Dreams as a picture of the nervous system
Dreams as a picture of the nervous system, and an avenue for state shifts It’s beginning to dawn on me that not just nightmares, but all dreams can be seen as an expression of the nervous system. They are images direct from the body, far less filtered by our internal censor than waking thoughts —
Nightmares Quadruple Adolescent Suicide Risk
Nightmares quadruple suicide risk in youth, yet overlooked by most clinicians Scary dreams are common among children, and possibly it is for this reason that they are often overlooked by clinicians. In fact, frequent nightmares can indicate a life-threatening state. It has been well established that nightmares are robustly linked with higher suicide risk in
Terror and excitement are not so far apart
Slippery Fish: How to remember your dreams
When I tell people I work with and write about dreams, often the first thing they say is, “I don’t dream.” Or sometimes, more accurately, “I don’t remember my dreams.” We all dream what is in essence a feature film worth of dreams every night, but the vast majority of these nocturnal movies are not
The content of our dreams offers clues about the state of our nervous system. As we know from current research on recurrent dreams, these often depict being chased, feeling helpless or, if positive, represent ways of being socially engaged. Anyone familiar with the polyvagal theory will recognize these states as the some of the main
Addictions recovery chaplain says dreamwork practice is ‘transformative’
Dr. L.A. McRae offers impressions of their experience in the Embodied Experiential Dreamwork program Sometimes a class can be truly transformative, and in this case Dr. L.A. McCrae, an addictions clinician and recovery chaplain feels this way after graduating from our year-long Embodied Experiential Dreamwork certification program. (A new cohort begins Sept. 21 and
Recurrent Dreams: What are they trying to tell us?
My main recurrent dream is of falling or diving from a precipitous height down a very steep cliff or slope. I wonder if it reflects all those years in university when I was competing for the diving team and spent hours each day falling fast and with a variable level of control. From a symbolic
Experiential dreamwork program doubles student confidence in exploring dreams
I am always trying to improve my programs, so I asked my most recent cohort how their comfort level and ways of working with dreams have changed over the past year as a result of participating in my Embodied Experiential Dreamwork program. It is so gratifying to hear how many deepened and freed up their
Nightmares and the nervous system: a new approach to treatment based on polyvagal theory
At long last, my article that takes Porges’ polyvagal theory and the nervous system into account when considering the causes and treatment of nightmares, has been accepted for publication in the APA journal Dreaming. Although it could be many months before it is actually published, I am happy to share some of the main ideas