TRAINING OF THE UNCONSCIOUS BY HYPNODRAMATIC RE-ENACTMENT OF DREAMS

Abstract

J. L. Moreno has repeatedly stated his conviction that the unconscious can be trained to overcome emotional trauma and hidden conflicts. Desoille and Bjerre have used "directed dreams" to resolve conflicts. In these techniques, Desoille leads the patient into the visualization of situations full of Jungian symbols, carrying with them the portent of resolution of conflicts. These techniques are based on Freud's findings, that dreamers use symbols to highlight, condense and generally report conflicts they are dealing with in their minds at the time of the dream. The meaning of such symbols is much clearer to the dreamer in the sleeping or dreaming state, that is, at a time when unconscious processes are only inadequately checked by the conscious, the "censor." Desoille and others then argued that therapists could address their interventions to the unconscious by using symbols germane to unconscious understanding as equivalent for the resolution of a patient's conflicts and suggesting such symbolic situations while the dreamer reclined on the couch with his eyes closed and his conscious effort reduced to listening to the therapists' "directed dream." Desoille and Brachfeld reported decrease in anxiety sometimes after just one such session.