Dreams Seminar (5 sessions)
"...readings were very doable! "
"...I appreciated all of the opportunities
to practice dream analysis."
"...it was a warm and inviting experience
with emphasis on growing as a therapist
with quality patient care in mind"
"This was truly the highlight of my week!"
Overview: This 5‑week live online seminar series integrates classical psychoanalytic dream theory with contemporary perspectives, emphasizing clinical application, case‑based learning, and therapist skill development. Common myths and misunderstandings about dream analysis will be addressed.
Content: All reading materials will be provided in advance of the sessions. Each seminar will start with a discussion of the reading(s), and real life case examples will be integrated into the discussion.
Length: Each seminar will be 60 minutes long.
Dates and time:
1.Friday, August 28, 12 noon - 1 pm CENTRAL USA TIME
2. Friday, September 4, 12 noon - 1 pm CENTRAL USA TIME
3. Friday, September 11, 12 noon - 1 pm CENTRAL USA TIME
4.Friday, September 18, 12 noon - 1 pm CENTRAL USA TIME
5. Friday, September 25, 12 noon - 1 pm CENTRAL USA TIME
Registration Fee : $50 for all 5 weeks -This fee has been set keeping a global audience in mind.
Week 1
Foundations of Dream Theory: Freud
Readings:
- Sandler et al. (1997): Characteristics of the Unconscious (pp. 78–81)
Learning Objectives:
1. Describe the Topographic Model and Its Clinical Importance.
2. Identify Core Characteristics of the Unconscious.
3. Explain How Dreams May Provide Access to Unconscious Material.
7. Apply the Sandler Perspective to Clinical Listening.
8. Recognize the Limits of Conscious Introspection in Understanding Behavior.
Week 2
Symbolism, Meaning, and Cultural Contexts
Readings:
- Galit (2013): Eat, Pray, Dream
- Fosshage (2007): The Organizing Functions of Dreaming
Learning Objectives:
- Identify symbolic vs. literal dream elements.
- Explore cultural shaping of dream imagery.
- Understand dreams as tools of self‑organization and affect regulation.
Week 3
Dream Formation: Day Residue, Dream‑Lag, and Neuroscience
Readings:
- Nielsen et al. (1992): Day‑Residue and Dream‑Lag Effects
Learning Objectives:
- Understand scientifically established mechanisms shaping dream content.
- Integrate cognitive neuroscience findings with psychodynamic theory.
- Distinguish immediate day‑residue from deeper associative material.
Week 4
Freud Revisited: Interpretation Techniques in Contemporary Practice
Readings:
- Rothstein (1987): Interpretations of Dreams in Clinical Work (pp. 1–22)
Learning Objectives:
- Revisit classical mechanisms.
- Integrate Freud with relational and interpersonal models.
- Practice tentative, collaborative interpretations.
Week 5
Clinical Challenges: Dream Droughts
Readings:
- Agrawal (Unpublished): Once in 3 Blue Moons — Jane’s Dream
Learning Objectives:
- Understand reasons for dream absence.
- Learn techniques for exploring attitudes toward dreams.
