Abstract

SHINOHARA, Helene. The work with dreams in cognitive therapy. Rev. bras.ter. cogn. [online]. 2006, vol.2, n.2, pp.85-90. ISSN 1808-5687.

Several new theoretical aspects and techniques have been added to cognitive therapy since its beginning as a therapeutic approach. The need to expand the limits came from the clinical work, especially with challenging clients. The work with dreams in psychotherapy is one of these issues. Research suggests that some dreams may have relation to the dreamer's personality, contain the same themes and expectations of the awaken life, and express similar worries. Therefore some dreams could be considered important therapeutic material, where cognitive and emotional patterns are expressed and when schemas are fully activated. As the access to the dream memories and its discussion occur in the awaken state, the mode to remember details and the organization of the material will be influenced by the same characteristic distortions one uses to interpret reality. The objective of this article is to present some considerations about the cognitive model of dreams, including the description of an intervention that used a dream as a sign of change in the client's core belief.

Keywords : Dreams; Cognitive therapy; Therapeutic intervention.