Dream Work: Freud's Theories, Dream Analysis, and the Unconscious Mind

This essay delves into the concept of dream work, contrasting it with dream interpretation, and focuses on Sigmund Freud's theories on dreams. It explores how dream work investigates the images and feelings evoked by dreams without seeking a specific meaning, emphasizing the individual and varied nature of dream languages. The essay examines Freud's view of dreams as a pathway to the unconscious, where repressed materials surface. It discusses the processes of condensation, displacement, and secondary elaboration within dream work, illustrating how the unconscious mind transforms thoughts and wishes. The essay also touches upon the manifest and latent content of dreams, providing insights into Freud's interpretation of dream symbols and the purpose of dreaming as a means of expressing repressed ideas. References to other theorists like Ernest Hartmann are made, showing the role of dreams in coping with life events. The essay is a comprehensive overview of Freud's theories, including its strengths and weaknesses, and is a useful resource for anyone studying psychology.

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Dream Work
Dream Work contrasts from dream interpretation in that, its point is to investigate the
different images and feelings that a dream present and evoke, without trying to come
up with a specific meaning to the dream (Ullman & Zimmerman, 2011). This way, the
dreams still ‘alive’ since once a meaning is attached to it, it is over with. DreamWorks
takes that a dream has a variety of implications depending on its levels. Each
individual is believed to have their different dream language and different things may
contrast from one dreamer to another, and ongoing situations in a dreamer’s life.
Many analysts have tried to come up with ways of interpreting dreams but they fall
into confusion. As they try to look for latent contact for dreams, they overlook the thin
line between dream thoughts and Dream Work. Sigmund Freud viewed dreams as
road to the oblivious as it is in dream that the sense of self resistance is brought down
so that an individual becomes aware of repressed materials through mutilated forms.
Dreams provide significant hints as to how the unconscious mind works (Sowton,
2013). The motivation behind dream work is to change the forbidden wish into a form
that is not threatening which in turn diminishes anxiety enabling an individual to
sleep.
Freud stated that dream symbols are more personal than in general form and that a
symbol may have different meaning from one dreamer to another. However, there are
general dream symbols that are universal to most dreamers (Sowton, 2013).
According to critics, Freud’s theory explained dreams rather than predicting them,
therefore it cannot be proved correct or rejected. Freud based his findings on him and
his patients making it difficult to generalize his findings as common to every
individual.
According to Freud’s theory, there are two different contents, i.e., the manifest and
the latent content. The manifest content is believed to contain a combination of latent
contents and that the latent content makes up for the limits of the conscious mind
(Siivola, (2011)). It allows thoughts that the conscious mind don’t know of to
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manifest and become known. An analyst will take advantage of the manifest content
to understand the latent content. The dream work involves process of
Condensation
This process involves the joining of at least two thoughts or pictures into form one.
This makes it easier for the human brain to expose them as a dream (Hoss, 2005). It is
further sub divided to day residues, which are thoughts that occur during the day that
are brought from the conscious mind and may trigger unconscious thoughts, and
censorship. Prior to expressing of these day residues, they are first filtered and
censored. This is because, the unconscious mind may not express these thought in
accordance to morals of the society, the human brain therefore interprets these
thoughts to more be more acceptable. This is ensures that the dreamer does not wake
up anxious or sleep is cut short.
Displacement
In this process, the dream coordinate sentiments or wants onto an unrelated subject.
It’s like the act of transference that is a typical technique utilized as a part of analysis.
Another progression in the formation if dreams is the imagery. Objects or
circumstances in an individual’s dream may represent another thing, often as an
unconscious idea or want. In one of Freud’s study, one of his patient hated his in-law,
he dreamt that he was strangling a white dog (Freud, 1899). Freud interpreted that his
patient’s desire to kill his sister were vivid in his dream, however, his mind used dog
was used to represent the in law which protected Freud’s patient from guilt.
Secondary elaboration.
Happens when the unconscious mind arranges together pictures that satisfy dreamer’s
wishes in a logical manner in which the events occurred, additionally clouding the
latent content. Freud states that this is the reason that manifest content in dreams can
be expressed as trustworthy occasions. (Freud, 1899) Thoughts are assembled
together and are made intelligible. This process also influences the dream to identify
with the dreamer.
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The main purpose of dreaming, according to Freud, is to express repressed ideas and
wants. Dreams often occur during the REM sleep (Hoss, 2005). According to Ernest
Hartmann, dreams are a way of therapy that helps human beings to cope with events
and occurrences that happen in their lives. Dreams are also believed to help
individuals in solving problems. However, no study has revealed why people dream
and the full meaning of dreams.
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References
Freud, S., 1899. Interpretation of Dreams. 1st pub ed. Vienna, Austria: Multiple
Publishers & Translators.
Hoss, R. J., 2005. Dream Language. Ashland, Orengo: Innersource.
Lasler, J., 2004. Honoring the Dream. Marietta, Georgia: PG Print.
Siivola, M., (2011). Understanding Dreams- The Gateway to Dreams Without Dream
Interpretation. New York: Cosimo Books.
Sowton, C., 2013. The Dream working Manual. Toronto: Christopher Sowton.
Ullman, M. & Zimmerman, N., 2011. Working with Dreams. Los Angeles: Jeremy P.
Tarcher Inc..
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