2. Reviewing the process of
Dream Analysis
• The analyst starts by listening to a description of a dream.
(Manifest Content).
• Then analysis takes place
• The latent content can be uncovered by analysing symbols
in the manifest content.
• Unconscious desires ‘leak’ into the dream via symbols to
protect the sleeper.
• Mental health comes from uncovering unconscious desires
and dream analysis can be part of that therapy.
• Freuds Therapy is called Psychoanalysis.
3. Psychoanalysis
aims to reveal the unconscious wishes, desires and
emotions of the patient.
• A ‘talking cure’ Freuds idea of a mental approach not a
physical one.
• Treated middle class patients in a wealthy part of vienna.
• His patients told him about their problems, disturbing
dreams which lead Freud to work on uncovering the
meaning.
• If he could give enough explanation the patients would
consider themselves ‘cured’.
4. Three methods used in
Psychoanalysis
• Slip of the tongue
• Free association
• Dream analysis
• By using more than one method, the analyst has more than
one method to work with and to use as evidence for
conclusions about the unconscious wishes.
5. Slips of the tongues
(Freudian Slips)
• Using one word when meaning another.
• for example using an ex’s name when talking about a
current partner.
6. Free Assiciation
• Say your thoughts out loud without controlling them.
• This way an analyst can look at an association between the
thoughts and the ideas.
7. Dream analysis
• can use free association along side the usual description
of the dream.
• Patient tells their dream to the analyst. Each item in the
dream is used as a starting point for free association.
• E.g. a boat, they would then be asked to allow a stream of
consciousness about a boat.
• The analyst can then look for themes and links that might
reveal the unconscious emotions or wishes.
8. Time consuming
• Takes a long time as many dreams will have to be related
and many sessions undergone, before the analyst can start
to suggest what the dream might symbolise.
9. An example of Dream
analysis
• Ashmur has a dream about being a little boy and being in
a large boat about to go under a bridge that was too low.
In the dream he was in the boat alone, and there were two
people, one on each bank, shouting at him. He was too
frightened to get out of the boat and be confronted by
those on the banks, and was terrified because the bridge
was too low.
10. Analysis of the dream
• The two people , one on each bank could be Ashmuirs parents.
• Their shouting could be interpreted as fear as a small boy
might have of his parents, as to him they are authority figures.
• There could have been a past experience on a boat trip that was
frightening.
• The boat could represent Ashmuir himself, feeling insecure
and not on firm ground.
• Low bridge represent something blocking or holding Ashmiur
back in his life. ie. promotion in job, trapped in personal life or
some other reason for being trapped.
