Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
Welcome to the slideshow
workshop...
Incorporating
Effective Dream
Work Into Counseling
Practice:
Putting the Five Star
Method to Work
Dr. G. Scott Sparrow, Ed.D., L.P.C., L.M.F.T.
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Review of the Steps
of the Five Star Method
Before starting to work with any dream, it is very important to ask
dreamer to retell the dream in the present tense, and to listen to
the dream as if it were your own. Then, and only then, proceed as
follows:
Step 1: Solicit feelings from the dreamer, and share what
feelings arise as you live the dream vicariously.
Step 2: Formulate a theme or process narrative.
Step 3: Analyze the dreamer’s responses against what the
dreamer could have done, or would have preferred to do.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Review of the Steps
of the Five Star Method
Step 4: Analyze the images, using amplification and/or role
playing. More importantly, however, consider what changes
occurred in the imagery alongside the dreamer’s responses, and
what changes could have occurred alongside different responses.
Step 5: Explore the application of the dream work in terms of
planning new responses, either in future dreams of a similar
nature, and/or in parallel waking life scenarios.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
What? Dream work without a
dreamer?
we begin to work
on some sample dreams,
Before
it’s
obvious that the dreamer will not be available to participate
in this process. However, you can still practice the steps,
partly by imagining what the dreamer might say, and partly
by pretending that you are the dreamer. Actually, because
the Five Star Method focuses on dreamer-dream
interaction––on process rather than content––your main job
is to describe what is clearly present, rather than imposing
interpretive interventions. So, you don’t need the dreamer
as much to verify your observations as when you are
interpreting content. Now, let’s start with the first of three
dreams ...
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Feedback after Each Task
I have provided suggestions and/or commentary after each
task, so please stop the slideshow when I ask you to do
something and do your best before going to the next slide,
where you will find my feedback. Don’t worry if your work is
different than mine; but look for consistent parallels. If you
feel that my contributions are significantly different than
yours, you may want to review the paper and the video
before going further.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Dream #1
I am sitting at my desk with my back to the sliding glass
doors on the patio. I am working on the paper that we
have to do for class, and I am feeling anxious about
completing it. I hear a knock on the door, and turn
around to see my deceased father dressed in a suit
standing outside the sliding glass door, obviously
wanting to be let in. I am irritated at the interruption,and
think to myself, “I’ve got work to do,” and turn back
around. He keeps knocking for a while, and then leaves.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step One: Feelings
What feelings arose in you as you read the dream as
if it were yours? These should be single words, such
as “sad,” “afraid,” or “grateful.”
_______________
_______________
_______________
_______________
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step One: Feelings
When I listen to this dream, these are the feelings
that come up. How do they compare with yours?
irritated
frustrated
desperate
sad
disappointed
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step One: Feelings
This is a good example of a dream in which the
dreamer may not feel “desperate,” “sad,” or
“disappointed.” Your feelings may challenge the
dreamer to look at what the other dream characters
may have experienced, but he did not allow himself
to feel. Remember, dreams come to illuminate blind
spots in our response to life. Thus, to some extent,
dream work will raise issues that the dreamer may
find it difficult to consider. Dream work is almost
always a subtle “ordeal,” and is therapeutic by
nature.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step One: Feelings
So, while your feelings may not coincide exactly with
what the dreamer experienced, the differences
between your feelings and the dreamer’s may
become useful in helping the dreamer/client get in
touch with feelings that could have been experienced,
but were not.
Much of the time, however, your feelings will be very
close if not the same as the dreamer’s feelings. This
congruence will establish an “affective bridge”
between you and your client, as well as clarifying the
emotional context or climate of the dream drama.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step Two: Theme or Process
Narrative
Without mentioning any specific person or thing, ask
yourself the question, “What happens in this dream?”
Remember to begin with “Someone...” and use words like
“somewhere,” “something,” and “somewhere.” It may
take more than one sentence. Go back to the dream and
read it again before summarizing the process narrative.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step Two: Theme or Process
Narrative
Because formulating the process narrative can be particularly
difficult at first, I’ve come up with my own assessment, so you can
compare my work with yours. If your theme/process narrative is
roughly similar to mine, then go on to the next slide. If not, review
the section on extracting the theme in the paper, “Working with
Dreams as Co-created Outcomes,” or the course video.
I think the theme or process narrative of this dream
can be stated as:
Someone becomes aware of someone someone that
wants his attention, but decides that he has something more important
to do, and so he avoids the encounter until the opportunity passes.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step three: Dreamer
responses
Find the places where the dreamer, felt, thought, or acted
in response to what what happening in the dream.
Consider what the dreamer could have done differently, as
well.
The dreamer’s response was:
and it could have been:
____________________
____________________
___________________
_____________
____________________
_____________
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step three: Dreamer
responses
This is what I came up with. How does it compare with your list?
The dreamer’s response was:
been:
irritated and annoyed
committed to his task
duties
ignored his father’s presence
approached and opened the door
and it could have
curious and inquiring
willing to postpone
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step three: Dreamer responses
Remember, a dreamer response can be anything
from an emotion to an assumption to a physical
behavior. Any reaction, however subtle, can change
the whole course of the dream. Over time, you will
become increasingly sensitive to picking out less
obvious responses, and helping the dreamer see
that any reaction can be a “codetermining” force in
the dream’s unfoldment, just as any reaction to
another person in waking life can precipitate an
escalating dynamic in one direction or the other.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step three: Dreamer responses
Without the dreamer present, you obviously cannot explore what
responses the dreamer would prefer to have made, if given another
chance. This conversation is especially valuable, because not only does it
potentially shift the dreamer’s view his or her own capabilities, but it
paves the way for enacting new responses in future dreams, as well as in
parallel waking situations––the goal of Step Five.
Be careful that you do not impose your views of what the dreamer should
have done. If you know the dreamer, you may have an accurate view of
his or her “chronic” style of responding to life, and can make accurate
observations about what was unfortunate, and what would have improved
the dream outcome. But remember: It’s up to the dreamer/client to
determine the direction of desirable change.
In the absence of the dreamer, what you think the ideal response could or
should have been. Do you think this is the “best” response for anyone?
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step three: Dreamer responses
This is important: What’s creative or “new” for one client/dreamer may be
“habitual” for another, and vice versa. So, when you vicariously live the dream,
your sense of what you would prefer to have done differently may not fit with
the dreamer’s view, or need. For instance, in regard to this particular dream,
this dreamer may have been previously susceptible to pressure from his family
of origin. So perhaps he did “well” in resisting his father’s unspoken request.
Or perhaps the dreamer is “too good” at putting less important things above
his need to resolve conflicts with others. In that case, the dreamer may have
missed an important opportunity for resolving some unfinished business with
his dead father. Knowing the dreamer’s history makes your observations
much more likely to be on target, but dream work always opens the door to
your invasive projections. Further, even if your observations are entirely
accurate, the client may not be ready to hear the truth. So try to keep your
suggestions tentative, and base them on what you know about the dreamer’s
history.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step Four: Imagery Analysis:
Amplification
Developed by Carl Jung, amplification is optional in the Five Star
Method. It is a process of asking, “What do I know about ... (this
image)... ? What is ... (this image)... good for? What do I like or dislike
about ... (this image)?
You can contribute, as well, to this process. Your associations may
illuminate qualities of the image that the dreamer may not be aware of.
For practice, choose one image from this dream and amplify it from
your own experience and associations.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step Four: Imagery Analysis:
Amplification
For instance, the dreamer might decide to amplify the image of his father. He
might say, “Dad and I were close, but he always expressed very narrow, rigid
views. When I married my Asian wife when I was stationed in Korea, and
brought her to meet my family, he dismissed her harshly from his home. To
protect her and my family, I left and never spoke with him again, and feel that
he got exactly what he deserved. I heard through Mom that he was sorry, but
he never told me, so I stood firm until he died.”
Obviously, this amplification would help you establish a larger context for the
dreamer’s reaction to his father. The dreamer did as he had always done, and
it made sense, but the dream might have been prompting him to finally deal
with the unfinished business from that relationship.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step Four: Imagery Analysis:
Dialoguing or Role Playing
This method comes right out of Gestalt therapy. It is optional,
too, but often useful as a way to deepen the relationship
between the dreamer and the dream imagery further. Again, as
the facilitator, you would ask the dreamer to become a particular
dream image, and have a dialogue with the dreamer. Questions
or suggestions such as, “Describe yourself,” “What do you want
to say to the dreamer/dream image?” “What do you want?” or
“What do you feel?” are excellent questions. Questions that
start with “Why ...?” or “What do you think...?” should be
avoided because they take the client out of the immediacy of
their experience, and encourage an intellectual approach.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step Four: Imagery Analysis:
Dialoguing or Role Playing
Even though you aren’t the dreamer, imagine yourself
conducting a dialogue with one of the dream images (e.g.
father, sliding glass door, or the professor who has given
the assignment). Describe yourself as the image, state
what you feel and want, and tell the dreamer what you
want from him/her. Then pretend you are the dreamer
and respond to what the image has said. In this way, you
will become familiar with the back-and-forth exchange
that you need to facilitate between your client and their
dream images.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step Four: Imagery Analysis:
Dialoguing or Role Playing
You might start off becoming the father and giving him a voice. He
might say, “Let me in. I want to talk to you. I’ve come back because
we never spoke about happened.”
Becoming the dreamer, you might say, “I don’t want to let you in. You
hurt me bad, and I don’t want to let you hurt me again. You don’t
deserve my love.”
Perhaps the father would then say, “I know I hurt you. I was too proud
to apologize. Losing you was the hardest thing that every happened to
me. You were just as mean and arrogant as I was to stay away for 15
years, and to let me die without letting me see you again. At least I’m
trying. You just keep turning away.”
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step Four: Imagery Analysis
Imagery transformations
This is crucial to the Five Star Method!
Consider what changes occurred in the
imagery alongside the dreamer’s
responses, and what changes could have
occurred alongside different responses.
This additional relational analysis is
somewhat unique to the Five Star Method.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step Four: Imagery Analysis
Imagery transformations
In the case of this dream, the imagery didn’t really
change. But neither did the dreamer’s response to it.
It is important to highlight the implied impasse
between the dreamer’s response and the dream
image. They are both “stuck,” and you can suggest
that the imagery is, in part, “ bound ” to the
dreamer’s reactions. This is typically hard for the
dreamer to see, much in the way that a person who
is having marital problems may have a hard time
seeing how his or her response to the spouse is just
as intransigent as the partner’s response.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step Four: Imagery Analysis
Imagery transformations
This sophisticated analysis permits what family therapists
would call a “ circular causal ” perspective. That is, it
introduces the idea that the dreamer’s responses and the
imagery changes are in a reciprocal relationship, giving rise
to a cocreated or codetermined outcome. Reciprocity––the
“governing principle in relationships” according to systems
theory––functions in any “ real ” relationship, so this
invaluable aspect of the Five State Method permits a
mapping of the dreamer-dream interactive process onto
ongoing waking relationships, permitting the dreamer to
become aware of relationship patterns that exist in both
domains. It preserves a sense of personal responsibility
without imputing “blame” to the dreamer for the entire
outcome.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step Five: Application
Imagine what the dreamer could hope to do (in terms of new responses) in
future dreams of a similar nature, or plan to do in scenarios that parallel the
dream drama. By applying the dream work in either or both of these two
ways, the dreamer develops or strengthens new responses toward life that
may resolve longstanding dilemmas and integrate essential new
awarenesses and behaviors.
In this case, the dreamer may want to visit his father’s grave and have a
long overdue conversation. Or he may identify other areas of his life where
he has cut off people and opportunities because he saw superficial similarity
between those situations and his relationship with his father.
In the case of the real dreamer, he was able to see that he had “walked
away” from several problems. He had previously seen this as a strength––
because when he left his father’s home, he had done so to protect his wife
and unborn child. But the dream work raised the possibility that he had been
taking this “strength” too far.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Dream #2
I am riding in a car with several people. A young man comes up to
the car, and breaks through an already broken (and taped) window on the
left side of the car. He climbs in and takes over the car. He is angry
and violent, and I'm quite afraid of him. Eventually, we arrive at a
place out in the country -- on a dirt road between two fields. We get
out of the car. The young man is still violent and threatening.
However, he unwittingly stands alongside a deep ditch. So I run up to
him, and push him over the lip. He falls about 15-20 feet, gets up and
tries to climb out. But each time he reaches the edge, we push him
back over. My friends and I are feeling in control now. Just as we get
ready to leave, the man turns into a dog, runs up the embankment, and
jumps into the car. I grab him by the scruff, and he bites me. Even
so, I carry him to edge of the ditch and hurl him into it. He falls,
and the fall seems finally to kill him, or incapacitate him.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step One: Feelings
What feelings arose in you as you read the dream as if it
were yours? These should be single words, such as “sad,”
“afraid,” or “grateful.” I’m going to let you do this task
without providing any feedback this time.
_______________
_______________
_______________
_______________
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step One: Feelings
This is what comes up for me
fear
anger
lonely
stubborn
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step Two: Theme or Process
Narrative
Without mentioning any specific person or thing, what
happens in this dream? Remember to begin with
“Someone...” and use words like “somewhere,”
“something,” and “somewhere.” It may take more than
one sentence. Go back to the dream and read it again
before summarizing the process narrative.
The theme or process narrative is:
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step Two: Theme or Process
Narrative!
Once again, given the difficulty of this task, I’ve provided
a dream theme, so you can compare my work with yours.
I think the theme or process narrative of this dream
can be stated as:
Someone feels threatened by something that initially
overwhelms him. He eventually takes control of it, and tries
to get rid of it. It resists his efforts but he ultimately asserts
control over it.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step three: Dreamer
responses
Find the places where the dreamer, felt, thought, or acted
in response to what what happening in the dream.
Consider what the dreamer could have done differently, as
well.
The dreamer’s response was:
and it could have been:
____________________
____________________
___________________
_____________
____________________
_____________
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step three: Dreamer
responses
This is what I came up with:
The dreamer’s response was:
acting powerless
driving to the country
attacking the young man
subduing the dog
and it could have been:
acting confrontive and inquirin
confronting the intruder
talking to the young man
allowing the dog to s
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step three: Dreamer responses
Again, without the dreamer present, you cannot explore what the
dreamer would have ideally done, if given another chance. But
imagine yourself as the dreamer, and decide what you would have
done differently if it had been your dream. What impact would your
new responses have on the dream outcome?
Perhaps the you as the dreamer would decide that confronting the
young man verbally early in the dream might have resulted in some
immediate reduction of conflict. Perhaps by asking the young man
why he was so upset, the dreamer would have discovered the
young’s man’s grievance, and could have worked something out.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step Four: Imagery Analysis:
Amplification
Remember, amplification is a process of asking, “What do I
know about ... ? What is ... good for? What do I like or dislike
about ... ? What images would you ask the dreamer to
amplify? You can contribute, as well, to this process.
For practice, choose one image from this dream and amplify it
from your own experience and associations.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step Four: Imagery Analysis:
Amplification
In this case, there is nothing distinct about the imagery in the
dream––no identification of the young man, his friends, or the
dog. So the dreamer can’t tell you what he knows specifically
about any of the dream images. But he can amplify the image of
the car, his friends, the broken and taped window, the country, the
ditch, and dogs in general.
In regard to the broken and taped window, the dreamer might say,
“The window needs fixing, but I’ve obviously decided to put it off.,
and it gave the young man a chance to get in the car. I guess the
broken window is like my tendency to postpone doing things right.
It’s also like my boundaries with people. I have a hard time
knowing whom to trust, so I often don ’ t whether to allow
someone in my life, or to restrict access.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step Four: Imagery Analysis
Dialoguing or Role Playing
Again, as the facilitator, you might ask the dreamer to
become a particular dream image, and have a dialogue
with the dreamer. Questions or suggestions such as,
“Describe yourself,” What do you want to say to the
dreamer/dream image?” “What do you want?” or “What
do you feel?” are excellent questions. Questions that start
with “Why ...?” or “What do you think...?” should be
avoided because they take the client out of the immediacy
of their experience, and encourage an intellectual
approach.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step Four: Imagery Analysis
Dialoguing or Role Playing
Again, even though you aren’t the dreamer, imagine yourself
conducting a dialogue with one of the dream images (e.g.).
Describe yourself as the image, state what you feel and want,
and tell the dreamer what you want from him/her. Then
pretend you are the dreamer and respond to what the image
has said.
Obviously, the young man and the dog are images with which
the dreamer experiences intense conflict. By becoming each
of these images, and addressing the dreamer, the dreamer
will begin a process of engagement and integration that could
not occur in the dream.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step Four: Imagery Analysis
Dialoguing or Role Playing
It is important for you, as the dream worker, not to have a
goal in mind when facilitating this process. The sufficient goal
is greater awareness of the various positions represented by
the dream imagery and the dreamer. Dialoguing supports
reapproachement and integration of these diverse
perspectives, but it’s important to let it happen on its own.
Don’t impose an agenda, or rush the process. The process
itself is the “goal,” not some particular insight or cathartic
release.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step Four: Imagery Analysis
Imagery transformations
Again, this is crucial to the Five Star Method! Consider what changes
occurred in the imagery alongside the dreamer’s responses, and what
changes could have occurred alongside different responses.
In regard to this dream, we can see what might be termed a
“ regressive transformation. ” That is, once the dreamer is
“successful” in overpowering the young man, the young man returns
as a dog and climbs back in the car. The problem doesn’t just go
away because we have been able to suppress it: It changes form and
returns! If the dreamer suppresses or kills something, it returns in a
more primitive form. If he or she reaches out to it, it usually
transforms into a higher form. Remember the rats and the snow
leopard in the my dream paper? The snow leopard appeared on the
heels of the dreamer ’ s courageous response. This is a very
predictable dream dynamic, as you will see in Dream #3.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step Five: Application
Again, imagine what the dreamer could hope to do (in terms of new
responses) in future dreams of a similar nature, or plan to do in scenarios
that parallel the dream drama. By applying the dream work in either or both
of these two ways, the dreamer develops or strengthens new responses
toward life that may resolve longstanding dilemmas and integrate essential
new awarenesses and behaviors.
The dreamer may conclude that he has rejected a part of himself that needs to
loved and welcomed. His lack of affection and flexibility can be a real problem in
his relationships, so he decides that the best way to work on it is to “love his
instinctual self” more, and He may decide to spend more time resting and
playing, so he doesn’t develop anger over being “deserted” by his work ethic.
He also decides that if he dreams of a “shadow” figure again, he wants to
engage it in a less frightened manner. He may fantasize about this encounter as
a way to encourage it in future dreams.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Dream #3
This one’s longer, but don’t let its length intimidate you. Break
it up into sections, and come up with a theme for each section.
Then put the statements together.
I am at our cabin. The cabin is built over a cave or grotto, in which there is a dark pool.
There is a stairway leading downward from the living level to the grotto. I tell the people
I'm with that people have seen primitive, giant fish and other sea creatures in the pool As we
talk about these denizens of the pool, I hear some movement from the grotto, and become afraid
that something is emerging from the pool. Peering over the edge of the stairway, I see
movement in the dark, but can't make out the shapes. I decide that there is no way for me to
remain in the cabin at night; so I leave with Roger, and go to find a place to stay. However,
I soon realize that my fear of the grotto has rendered the cabin virtually unusable. So I
return to try to figure out how to live with the threat. When I return, I hear something
emerging from the pool. It comes up the stairs, and appears as an elderly woman -- unsmiling
but not mean or evil-looking. She seems to want clarification as to our intentions, i.e. how
we can plan to co-exist with "them" in such close proximity. (This is an interpretation of
some unexpressed, nonverbal impressions.) After she returns to the grotto, another woman
emerges. She is somewhat younger, but still in her 50's or early 60's. She is more
communicative, though I can't remember any details of our communications. Once again, she
seems concerned about how we can co-exist. I become aware that we must make a lot of noise,
walking on the wooden floor above their habitation; so I reassure her that there are rarely
more than a couple of people at the cabin at any one time. Later, after she's returned to the
grotto, I am acutely aware of the noise my feet make on the hardwood floor.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step One: Feelings
Again, what feelings arose in you as you read this
dream as if it were yours? These should be single
words, such as “sad,” “afraid,” or “grateful.”
_______________
_______________
_______________
_______________
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step One: Feelings
These are the feelings that I have when I
experience this dream vicariously:
fear
anxiety
courage
relief
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step Two: Theme or Process
Narrative
Again, without mentioning any specific person or thing,
what happens in this dream? Remember to begin with
“Someone...” and use words like “somewhere,”
“something,” and “somewhere.” It may take more than
one sentence. Go back to the dream and read it again
before summarizing the process narrative.
The theme or process narrative is:
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step Two: Theme or Process
Narrative
I think the theme or process narrative of this dream
is something like:
Someone discovers something that feels threatening
and decides to avoid it, but realizes that the avoidance results
in the loss of something precious. By facing the threat, he discovers not
only that it is less threatening than he imagined,
but that he can now reclaim what he was afraid of losing.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step three: Dreamer
responses
Again, find the places where the dreamer, felt, thought, or
acted in response to what what happening in the dream.
Consider what the dreamer could have done differently, as
The well.
dreamer’s response was:
and it could have been:
____________________
____________________
___________________
_____________
____________________
_____________
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step three: Dreamer
responses
This is what I came up with:
The dreamer’s response was:
perceiving threat
leaving the cabin
appeared
and it could have been:
suspending judgment
waiting to see what
returning to the cabin
not returning
courageously waiting for the unknown to reveal itself reacting and avoiding the
encounter
talking to the woman
refusing to talk to her
reassuring her
not reassuring her
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step three: Dreamer
responses
Clearly, the dreamer ’ s responses shift dramatically in the
middle of the dream––from avoidance to engagement. So your
list of responses effectively highlights the dreamer’s courage
and competency from the moment he decides to return to the
cabin until the end of the dream. Just as one would support a
competency in Solution-Focused Brief therapy, you might spend
some time marveling at the dreamer ’ s courage, and the
remarkable developments that ensued. This noninterpretive,
respectful underscoring of dreamer effectiveness has a way of
consolidating and strengthening your client’s strengths.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step Four: Imagery Analysis
Amplification
Again, for practice choose
one image from this dream
and amplify it from your
own experience and
associations. Notice how
the meaning of the image
becomes clearer through
your associations.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step Four: Imagery Analysis
Dialoguing or Role Playing
Remember, as the facilitator, you might ask the dreamer
to become a particular dream image, and have a dialogue
with the dreamer. Questions or suggestions such as,
“Describe yourself,” What do you want to say to the
dreamer/dream image?” “What do you want?” or “What
do you feel?” are excellent questions. Questions that start
with “Why ...?” or “What do you think...?” should be
avoided because they take the client out of the immediacy
of their experience, and encourage an intellectual
approach.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step Four: Imagery Analysis
Dialoguing or Role Playing
Actually, in regard to this dream, you can justifiably skip
this step. Why? The dreamer has already done this!
Indeed, this dream is a “good” dream from the standpoint
of the Five Star Method, because the dreamer succeeds in
confronting and resolving the conflict in the dream. There
isn ’ t a lot you have to do beyond celebrating the
dreamer ’ s accomplishments, and looking for ways to
extend this competent behavior into waking life in Step Five.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step Four: Imagery Analysis
Imagery transformations
Again, this crucial to the Five Star Method! Consider what
changes occurred in the imagery alongside the dreamer’s
responses, and what changes could have occurred alongside
different responses.
In regard to this dream, there is a significant reversal, isn’t there?
When the dreamer decides to return to the cabin to confront the
perceived threat, the dream imagery begins to shift predictably
toward a more acceptable and less threatening form. It is
important to tie the changes in the imagery to the dreamer’s
willingness to face the unknown. This dream is similar to the
“intruding rats” dream in my paper, and probably indicates very
significant shifts in the client/dreamer’s stance toward life.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step Four: Imagery Analysis
Imagery transformations
Recall that the first dream of the deceased father is devoid of such imagery
transformations, while and the second dream reveals a “regressive”
transformation. Indeed, the imagery can exhibit development or regression.
Regardless of the direction of the imagery changes, the Five Star Method’s
emphasis on the reciprocal relationship between the dreamer’s responses and
the imagery’s appearance underscores the importance of taking responsibility
for these changes. By pointing out the dreamer’s inflexibility––however
reasonable it may seem to the dreamer/client at the time––you put subtle
pressure on the dreamer/client to acknowledge the power the dreamer has to
facilitate change, or to obstruct it. And, by celebrating the dreamer’s flexible
response, you support the development of competencies in waking life.
Holding the dreamer accountable lays the groundwork for the dreamer/client
becoming a competent agent of change in the dream state and in the waking
life, which of course is in line with the goals of most of the schools of modern
therapy, including Existential, Person-centered, Gestalt, Reality, Systemic, and
Solution Focused.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University
Step Five: Application
Again, imagine what the dreamer could hope to do (in terms of new
responses) in future dreams of a similar nature, or plan to do in
scenarios that parallel the dream drama. By applying the dream
work in either or both of these two ways, the dreamer develops or
strengthens new responses toward life that may resolve
longstanding dilemmas and integrate essential new awarenesses
and behaviors.
The dreamer may wish to affirm the same kind of courage and
flexibility in a waking relationship where he is experiencing anxiety
and avoidance. It’s important to realize that breakthroughs can
occur first the dream state, and then extend into waking life
through awareness and intentionality.
Incorporating Effective Dream Work Into
Counseling Practice:
Putting the Five Star Method to Work
Congratulations...
You have completed the final
section of Module 3 of the
DreamStar
Certificate
Training
Program.
You can now take the quiz.
Thank you!
Scott Sparrow
A professional continuing education
course sponsored by Atlantic University