Therapies- Dream analysis

• What are Psychodynamic Therapies?

  These therapies are based on the idea that we are unaware of the influence of the unconscious mind
• How do Psychodynamic therapies work?

  • Talking about negative emotions and memories, bringing them out of the unconscious. This enables you to feel better afterwards, known as catharsis
  • Bringing unconscious thoughts and feelings to the conscious, enabling them to be dealt with, therefore, offering insight to your behaviour
• What is a type of Psychodynamic therapy?

  Dream analysis
• What are the aims of dream analysis?

  • To reveal the unconscious, to bring the unconscious to the conscious
  • To uncover the latent content of a dream by examining the manifest content
  • To offer insights that allow psychological issues to be resolved
• According to Freud, what happens during dreams?

  • When we dream, ego defences are lowered so that some of the repressed material comes to the conscious mind, but disguised, thus protecting the dreamer.
  • Dreams perform important functions for the unconscious mind, and serve as valuable clues to how the unconscious mind operates
• What are the main components of dream analysis?

  • (Dreams as wish fulfilment)
  • (The symbolic nature of dreams)
  • Manifest content
  • Latent content
  • Dreamwork
  • Role of the therapist
  • Dream diary
• What is 'dreams as wish fulfilment'?

  • Freud believed all dreams were the unconscious fulfilment of wishes that could not be satisfied in the conscious mind
  • Dreams protect the sleeper and allow some expression of the buried urges and desires
  • This is referred to as primary process thinking: the unconscious thinking of the id ---> uses symbols and metaphor, focused on immediate gratification, manifests itself during dreaming
• What is 'the symbolic nature of dreams'?

  Dreams represent the unfulfilled wishes and desires but the content is expressed symbolically, so they do not cause anxiety/stress
• What is manifest content?

  • What we actually recall- the story of the dream
  • Described by the patient
• What is latent content?

  • The hidden meaning of the dream
  • Uncovered by the therapist
• What is dreamwork?

  The latent content of a dream is transformed into manifest content through the process of dreamwork. These processes are applied to the repressed wishes/desires/emotions to produce the manifest content of the dream.
• What are 4 examples of the dreamwork process?

  • Condensation
  • Displacement
  • Symbolism
  • Secondary elaboration
• What is condensation?

  The dream's unconscious urge/thoughts are rich in detail/content, but is condensed in the actual dream ---> so one image could represent several ideas
• What is displacement?

  The emotional significance of the dream object is displaced onto another object/person to protect our conscious mind
• What is symbolism?

  • A symbol replaces a real action/person/idea
  • Freud believed it was important to consider the symbols in context to a person's life
  • Although, not everything in a dream is symbolic
• What are examples of symbolism?

  • House --> human figure
  • King/Queen ---> parents
  • Small animals/vermin --> children/siblings
• What is secondary elaboration?

  • Filling all of the items of a dream together to make sense, giving it a logical story.
  • This can also be mixed into real life past events to further disguise the latent content of the dream
• What is the role of the therapist in dream therapy?

  To reverse the dreamwork process:

  • Client will talk to therapist about the manifest content of their dream --> therapist will help guide the client to uncover the latent content.
  • Therapist provides several interpretations based on the client's feedback and knowledge of the client's life
  • Client will then select the explanation that makes the most sense, taking into consideration personal circumstances
• What is a dream diary?

  A diary in which dream experiences are recorded. A dream diary might include a record of nightly dreams and personal reflections
• Why are dream diaries used?

  To relate the story in as much detail as possible:

  • When people narrate their dreams, they typically leave out details that seem too trivial or obvious to mention.
  • It is these seemingly worthless details that often become highly significant in later explorations
  • Even fragments of several dreams could become significant when looked at over time
• How can the 'unconscious mind' psychodynamic assumption be applied to dream analysis?

  • Psychoanalysis establishes whether repression is causing the person's psychological illness
  • Dream analysis is a technique used during psychoanalysis to make the unconscious conscious--> this means that people gain insight into their behaviour and can cure illnesses
  • The threatening nature of our unconscious thoughts is disguised in our dreams --> the purpose of dream analysis is to interpret what is in the unconscious mind as it expresses itself in the manifest content of a dream
• How can the 'behaviour is influenced by childhood experiences' assumption be applied to dream analysis?

  • Traumatic memories buried in unconscious --> may be related to troubling childhood events.
  • These events may surface during dreams as a way of working through trauma experienced; dreamwork will occur to censor disturbing thoughts.
  • Therefore, dream content is expressed symbolically and requires interpretation in context of a person's life.
• How can the 'tripartite model of personality' assumption be applied to dream analysis?

  • The demands of the id ---> unacceptable during waking hours ---> subjected to dreams
  • Dreams allow us to play our wishes in an acceptable way, rather than containing them, meaning they build up & threaten our sanity.
  • Waking hours --> ego blocks out demands of the id & employ ego defense mechanisms.
  • Dreams ---> ego defense mechanisms are weakened, therefore id becomes active, allowing desires to be acted upon.
• What is a positive of dream analysis regarding effectiveness?

  • PET scans are used to highlight the regions of the brain that are active whilst dreaming.
  • Rational part of the brain= inactive during Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep ---> memory & motivation part of the brain = very active
  • Therefore, the ego becomes suspended whilst the id is given free rein
• What is an issue regarding the effectiveness of dream analysis?

  Limited scientific evidence to support effectiveness of dream analysis:

  • Hobson & McCarley ---> dreams are just commands sent from the brain; a form of 'thinking that happens whilst we sleep'
  • Questions Freud's suggestion that dreams fulfil unconscious wishes and desires.
• What is an issue regarding the effectiveness of dream analysis?

  Dreams themselves are based on the subject report of the dreamer:

  • May not be valid--> dreamer may not remember content of their dream
  • If the recall of the dream isn't accurate, the interpretation & application to the person's behaviour will also lack accuracy
• What is an issue regarding the ethics of dream analysis?

  Potential power imbalance between therapist and patient:

  • Therapist takes expert role --> offers patient insight into their unconscious, therefore the patient is reliant on the therapist in making progress through therapy
  • May create power imbalance --> over-dependence on therapist. People suffering from depression over rely on important people in their lives.
• What is an issue regarding ethics of dream analysis?

  Could lead to False Memory Syndrome (FMS):

  • FMS= a person's identity and relationships are affected by strongly believed but false memories, which could arise when the therapist claims to have uncovered past traumatic events
  • Therapists may induce false memories so the therapy takes longer, which increases financial gain.
• What is an issue regarding the ethics of dream analysis?

  Could cause emotional harm:

  • A therapist may guide a client towards an insight/interpretation that is emotionally distressing
  • Distress caused may be greater than the distress that is client is experiencing as a result of current problems.