Looking at dreams
Do you ever wake up with the memories of a dream that you replay over the following days and want to feel less unsettled by it? Sometimes it can be helpful to write about your dreams in a journal so that you can recognise patterns and perhaps some important themes and issues that may be in your subconscious.
It can be helpful to work through dreams in a guided therapy session but here are some ideas for charting your dreams in a journal:
Give the dream a title
Describe what feeling the dream left you with
Where/when did the dream take place?
Was the dream in past, present, future?
What was the atmosphere?
Who was in the dream? People you know?
What role did you play in the dream?
Describe each element of the dream. What comes into your head now when you review each element ?
Describe yourself in each element of the dream – for example, if a house features in the dream, pretend you are the house and describe yourself and what you are doing in the dream and why you are in the dream.
Look at what you have written in your journal. Circle any words that stand out to you. If any people or feelings stand out, circle those too. Can you see any themes/ideas in the dream that could reflect what is happening in your life?