Dreams and Healing
Who can benefit from dreamwork?
Research suggests that the people who benefit the most from dreamwork are those who are interested in doing dreamwork (Hill et al., 2001, 2006; Zack and Hill, 1998), those who work on dreams they find powerful or compelling, (Hill et al., 2006, 13), and those who suffer from nightmares or poor sleep quality following trauma (Krakow et al., 2000, 2001).
Who uses dreams to promote healing?
Throughout the world and for thousands of years healers and those in need of healing have sought healing through dreams. Chinese medical tradition has utilized recurring dreams as possible indicators of illness and physiological imbalance for four thousand years. Ancient Greeks and Romans sought healing dreams in the Temples of Asclepius. Hippocrates, considered the father of Western medicine, and Galen, a pioneer in medical research, utilized dreams in diagnosis and treatment. Today, dreamwork continues to be an integral component of African traditional medicine (Mhame, Busia, and Khasio, 2010) and indigenous healing practices worldwide (H. Xu and K. Chen, 2011).
Whereas ancient and indigenous healthcare practices are holistic, viewing body, mind, spirit, and community as inter-connected, Western medicine has treated these levels of human experience separately. People go to medical doctors for physical problems, mental health professionals for psychological complaints, and rabbis, priests, ministers or spiritual counselors for spiritual issues. In Western healthcare, dreams have largely been the province of psychology and spiritual care providers. Today, however, traditional and indigenous practices and Western medicine are being integrated to provide more comprehensive and holistic services (Xu and Chen, 2011; WHO, 2002). One consequence of this integration is an increased interest among scientists, physicians, therapists, and spiritual caregivers in the role of dreams and dreaming in health and healing.
Can dreamwork help in recovery from trauma?
Yes. While we have much to learn about the role of dreaming in trauma recovery, research does show that dreamwork can facilitate healing from trauma. Traumatic events can result in overwhelming emotions, debilitating sleep disruptions and chronic nightmares (symptomatic of PTSD). Research findings indicate:
Dreamwork Ethics Statement
IASD celebrates the many benefits of dreamwork, yet recognizes that there are potential risks. IASD supports an approach to dreamwork and dream sharing that respects the dreamer's dignity and integrity, and which recognizes the dreamer as the decision-maker regarding the significance of the dream. Systems of dreamwork that assign authority or knowledge of the dream's meanings to someone other than the dreamer can be misleading, incorrect, and harmful. Ethical dreamwork helps the dreamer work with his/her own dream images, feelings, and associations, and guides the dreamer to more fully experience, appreciate, and understand the dream. Every dream may have multiple meanings, and different techniques may be reasonably employed to touch these multiple layers of significance.
A dreamer's decision to share or discontinue sharing a dream should always be respected and honored. The dreamer should be forewarned that unexpected issues or emotions may arise in the course of the dreamwork. Information and mutual agreement about the degree of privacy and confidentiality are essential ingredients in creating a safe atmosphere for dream sharing.
Dreamwork outside a clinical setting is not a substitute for psychotherapy, or other professional treatment, and should not be used as such.
IASD recognizes and respects that there are many valid and time-honored dreamwork traditions. We invite and welcome the participation of dreamers from all cultures. There are social, cultural, and transpersonal aspects to dream experience. In this statement we do not mean to imply that the only valid approach to dreamwork focuses on the dreamer's personal life. Our purpose is to honor and respect the person of the dreamer as well as the dream itself, regardless of how the relationship between the two may be understood.
Prepared by Carol Warner International Association for the Study of Dreams Spring, 1997
Research suggests that the people who benefit the most from dreamwork are those who are interested in doing dreamwork (Hill et al., 2001, 2006; Zack and Hill, 1998), those who work on dreams they find powerful or compelling, (Hill et al., 2006, 13), and those who suffer from nightmares or poor sleep quality following trauma (Krakow et al., 2000, 2001).
Who uses dreams to promote healing?
Throughout the world and for thousands of years healers and those in need of healing have sought healing through dreams. Chinese medical tradition has utilized recurring dreams as possible indicators of illness and physiological imbalance for four thousand years. Ancient Greeks and Romans sought healing dreams in the Temples of Asclepius. Hippocrates, considered the father of Western medicine, and Galen, a pioneer in medical research, utilized dreams in diagnosis and treatment. Today, dreamwork continues to be an integral component of African traditional medicine (Mhame, Busia, and Khasio, 2010) and indigenous healing practices worldwide (H. Xu and K. Chen, 2011).
Whereas ancient and indigenous healthcare practices are holistic, viewing body, mind, spirit, and community as inter-connected, Western medicine has treated these levels of human experience separately. People go to medical doctors for physical problems, mental health professionals for psychological complaints, and rabbis, priests, ministers or spiritual counselors for spiritual issues. In Western healthcare, dreams have largely been the province of psychology and spiritual care providers. Today, however, traditional and indigenous practices and Western medicine are being integrated to provide more comprehensive and holistic services (Xu and Chen, 2011; WHO, 2002). One consequence of this integration is an increased interest among scientists, physicians, therapists, and spiritual caregivers in the role of dreams and dreaming in health and healing.
Can dreamwork help in recovery from trauma?
Yes. While we have much to learn about the role of dreaming in trauma recovery, research does show that dreamwork can facilitate healing from trauma. Traumatic events can result in overwhelming emotions, debilitating sleep disruptions and chronic nightmares (symptomatic of PTSD). Research findings indicate:
- Dreamwork facilitates emotional processing (Walker and van der Helm, 2009) helping trauma survivors work through overwhelming emotion.
- Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (IRT), a brief therapy technique involving the re-scripting of nightmares, improves sleep quality, decreases chronic nightmares and the severity of PTSD symptoms (Krakow et al, 2001; Moore and Krakow, 2007; Foa, Keene and Choen, 2009).
Dreamwork Ethics Statement
IASD celebrates the many benefits of dreamwork, yet recognizes that there are potential risks. IASD supports an approach to dreamwork and dream sharing that respects the dreamer's dignity and integrity, and which recognizes the dreamer as the decision-maker regarding the significance of the dream. Systems of dreamwork that assign authority or knowledge of the dream's meanings to someone other than the dreamer can be misleading, incorrect, and harmful. Ethical dreamwork helps the dreamer work with his/her own dream images, feelings, and associations, and guides the dreamer to more fully experience, appreciate, and understand the dream. Every dream may have multiple meanings, and different techniques may be reasonably employed to touch these multiple layers of significance.
A dreamer's decision to share or discontinue sharing a dream should always be respected and honored. The dreamer should be forewarned that unexpected issues or emotions may arise in the course of the dreamwork. Information and mutual agreement about the degree of privacy and confidentiality are essential ingredients in creating a safe atmosphere for dream sharing.
Dreamwork outside a clinical setting is not a substitute for psychotherapy, or other professional treatment, and should not be used as such.
IASD recognizes and respects that there are many valid and time-honored dreamwork traditions. We invite and welcome the participation of dreamers from all cultures. There are social, cultural, and transpersonal aspects to dream experience. In this statement we do not mean to imply that the only valid approach to dreamwork focuses on the dreamer's personal life. Our purpose is to honor and respect the person of the dreamer as well as the dream itself, regardless of how the relationship between the two may be understood.
Prepared by Carol Warner International Association for the Study of Dreams Spring, 1997