How Dream Work Can Help Resolve Life Conflict

Most of us have life conflict that we are constantly try to work through and resolve. A great way to resolve life conflict is through dream work. To help understand what dream work is and how dream work can help resolve life conflict, I have interviewed psychotherapist Anne Cutler.

Tell me a little bit about yourself

"I have been in private practice as a psychoanalyst for 20 years in Manhattan, NY. In my practice, I work with individuals, couples, and groups. I work with patients to uncover hidden conflicts to allow for greater freedom of choice in their lives and create positive change. I work with adults and adolescents, and specialize in dealing with depression, anxiety, and relationship issues. I have also trained with Montague Ullman (a dream expert) in a group approach to dream interpretation and run weekly dream groups."

How can dream work help resolve life conflict?

"Often, the hardest part about resolving an inner conflict comes from not really understanding the roots of the conflict. In our dreams, during sleep, we have access to a greater part of our brains then we do in waking life. We are more able to make connections between current conflicts and earlier life experiences. A dream is usually triggered by a recent event that has special emotional significance to the dreamer. The dream will illuminate the feelings, the history, and the underlying conflict surrounding this event or conflict.

Because the language of dreams is imagery and metaphor, it can take some effort upon waking to understand what your dream is telling you. Some dreams are more obvious in their message than others, but all can be unlocked with attention and effort. Once you understand the meaning of the dream and the conflict it is highlighting, you are in a much better position to resolve that conflict."

What would a typical dream work session be like for someone that wants to resolve life conflict?

"I work with dreams in both a group setting and with patients in individual psychotherapy. In both cases, I follow the work of Montague Ullman. Ullman developed a group approach to dream interpretation, which involves a number of steps that are designed to bring the dreamer closer to understanding his or her dream. Essentially, the approach involves clarifying the feelings in the dream, understanding the specific meaning of the metaphorical imagery for the dreamer, connecting the dream to recent events in the dreamer's life, as well as to relevant earlier life experiences and conflicts.

In the group experience, one person would share a dream with the group. Then, members of the group would imagine the dream was their own and share feelings and thoughts about the specific images in the dream. This provides the dreamer with more ideas about the potential meaning of the dream. Then the dreamer would say anything that comes to mind about the dream, as well as the context. Finally, group members offer interpretations of the dream based on everything that has been expressed.

When working one on one with a dream, I modify the process somewhat, but still work to gain specific associations to each image in the dream."

Do other forms of therapy need to be combined in order for dream work therapy to be effective?

"I believe that it is always a richer experience to combine dream work with other aspects of psychotherapy. However, in my work with dream groups over the years, I have found it to be a powerful experience in and of itself for the participants. Often, working with dreams can result in a deeper understanding of underlying conflicts that can then be better resolved by working with a psychotherapist."

Where can someone find more information about dream work?

"There are many interesting books on the subject. Montague Ullman has written several, including Appreciating Dreams, and The Variety of the Dream Experience. Both Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud have written extensively on dreams and dream interpretation."

Thank you Anne for doing the interview on how dream work can help resolve life conflict. For more information on Anne Cutler or her work you can check out her website at www.nypsychoanalyst.org.