The use of dreams is one of the central techniques used in Jungian-oriented psychotherapy. Dreams are highly individual expressions of a person's psyche. They are, therefore, an excellent means for gaining some insight into the uniqueness of each individual. They provide a kind of snapshot of the various energies and motives that unconsciously influence our everyday actions, moods, and experiences.
Jungian analysts Edward Whitmont and Sylvia Perera, in their book on dreams, describe the use of dreams in the therapeutic setting:
"The dream can be used for providing access into unconscious areas of life, for providing specific and appropriately timed messages of many kinds which can assist the dreamer with problem solving, artistic inspiration, psychological development, and spiritual deepening."
The images in dreams have a strong emotional quality. In a sense, they are the pictures of our emotions. They often capture the essence of an event or emotion much better than words can. This is also true in waking life. For instance, describing a time we felt very afraid, we might use an image such as, "I was like a deer caught in the headlights." This image feels more accurately descriptive of how we were feeling than merely saying, "I felt scared." Dreams work in exactly this way. During a time of crisis, for example, a person might dream of climbing a steep mountain, or slogging through mud, or even drowning in an ocean.
Dreams not only present images that describe what is happening, they can also show us what aspects of our situation or ourselves that we have neglected, or failed to recognize. For example, in the dream of climbing a mountain, the dreamer may discover that the mountaineering guide is their aggressive friend or neighbor. This might suggest the need for a more aggressive attitude to guide the dreamer through the current situation. In this way, dreams can give us access to the big picture when we have gotten stuck in our more habitual and narrow point of view. They can point us to unconscious sources of energy and vitality that lie untapped in our lives.
I have studied and worked with dreams, both my own and my clients, for over 15 years. I can personally attest to the fact that dreams can provide a powerful tool, not only for psychological and spiritual growth, but for emotional healing as well.