Dream Journal

JOURNALDream

Dream Journal 1

“I had the dumbest dream last night,” is usually how the conversation begins. Funny how we minimize something that we spend an average of 1850 hours a year doing. Studies into dreams and dream work have been for decades either embraced or severely marginalized by psychology and psychiatry. However, most in our profession tend to agree that dreams, especially when coupled with sleep research, serve a vital, albeit controversial purpose, and that some recent findings may even demonstrate a neurocognitive link between dreaming and learning and memory.

Freud, for all his fiercely debated ideas and theories, was not always wrong. In fact, he believed dreams were the royal road to the unconscious, and I believe he was correct. Someone once asked me in passing, “I always dream about cats. What does that mean?” I wish I could have told her what those dreams about cats mean - I can't tell her because I don't know. Learning the language of dreams is something that takes time and practice. I have spent a great deal of time studying dreams and dream work from the psychotherapeutic/psychoanalytic theories to the cutting edge neurocognitive research. My conclusion? Write that “dumb” dream down in a journal and ask yourself this simple question, “What does it mean for me?”

Happy Dreaming...

UnDerSTanDinGDreams

DON LAIRD, MS, NCC, LPC

Don

2 Understanding Dreams

BASIC INStRuCtIONS fOR JOuRNALINg:

1. Keep a note pad by your bed (Many have asked if typing dream entries into an electronic device is as effective. Despite our advances in technology there is no substitute for putting pen or pencil to paper. Keep it simple.)

2. Write down any part of the dream you remember in the morning or during the night.

3. Briefly review the dream in your mind before opening your eyes. Do not try to analyze or pass judgment based on the content.

4. Write down your dream within two or three minutes of waking. Ignore any thought that tells you the dream is so vivid there is no way you could possibly forget it.

5. With persistence, even the most reluctant person will begin to recall his or her dreams. This may take a few weeks or even a few months, but you will eventually begin to notice patterns within your dreaming world.

DreamJoUrnal

Dream Journal 3

Dream TiTle ____________________________________________________

Date ____________________________________________________

Emotional Center of the Dream ____________________________________________________

Daily Residue (What relevant events occurred the day preceding the dream) ____________________________________________________

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The Dream ____________________________________________________

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The Dream ____________________________________________________

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Dream Journal 5

Dream TiTle ____________________________________________________

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Dream Journal 7

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Dream Journal 9

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Dream Journal 11

Dream TiTle ____________________________________________________

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The Dream ____________________________________________________

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Dream Journal 13

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Dream Journal 15

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The Dream ____________________________________________________

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I dreamed last night...A dream is a microscope through which we look at the hidden occurrences in our soul. ~ ERICH FROMM

Dreams are free therapy. Consult your inner Freud. ~ GREY LIVINGSTON

There is a psychological technique which makes it possible to interpret dreams, and ... if that procedure is employed, every dream reveals itself as a psychical structure which has a meaning and which can be inserted at an assignable point in the mental activities of waking life. ~ SIGMUND FREUD

The dream is the small hidden door in the deepest and most intimate sanctum of the soul, which opens to that primeval cosmic night that was soul long before there was conscious ego and will be soul far beyond what a conscious ego could ever reach. ~ CARL JUNG

Presentations and Workshops are available to individuals, community groups, businesses and agencies upon request.

PReSeNtAtIONSunderstanding Depression: A presentation that explores the universality of depression, and links science and philosophy with the capacity each of us has to recover from the hurt we have experienced. The conversation increases depres-sion awareness and understanding and offers educational materials designed to assist individuals in making informed decisions regarding integrative treatment options and healthy life choices.

WORkShOPSReducing Stress & Preventing Burnout: Restoring Balance in Your Life:Being a creative individual in today's world can lead to feelings of stress and anxiety. Often the rewards of our creative endeavors may often seem few, while the sacrifices many. Participants in this workshop will be introduced to a pro-gram for preventing creative burnout by enhancing satisfaction and balance in their jobs and lives. Therapist, Don Laird, will guide participants to identify skills and practices to reduce stress and burnout. The approach is a simple, holistic overview of the cognitive and philosophical underpinnings that makes each of us uniquely creative, while taking into account the social, spiritual and physi-cal aspects of our lives that often goes under served by the demands of daily existence. Whichever discipline you find is your calling - teaching, business, writ-ing, theatre arts, nursing, medicine, dance, or if you simply wish to create some balance in your life, then this workshop is for you. Through contemplative indi-vidual and group exercises, participants will develop an individualized wellness plan for personal use. Content is suitable for anyone 18 years of age and older.

understanding Dreams: Despite their seemingly mysterious nature, dreams can reveal extraordinary depths of meaning. Learn how to unravel symbolism and unconscious influence in your dreams in order to better understand yourself, your life and the people who are important to you. Topics include ways in which our dreaming worlds are nurtured and shaped by our experiences; processes that drive dreams; how to keep a dream journal; and how to use creativity, myth and metaphor to approach dream work.

Working with Your Inner Critic: Understand the inner critic, its mechanisms and how to resist its negative, sabotaging nature. Learn how to transform your life and start live up to your highest creative potential. This workshop explores how the inner critic developed, promotes awareness of when the inner critic is operating, identifies when the inner critic is guiding your actions, and reveals ways to successfully transform your worst critic into a powerful ally. It includes meditation, creative practices, self reflection and practical tools/techniques that you can apply.

DON LAIRD, MS, NCC, LPC wwww.donlaird.com

For information on workshops and seminars, please contact: DON LAIRD, MS, NCC, LPC Phone: 412-335-4253 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.donlaird.com

For therapy appointments with me, please call: NEW DIRECTIONS COUNSELING, LLC Phone: 724.934.3905 Web: www.newdirectionspgh.com

Dream Journal

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