Dream Therapy
Photo: Adam King
Dream Therapy — listening deeply to what your dreams may be trying to tell you
Dreams can bring forward feelings, images, questions and possibilities that aren't always accessible through our waking minds. Dream therapy offers a way to slow down and enter into a deeper relationship with this material, rather than simply analysing what a dream means.
What is dream therapy?
My approach combines mindfulness, somatic awareness, creative expression, resourcing and dream exploration. I draw on training and a long personal relationship with dreams.
Dream Therapy elements
I recommend a series of dream sessions to allow dreams to shift into conversation with each other and see the effect of taking action in daily life. Below are the elements we could weave into your sessions. Single sessions are also available.
Dream journal
Practices for remembering your dreams, setting intentions, creating a physical dream altar object and considering your journal as an altar. Considering your personal beliefs of where dreams arise from. Practical and spiritual aspects of preparing yourself to enter into a deeper relationship with your dreams.
Re-entering the Dream
Moving beyond analysis. Meeting the dream relationally, with wonder and somatic deepening. Cultivating an openness to what we don’t already know. Tracking patterns of meaning-assumptions we ‘jump-to’ and patterns of resistance including shame and fear. Considering dreams through a relational lens. Unfold the layers of wisdom and guidance.
Creative Expression
Drawing, poetry, collage, dance and clay. Listen, honor and dream the dream forward. Using easily accessible art practices - Feel the supportive alliance of dreams and let them inform your waking life. We can explore how to begin a conversation between art and then next dream coming.
Relationship with Nightmares
Nightmares can hold great wisdom and even tenderness, but it is hard to be in relationship if we are overwhelmed. Developing skills to remain grounded, regain agency and use self-compassionate forms of enactment for resolution. Creating altars of intention can be helpful, as well as resourcing objects such as a dream-guardian or self-soothing toolbox.
Nightmares: We will start with the basics to build safely towards work with more difficult material.
Where nightmares cause high distress I may ask that the person engage with
trauma-informed therapy along-side these sessions.
Individual sessions. In-person or online.
Sessions can be booked as a series or single-sessions following dreams of significance.
Approach to dream therapy.
My dream therapy approach is shaped by learning with:
Shannon Wills - Red Earth
Anahata Giri - Soul River
Cornelia Elbrecht - Institute for Sensorimotor Art Therapy for symbolic and expressive arts practices
Hakomi - All sessions are deeply embedded in mindfulness and somatic practices to support deep listening and a widen lens of awareness
Adding to personal experience in dream circles over the last 10 years, which were guided by these perspectives:
Transpersonal Psychotherapy
Robert Moss
Jungian
And of course, my own dream-weaving style and therapeutic process.
Resources-
(coming soon)