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Remembering Your Dreams
If you have trouble remembering your dreams, start a dream journal by placing a pen and paper, or a tape recorder, next to your bed. Upon awakening, if you remember a dream, stay still and allow your mind to float, and to retrieve more of the dreams. Making large body movements seem to erase dream memories. Also, taking a B complex vitamin may help in remembering dreams.
Often you may remember only a moment or an image in the dream. These can be called "seeds" of dreams, and can be just as valuable. You can work with dream seeds in the same way that you can work with a longer dream.
Meaning in Dreams
You may question if your dreams are meaningful in any way. There are many ways to look at dreams. Sometimes it's hard to think of dreams as anything but your brain rambling, especially when you dream about everyday objects or people. One way to think of it is that your mind is making a kind of dream from your collage of experiences, hopes, emotions, and fears. In whatever way you look at dreams, they are a way to begin to ask questions about yourself, and to delve into your own mind.
Basic Dreamwork
Personal Symbols
What, if any, are the recurring images, objects, places, and people in your dreams? Imagine how they relate to conflicts or issues in your life. Have you noticed any changes over the years? Personal symbols are often more powerful than what can be found in dream dictionarieis, though sometimes dream dictionaries can add information that is helpful. Remember that you are the authority of what your dreams mean, and often there may be more than one "message" or meaning to a dream.
Emotions in Dreams
Often it can helpful to "unlock" the meaning(s) of the dreams by noticing the emotions that are felt during the dream. Does the emotion remind you of something in your life at the moment? Is there a process from one feeling to another in the dream? Of do you have a feeling (or lack of) in the dream that you would normally not have if it were a "real life" situation (for example, dreaming about your care blowing up and feeling happy about it.)
Extended Dreamwork
Trance into a Dream
Once you establish basic visualization skills, you can "trance" into a curious dream and see what unfolds. This is like daydreaming. If there is a conflict, you can also bring in new characters, powers, tools, etc. to help you. One of the great things about trance and dreams is that normal rules do not happy: you can fly, move things with your mind, change shape, etc. You can solve problems in dreams, which may lead to solving problems in real life. At the very least, often going back into the dream and taking care of yourself, or doing what you weren't able to do before, can be calming and give you a feeling of accomplishment.
Gestalt Dreaming
This is a type of dream work that comes from Gestalt therapy techniques. The basic idea is that every object, person and place is a part of you, and the dream is playing out a dialogue between parts of the self. The goal of the dream (and the dream work) is to integrated the self. So, giving each character, object, place, ets., a voice, ask them what they would say if they could express themselves. What do they need you to know? Often different points of view reveal themselves, sometimes radically different from what we consider "ourself" to believe. This is often a time-consuming way of doing dream work, but can be a deeply enriching experience.
Senoi Dreaming
The Senoi were an indigenous tribe of people that Carl Jung studied, and who were the inspiration of many of his theories and work on dreams. The Senoi culture was heavily based on dreams. Children were brought up to remember their dreams. People would meet every morning to recount their dreams, which they considered messages from another realm. Significant dreams were also brought to council, and action would be takaen based on dreams, sometimes by the dreamer, but also by the entire tribe. Elaborate recreations of drams would be performed like theater. There were basic dream rules tha the Senoi practiced, which were considered ways to strengthen the self.
Confront and kill any enemies, monsters, etc. Then demand a gift from teh defeated.
Share food with any friends an dalllies that you meet, ask them for gifts as well.
Have sex with every willing partner you wish
Listen to what is asked of you in dreams, act on them, and create dream art.
You can practie the Senoi dreaming techniques through visualization as well as in actual dream time.
Resources and Bibliography
Dream Work: Techniques for Discovering the Creative Power in Dreams by Jeremy Taylor
Creative Dreaming by Patricia Garfield
A Little Course in Dreams by Robert Bosnak
In the House of the Riddle Mother: Common Archetypal Myths in Women's Dreams by Clarissa Pinkola Estes (recording)
Women Who Run With the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes
Copyright 2007 Elizabeth Malamed. All rights reserved.
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6/18/2010
New Workshops for Therapists and Counselors
This summer and fall, I will be leading workshops for mental health professionals:
The Healer's Star:Finding
Balance in the Helping Professions
The
Mythology of Psychotherapy: Stories That Speak to Our Work
The
Human Star: Connecting to Core. When Helping Others
For more information on these workshops, go to the Summer Workshops page on this site. Updates, including time, dates, and locations are forthcoming!
6/5/2010
New Blog!
Introducing my new blog, Case Notes from the Mental Hygienist. This blog will look at current events from a mental health viewpoint, providing insight into relationships, self-esteem, and the world. Feel free to take a peek here.
6/1/2010
IBP Training Update
I have just finished my second year of Integrative Body Psychotherapy training at the IBP Central Institute in Santa Monica, CA. I have completed the basic training and will move onto advanced work in the fall. Integrative Body Psychotherapy is a dynamic, enlivening approach to counseling that helps people create the most satisfying, joyful lives that they can. Therapists are witnesses, guides, and mentors, not professionals who try to "fix" what is "wrong" in a person. Not only that, but IBP counselors are required to work on their own personal issues, using breath, movement and mindfulness to let go of emotional blocks. I have personally and professionally been transformed by this work. Look here for more information on the therapeutic orientation and the Institute. Enjoy!
2/1/2010
Panel Discussion
At this year's Pantheacon, I will be part of an exciting panel discussion: Towards a Pagan Psychology: Earth Based Spirituality and Therapy, with therapists Deborah Oak and Valerie Cole.
1/20/2010
Paper Presentation
On January 30, I will be presenting a a paper at the Current Pagan Studies Conference at the Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, CA. This year's conference focus is sustainability, and my paper is titled "The Sustainability of the Self: Pagan Practices for Psychological Development". The Keynote speakers for the conference are T. Thorn Coyle and Don Michael Kraig.
For more information, look here, here, and here.
9/1/2009
Career News
Woodbury University, located in Burbank, CA, is an art, design, and business college for undergraduate and graduate students. I will have the honor of working there as a psychotherapist in Counseling Services for the academic 2009-2020 year. I'm very excited to be a part of the Woodbury Community!
I will also be continuing my private practice in Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley.
5/11/2009
New Summer Workshops
I am currently scheduling new experiential workshops for Summer and Fall 2009. These spiritually oriented workshops share the theme of joy and healing, and they are available to everyone. Some even include singing and dancing! All are open to people of all ages and abilities. For more information, take a look at the Summer Workshops 2009 page here.
4/1/2009
Body Talk in Southern California
Body Talk is an effective alternative healing method, and it is now available in Southern California. My preferred practitioner is able to do in-person sessions as well as phone sessions. For more information, look at the Body Talk letter here or the Links page here.
10/10/2009
Integrative Body Psychotherapy
This year I have begun a three year training certificate in Integrative Body Psychotherapy,(IBP online). This system of psychotherapy utilizes breath and body movement to release emotional and mental blockages. The Theory was developed by Jack Lee Rosenberg and others (more information here). As I am learning this new psychotherapeutic orientation, I will be integrating it in my current practice. Stay tuned!
9/6/2008
New Links
Are you looking for more than just psychotherapy? Find out more about books, yoga, Body Talk and more on the Links page here.
10/16/07
Enhancing Your Sexuality
New Article
For anyone interested in their own sexuality or are looking to improve their relationships, this article can help. Designed as a list of ideas, this article will be added onto regularly. Look for the notice of new ideas here in the news and in the article.
01/09/07
SUPPORT GROUPS for MFT Interns and Trainees
Everyone deserves support, especially those who care for others.
Becoming and MFT can take much time and effort. We provide education,
nuturing, and a system of support in our groups. We discuss licensing
and internships, develop life management and stress reduction skills,
and honor psychotherapy's rites of passage. Groups are now forming in
Los Angeles and San Fernando Valley. Call or email for more information.
12/31/06
NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS
New Article
Planning on making a resolution this year? Take a look at some new
ideas in the Articles section. They give you a fresh perspective on an
old tradition.
12/20/06
LIVING WITH AN ADDICT
New Article
Are you having problems with someone you care about using alcohol or
other drugs? Find out what you can do to help yourself now at Therapist
Finder. Go to www.therapistfinder.com/c_addiction.aspx
and find the List of Articles. There you will find "Living With and Addict" and other helpful information.
05/09/06
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Greetings
and welcome to this website! Here you can find counseling options,
presentation topics, and educational information. Keep checking in to
see new events, articles, and links. Enjoy!
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