Person-Centered Dream Work

Abstract

Person-centered writers have contributed little to our understanding of the role and purpose of dreams or to their use in therapy. This article seeks to address this gap in the literature and proposes a model for dream work that honors the principle of the person-centered approach. The model expands on the work of Jerry Jennings and calls for some expansion or modification in our understanding of traditional person-centered therapy. The author proposes that we rethink our view of the function and value of the unconscious, especially in regard to dreams, and suggests that a subtle distinction between content expertise and process expertise is necessary to maximize our therapeutic effectiveness with those who elect to explore their dreams in therapy.