Somatic DreamWork or “Dream Tending”
In the world of dreamwork it is said that we are often “visited by” a dream and it’s characters, rather than just “having a dream” that we have to “figure out”. By tending the dream we get to re-enter it through our body and mind, we get to interact with the characters, and learn what they came to tell us, and even “dream the dream forward”. Dreams often come to guide us and help us navigate our complex inner and outer lives. It is a powerful way of engaging with your subconscious, and by being curious we allow aspects that were seemingly scary or confusing to reveal themselves as powerful allies. I have personally found these sessions to be as meaningful as a full therapy session, where I gain access to very intimate parts of myself, that both reveal themselves to me, and also bring me insight into what the next steps are in my waking life.
In this session we can work with a full dream or even a snippet, as these can be full of messages concentrated in a brief scene. It is especially effective when working with nightmares, as they offer a clearer understanding of what the psyche is calling for attention to and addressing the needs that are being overlooked in waking life.