WIDENING THE ROYAL ROAD:
Making Dreams Accessible for Clinicians and Clients
Traffic on the royal road has thinned in recent years; clinicians may complete training with little exposure to dream studies or methods of working with them. But clients still dream, and this program will enable clinicians to engage with them fruitfully.
Sample dreams will highlight diagnostic and transferential information in initial dreams. Common symbols of the self — house and car — will be discussed for their psychodynamic implications. Dream markers correlated with trauma, borderline, suicide risk, and breakdown will be noted. We will identify core conflicts and internal resources, translating dream images into metaphoric language usable in ongoing treatment. Emphasis is less on theory and intellectual interpretation and more on direct engagement with affect, imagery, and narrative provided by the “dream-maker.” Participants will find that their natural curiosity, observational skills, and reflectiveness are fully adequate for opening up a dream.
Suitable for clinicians of any theoretical orientation and experience level.
At the end of this course participants will be able to:
- Utilize initial dream, recurring dreams, and nightmares in any clinical setting
- Identify red flags in dreams that may indicate a history of trauma, the potential for breakdown, borderline dynamics, and suicidality
- Assess resilience, treatability, and object relations developmental level of clients based on specific elements in their dreams
- List four ways that therapy and the therapist can be symbolized in dreams and describe their transferential implications
- Design good questions, using material given by the dream itself, that will open up a dream dialogue and link its metaphors to the client’s psychodynamics and life situation
- Eudell-Simmons, E. and Hilsenroth, M. (2005). “A Review of Empirical Research Supporting Four Conceptual Uses of Dreams in Psychotherapy.” Clin. Psychol. Psychother. 12, 255–269.
- Glucksman, M. and M. Kramer. (2004). “Using dreams to assess clinical change during treatment.” J. Amer. Acad. Psychoan. and Dynamic Psych. 32:3, 345–58.
- Pesant, N. and A. Zandra. (2004). “Working with dreams in therapy: What do we know and what should we do?” Clin. Psych Rev. 24, 489–512.
Meredith Sabini, Ph.D., practiced analytically oriented psychotherapy for 20 years prior to becoming a CE provider in 1997 and opening The Dream Institute of Northern California in 2003. With a natural gift for making dreams accessible, Dr. Sabini specializes in dream consultation and training.
This workshop is Suitable for clinicians of any theoretical orientation and experience level.
Enrollees who cancel at least SEVEN DAYS prior to the event date will receive a refund minus a $35 administrative charge. No refunds will be allowed after this time. Transfer of registrations are not allowed.
For program related questions contact Cameron Murphey at murpcam@gmail.com or 425-652-2673.
For questions related to enrollment, locations, CE credit, special needs, course availability and other administrative issues contact Michele McGuinness by email or 415-496-9949.
Education Committee
The Education Committee is responsible for the development of a variety of courses and workshops given throughout the year in San Francisco and the East Bay.