eTalkTherapy Dream Journal by eTalkTherapy

a m e r d JOURNAL

Understanding Dreams: Despite their seemingly mysterious nature, dreams can reveal extraordinary depths of meaning. Learn how to unravel symbolism and unconscious influence in your dreams in order to better understand yourself, your life and the people who are important to you.

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A dream is a microscope through which we look at the hidden occurrences in our soul.” — ERICH FROMM Dreams are free therapy. Consult your inner Freud.” — GREY LIVINGSTON There is a psychological technique which makes it possible to interpret dreams, and ... if that procedure is employed, every dream reveals itself as a psychical structure which has a meaning and which can be inserted at an assignable point in the mental activities of waking life.” — SIGMUND FREUD The dream is the small hidden door in the deepest and most intimate sanctum of the soul, which opens to that primeval cosmic night that was soul long before there was conscious ego and will be soul far beyond what a conscious ego could ever reach.” — CARL JUNG

This publication does NOT provide medical advice. Consult with your doctor on all medical issues regarding your condition and treatments. The Content is NOT intended to be a substitute for professional, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, nor does it replace the need for services provided by a medical or psychiatric professional. Always seek the advice of a medical professional, psychiatrist or therapist before making any changes to your treatment.

“I had the dumbest dream last night,” is usually how the conversation begins. Funny how we minimize something that we spend an average of 1850 hours a year doing. Studies into dreams and dream work have been for decades either embraced or severely marginalized by psychology and psychiatry. However, most in our profession tend to agree that dreams, especially when coupled with sleep research, serve a vital, albeit controversial purpose, and that some recent findings may even demonstrate a neurocognitive link between dreaming and learning and memory. Freud, for all his fiercely debated ideas and theories, was not always wrong. In fact, he believed dreams were the royal road to the unconscious, and I believe he was correct. Someone once asked me in passing, “I always dream about cats. What does that mean?” I wish I could have told her what those dreams about cats mean - I can't tell her because I don't know. Learning the language of dreams is something that takes time and practice. I have spent a great deal of time studying dreams and dream work from the psychotherapeutic/psychoanalytic theories to the cutting edge neurocognitive research. My conclusion? Write that “dumb” dream down in a journal and ask yourself this simple question, “What does it mean for me?” Developed and created by Don Laird, MS, NCC, LPC, DCC, an existential psychotherapist, educator and consultant.

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BASIC INSTRUCTIONS FOR DREAM JOURNALING: 1.

Keep this journal or a note pad with a pen by your bed (Many have asked if typing dream entries into an electronic device is as effective. Despite our advances in technology there is no substitute for putting pen or pencil to paper. Keep it simple.)

Write down any part of the dream you remember in the morning or during the night.

Briefly review the dream in your mind before opening your eyes. Do not try to analyze or pass judgment based on the content.

Write down your dream within two or three minutes of waking. Ignore any thought that tells you the dream is so vivid there is no way you could possibly forget it.

With persistence, even the most reluctant person will begin to recall his or her dreams. This may take a few weeks or even a few months, but you will eventually begin to notice patterns within your dreaming world.

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