Working with Shame Experiences in Dreams: Therapeutical Interventions

Abstract

Shame is a deep-rooted emotion which is of particular interest to researchers studying dreams and dream analysis, and to practitioners who work with it. Psychologists and therapists such as Freud, Breuer and worked with dreams for therapeutical reasons and healing purposes. They interpreted dreams in different ways and provided various explanations of the meaning of shame and its functions in the individual, such as repression, anxiety and self-esteem.Working with dreams can support individuals to transform shame and to value shame experiences in dreams as a source of personal growth and self-development. This chapter provides insights into therapeutical work with shameful experiences in dreams, and selected cases of shame in dream scenarios are presented. Conclusions on how to constructively work with shame in therapeutical practice are presented and recommendations for future research and practice are given.