and relevant in today’s climate given the rise of AI and the ability to repeat exposure to misinformation to countless individuals with a click of a button.
Dreams are an important countervailing force and a guiding light to support the individual during times of conflict or great strife. Dreams can connect the individual to that aspect which is considered timeless and eternal and termed the ‘spirit of the depths’ by Jung. This dimension includes the deeper truths that are anchored in one’s inner knowing which are revealed in dreams. Conversely, the situation of getting caught in the trappings of current day misinformation or propaganda is termed the ‘spirit of the times’. According to Jung:
Dreams are impartial, spontaneous products of the unconscious psyche, outside the control of the will. They are pure nature; they show us the unvarnished, natural truth, and are therefore fitted, as nothing else is, to give us back an attitude that accords with our basic human nature when our consciousness has strayed too far from its foundations and runs into an impasse. - Carl Jung, Civilization in Transition.
Consequently, when we pay attention to our dreams and devote time to understanding the symbolic messages contained within them, they reconnect the individual to a sense of groundedness that affords a potent antidote for getting caught in collective neurosis, compensates for one-sided perspectives, and forges a relationship to the ‘spirit of the depths’ that can inoculate the individual from the contagion of misinformation. It is time to heed their calls.
The Power of Dream Work
Dreams are ubiquitous, they transcend both time and culture and are an essential aspect of the human experience. While some may believe that dreams are simply the by-products of the day, random brain activity, or just a mechanism to process waking experiences, others believe that dreams have a special significance. Ancient civilizations revered dreams and sought healing sanctuaries to incubate and tend to their dreams. Today many have lost a connection to this unseen world and have become separated from the wisdom encapsulated within dreams. Indigenous peoples, psychoanalysts, Jungians, and those that pay careful attention to dreams still recognize the special significance and value encapsulated within dreams. When you begin to pay attention to the symbolic language of the dream and incorporate practices that attend to and listen carefully to dreams, they can guide you, nudge you on your path, and point the way towards wholeness.
Jung states, “It is only in modern times that the dream, this fleeting and insignificant looking product of the psyche, has met with such profound contempt. Formerly, it was esteemed as a harbinger of fate, a portent and comforter, a messenger of the gods.” - Two Essays on Analytical Psychology. Just like Carl Jung, we believe that dreams are of vital importance to our mental and physical health, and we recognize that the art of dream work provides a curative factor. Dream work can revitalize our energy, compensate for one-sided perspectives and when dream material is worked through during a dyadic experience, if done so with proper guidance, the process supports the furtherance of the individuation process.
When you begin working with dreams you will come to understand that dreams have an innate intelligence, covey deep meaning and communicate vital messages that can provide healing, restore balance and are brought forth in service of wholeness.
According to Marie-Louise von Franz, “When we pay attention to our dreams a self-regulating tendency in the soul comes into play which counterbalances the one-sidedness of consciousness or completes it so that a kind of wholeness and a life’s optimum is achieved.”
How to Incorporate Dream Work in your Clinical Practice
Historically, the significance of dream work for clinical master’s programs has not been given proper attention and many institutions do not give serious consideration or time working with Jungian principles, nor do they provide a comprehensive understanding of Depth psychology. The Depth Psychology and Dream Work program has been carefully curated to fill this void, provide you with a comprehensive introduction to Depth Psychology, and extend your knowledge of the importance and value of dream work. All modules will support your ability to incorporate dream work into your life and practice and this program aims to exemplify the value of dream work as an invaluable method for self-discovery and a fundamental and essential component of clinical practice.
Since we recognize that depth psychology and dream work is regularly overlooked within most master’s level curriculums, we designed this program to bring these teachings to the forefront of your learning experience. Depth Psychology and Dream Work was created to immerse you into the fascinating world of dreams and open up a rich and vast landscape. Dream work opens a portal to the unconscious and supports the exploration of unconscious material that awaits your discovery.
Because depth psychology is highly complex and there are vast areas of depth-oriented studies, it can take many years of in-depth study, extensive research, personal exploration and psychological inquiry to get a firm grasp on many of these concepts and ideas. The sheer volume of information contained within Jung’s Collected Works alone can be overwhelming, not to mention the complexity associated with his many theories and areas of focus. In addition, many other experts have made important contributions to the field of depth psychology, adding to a broad spectrum of knowledge and varied ideas. Of course, wading through what is often very dense material during your free time doesn’t make learning practical or fun. Furthermore, it can sometimes seem impossible to decipher the key points, never mind putting all the information together in a way that is easily accessible, immediately applicable or easy to infuse into your practice and daily life.
Here at Creative Depth, we aim to make your learning not just accessible and grounded in everyday language, but also easy to incorporate into your busy schedule. This program is online and self-paced so you can easily incorporate your learning into your life even with a busy a schedule. Our certification program is comprehensive, engaging, imaginative, and is designed for both personal growth and professional development. All modules were purposefully created to make your learning experience fun and enjoyable.
We’re called Creative Depth for a reason!
Learn more about the Benefits of a Depth Psychological Approach at: CREATIVE DEPTH
