20th Annual International Conference of the 
Association for the Study of Dreams
o
June 27 - July 1,  2003
o
Berkeley, California

ABSTRACT

REDECISION WORK WITH DREAMS

Margaret Bowater, MA (Hons)

Margaret Bowater, MA: Clinical Member of the NZ Association of Psychotherapists; Teaching and Supervising Transactional Analyst (accred 2001 by ITAA); Co-Director of Counsellor Training in the Human Development and Training Institute, Auckland, New Zealand; author of "Dreams and Visions – Language of the Spirit," (1997, Tandem Press); tutor of the HD&TI Dreamwork Certificate (100 hours); ASD dream guide for NZ.

Email: mbowater@clear.net.nz.

 

Summary of Presentation

Our dreams and nightmares often present situations reflecting in metaphor the patterns we are unconsciously repeating in our lives, thus offering the dreamer opportunities to experiment with different choices, and simulate the felt experience of change. Margaret will discuss examples, theory and process, and demonstrate Redecision work with a volunteer.

 

Learning Objectives.

  • Ability to facilitate a dreamer re-entering an unfinished dream story
  • Ability to facilitate a new ending, with additional safety and resourcing when needed
  • Ability to facilitate reflection on how to integrate the new decision into life-experience

 

Evaluation questions:

  • Name 2 safety measures you would ensure before working with a nightmare.
  • Name 2 forms of resourcing you might offer before inviting re-entry to a dream
  • Name 2 potential benefits and 1 risk in creating new endings to a dream story

 

Abstract 

Our dreams reflect back to us aspects of our lives in metaphor and story. Often the story is incomplete: the dream ego experiences arriving at a stuck point, in which an old pattern of behaviour, based on the early life-script, is being repeated, with a sense of being trapped or victimised. This creates a therapeutic opportunity for the dreamer. With new resourcing, the dreamer can decide to re-enter the dream, enact the story, and actively change his or her behaviour towards a more positive outcome, thus breaking the script and experiencing a step of liberation. In subsequent self-reflection with a friend or counsellor, this can be understood as rehearsing a redecision for real life, which can then be translated into action. For example, a woman dreamed that she was lying on a table allowing a man to carve her leg off at the knee, apparently without pain. Enacting this role, she connected with her self-worth, jumped off the table and "stood up for herself" – symbolising an action she needed to take in real life to break her self-martyr script.

Margaret will discuss examples from her casework, demonstrate the process with a volunteer, and discuss theory and methods with the group.

 

 

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Program Chair: Alan Siegel, Ph.D.
Program Committee: Mark Blagrove, Ph.D.; Kelly Bulkeley, Ph.D.; Rita Dwyer; Nancy Grace, M.A.; Roger Knudson, Ph.D.; Richard Russo, M.A.; Richard Wilkerson; Lilith Wolinsky; Dave Pleasants
Conference Co-Hosts: Nancy Lund, M.A.; Steven Smith, M.B.A.; M.A.; Bob Hoss, M.S.
Host Committee: 
Host Committee :Marilyn Fowler (Volunteer Coordinator); Emily Anderson

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