Depth Psychology is an exploration of the aspects of our human experience that lay beneath the surface of our awareness. This process of exploring below the surface transforms who you think you are into truly knowing who you are. Integrating aspects of yourself can reveal new strengths as well as areas of growth. Alchemy and Dream work are two favorite focuses in Depth Psychology as they help to illuminate inner processes and information that lay hidden from our view.

IDepth Psychology is based on Jungian Psychology. Jung's studies arose from his inquiry into the unconscious, or that which we are not aware, yet is still a part of us. After a lifetime of research he concluded that we are more often driven by our unconscious that our conscious mind. This makes the work of bringing light or awareness into that which we are unaware of, even more important. If we are driven by what we do not know, then we have little control and are subject the the whims of our emotions, moods, memories and patterns. The usually well-manered, law abiding, honest person can suddenly be taken over by something that they do not identify with. This often leads to denial of responsibility and unhealthy coping patterns. Often, rash impulses or emotional hijaking flood us so quickly that the ego self, so usually in control, gets totally usurped! You may recal a time when you felt like you just didn't know what came over you after doing something you regreted later. Daniel Goldman gets into detail about why this occurs in his book, Emotional Intelligence.

So, if we are ruled by our unconscicious minds, it is our job to bring what is unknown to the surface so that we can incorporate it into who we think we are, into our identity. This is the path of wholeness, integrating instead of repression or projection out onto others and the world the parts of ourselves we wish we didn't have. To me the choice is clear: I'd rather have my demons in front of my than behind me.

This path of wholeness and integration involves learing to see the patterns occuring in life, recognizing archtypes, learning the language of symbols which is subtle and multi layered, and also percieving mythic stories as the play out in our lives just as they did thousands of years ago. It is such delightful path of discovery of oneself and ones connection to the greater whole. Though difficult at times, there is such deep meaning that arises and so many gratifying aha's that the challenges are so worth it! Would you rather be able to see two or three dimensionally? or would your rather see four, five or six dimensionally?

Depth Psychology and the ways I weave it into Therapeutic Alchemy, opens up the mind to many wonderful layers of reality and perception. Do you want black and white vision or rainbow vision? Would you rather feel disconnected and lost in the darkness, or truly whole with a candle and a map in your hand to find your way.

I show people the map, guide them and show how to light the flame within. I open people's eyes to see beyond the box and the bars to behold truth, which is beauty, which is truth.

 

To learn more about Depth Psychology and the degree program check out Sonoma States program at:

http://www.sonoma.edu/psychology/depth/program.html

 

The Importance Of Dreams

A good portion of our life is spent sleeping. There is plenty of research to prove that dreaming is a necessary requirement for being healthy; it is fundamental to our emotional, physical and psychological health. Some people think dreams simply review the day or have no meaning, but many people, scholars and lay people have discovered a rich oasis of information to be discovered during dreamtime. I know from personal experience that dreams heal, guide and answer important life questions.

One reason many write off the importance of dreams is because they communicate using the language of metaphor. Metaphorical or symbolic language is not easily understood because it is subtle and can have multiple meanings and layers. It is like viewing a 6 dimensiona object versus a 2 dimensional one. This language communicats information from our unconscious mind and the part of us that is witnessing and taking in information during the day time, but we are unconscious of. The information, impressions, reactions and patterns we collect unknowingly can show us what is going on beneath the surface of what we are aware of. We can also uncover parts of ourselves we reppressed long ago, but now need in order to be a healthy individual. We can know what is truly happening within us in relationship to ourselves and others. This process of becoming more aware leads to integration of our full potential and the experience of wholeness. Many dreams help to illuminate painful areas so that we can heal and release stuck energy while also providing the perfect feeling or element for deep healing. Dreams are excellent indicators of our true state of being, what is really going on inside and what we need to be more whole.

Through the use of symbols and metaphor, dreams reflect back how we are relating to the world. They can tell us where we've repressed or pushed some part of ourselves into the subconscious. They also help to confirm what we already know and feel. They can predict the future and warn us of danger. I have a friend who uses his dreams to guide him on a regular basis because they are more often accurate than not. Dreams give us gifts, help us to heal and access more wholeness.

 

How Do You Work With Dreams?

I ca teach people how to remember their dreams and also many techniques for working with them both during a session and at home.

Dreamwork is one of my passions and I love helping people discover what their dream means to them. I don't "analyze" dreams because there is no way for me to know what the dream images mean to the dreamer. No one can tell you what your dream means, only you have the key to what is personally meaningful. Jung (1973) comments, that it is virtually impossible to classify dream symbols or make sweeping generalizations about their meanings because each person dreams and processes differently. Symbology is very personal and people feel relaxed to share and can engage more deeply because of this approach.

I treat images like living essences because they reflect waking life. There are two basic techniques for working with dream images: making associations and amplification.

First the client and I will make associations by listing anything and everything that we relate to that image. After making a list we go over it and listen for a felt sense reaction about which associations resonated most strongly. We then explore what the images remind the dreamer of and ask, "is this familiar". It is important to be open and trust the process to unfold. Johnson believes that discovering our personal connection with the image is what makes dreamwork worth doing (Johnson, 1986).

After making associations and getting clear about the general flow of the story, we go through the dream, slowly tuning into the feelings in the body. We notice how the body responds to the dream material: where there is tightness, stimulation, relaxation and so on. The body communicates where the important parts of the dreams are.

The second technique, amplification, enlarges the image and draws on external sources of meaning. This is best used after the personal meaning has been explored. I use dream books, mythology and knowledge I've been collecting about archetypal symbols and other motifs. Anything that has been expressed by people or any source that holds the memory of humankind can be used for amplification (Bosnak, 1998). I amplify an image by asking, "what is this like?" During amplification we explore what the dream may be connected to universally. this is where a person can have visceral sensations of being connected to something much greater than oneself. These archetypal patterns extend across time, space and culture.

Holding all this information, we reflect on the dream as a whole and play around with the collected information and archetypal themes to gain a sense of what the dream might be trying to communicate . This is something that comes easily and naturally for me. It brings me completely into the present moment and invokes awe because it is a mysterious process where I never know what is going to happen next. Dreams are a mirror, showing us what we cannot ordinarily see and I honor them for the wisdom they offer.