Therapist explained the benefits of Dream Analysis and how Dr. Carl Jung believed through his qualitative research that our dreams tap into almost 85% of our brain which is the unconscious. Dr. Carl Jung believed that less than 10-15% of our brain is conscious. Tapping into our unconscious through our dreams is a way to predict and understand our behaviors.
Client’s were given a handout explaining the 1st Step of Dream Analysis: Making associations
The purpose of making associations is forming the foundation for interpreting the dream by finding the association that emerges out of the unconscious in response to the dream.
Dr. Carl Jung explains that every symbol in a dream “the unconscious” is ready to provide an association.
Client’s were given a handout to help them decode the symbolic language of the subconscious, by looking at the immediate response to each image.
Client’s were asked by this therapist has anybody here noticed anything in their waking life that connects to a repetitive dream?
After the first client answered, this therapist guided client to start with every association that he has with each dream image: persons, objects, situations, colors, sounds, or speech. This therapist prompted client to write them down for each image.
Once client’s all shared their dreams and went through all the images and characters. Client’s were advised by this therapist to start with one image and look at the associations they picked.
Dr. Carl Jung believed through his research that by going through all the associations and seeing if one of them will stir up a lot of energy and sensation in you. You might feel that it fits or clicks in (resonates)… You will see how it fits together with other associations as you continue.
Client’s were psycho-educated that the basic technique is this: Write down the first image that appears in the dream. What feeling do I have about this image? What words or ideas come to mind when I look at it? Your association is any word, idea, mental picture, feeling, or memory that pops into your mind when you look at the image in your dream. It is literally anything that you spontaneously connect with the image.
Below is an example of how a client can analyze the color blue in a dream. Blue for one individual can mean clarity or I’m blown away; but for the individual below blue means sad, and client associates her sadness with the hospital, and the hospital reminds the client of her Aunt Jennie passing, Aunt Jennie passing reminds client how this client misses the Apple Pies Aunt Jennie made for her, and the Apple Pie’s remind this client of the Warm Kitchen that always made her feel safe that no longer exists.
Blue-Sad-Hospital-Aunt Jennie-Apple Pie-Warm Kitchen
For each image this therapist intervened by having client asked themselves: what part of me is that? Where have I seen this play out in my life lately? For example, (Lying in the gutter=depressed lately)
Client’s were instructed to think of each dream figure as an actual person living inside them. Ask yourself: Where have I seen this person at work in my life lately?
After client’s shared therapist asked other client’s: Has anybody triggered any insight inside you?
After everyone shared their dream, each person spent twenty minutes drawing a picture of the dream. Then spent another fifteen minutes writing a poem from the picture, and shared one by one with the others.