Dreams and Nightmares by Delia Cushway & Robyn Sewell

Author:Delia Cushway & Robyn Sewell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sage Publisher
Published: 2012-12-09T16:00:00+00:00

Storyline alteration methods

As its title suggests, this method provides ways in which the anxiety-producing storyline and/or its ending can be altered. Although this approach can be used in a variety of nightmare situations, it may be most helpful where the client is very fearful about the nightmare. In this case the client may be unwilling to attempt the ‘face and conquer’ method which, as its title implies, requires the dreamer to turn and face the feared object in her nightmare. The storyline alteration approach may also be used where the client and/or therapist are unable or unwilling to work with the Gestalt approach. If the client is very frightened, a relaxation technique used as an adjunct to the storyline alteration approach may desensitize the dreamer sufficiently to work with the nightmare.

Steps for the therapist working with storyline alteration

The therapist encourages the dreamer to repeat the dream first in the third person and then in the first person, present tense until they feel a little more comfortable and accepting of the nightmare.

The therapist and dreamer discuss what interpretation or meaning the dreamer gives to the nightmare.

The therapist asks the dreamer how they could change the storyline of the nightmare to make it less frightening. At this point the therapist helps the client to elicit appropriate changes. It may be necessary for the therapist to suggest alterations. However, the modification to the story should be one that the dreamer finds acceptable.

The therapist encourages the dreamer to run through and practice the new version of the story in their imagination.

When the dreamer is used to the nightmare in its new form, the therapist suggests that the dreamer should imagine, and thus re-experience, the new version of the nightmare while in a relaxed state before going to sleep.

The dreamer makes a suggestion or intention that the desired alteration will be incorporated into the nightmare, if it is experienced again when the dreamer is asleep. This last stage is essentially dream incubation, as was practiced by many ancient cultures. This is a suggestion or self-suggestion by the dreamer for a particular kind of dream.

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