People have always been intrigued by their dreams and the meanings locked inside them.  

In ancient history we read about Joseph with the glorious coat of many colours being sold into slavery at the Egyptian court where he shows remarkable skill in interpreting dreams.  

Modern day therapists use dreams as a useful tool in working with their patients, and there is a lively interest in dream interpretation amongst psychologists practising in Port Elizabeth.

Very briefly, a dream is a situation made up of mainly visual images which could be based on the experiences of the day, recent incidents or even experiences dating to early childhood.  

During sleep, when most of our defences are down, material that has been blocked out may be transformed into visual images that tell a story, often disjointed or distorted, leaving the dreamer confused but rather fascinated about what this could all mean.  

It is sometimes believed that dreams can foretell the future which can be quite scary and exciting, for example dreaming of a death or funeral or a wedding or a new baby, but most interpretations see these dreams differently.

How a psychologist interprets dreams

A death or funeral could point to something symbolically dying in the dreamer, something that is coming to an end and the therapist and client seek links with the client’s current or  past experiences that need to be put away or changed in some way.  

Similarly a birth could suggest a rebirth or creative urge deep inside the client that is pushing into consciousness. 

In this way dreams can be seen as a helpful way of making sense of something that’s brewing in the unconscious and if understood and interpreted  dreams can be very useful in waking life in terms of making decisions about the past and the future, as well as issues in the present that the dreamer is struggling with.  

Recurring dreams are also very useful to understand because somehow the unconscious is nudging the dreamer into confronting or dealing with something she or he is avoiding!

Take note of your dreams – you could be pleasantly surprised at the wisdom of your dreams which may provide guidance and even answers to things you may be struggling with!

Contact me if you would like to discuss your dreams.