Dream a Little Dream…

March 4, 2010 at 10:56 pm (Mental Health)
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I don’t know whether to thank or damn the psychologist who taught me dream analysis.  Once you know something like this, you can’t not know it.

Now and then I have a dream that I know I can’t ignore.  The damn thing is sending me a message which, if I ignore it, will result in ultimate chaos, pain, or unhappiness.

Had such a dream last night.  Amazing symbolism.  Frightening insights.  Very clear messages.  I don’t want to know this stuff – because it means I’ll have to do something about it.  Shit!

Want to know a little bit about your dreams?  Here’s some simple info…a gift (or curse) from me to you:

If you dream about a house/apartment that you know is yours…pay close attention to what floor you’re on in the dream, and how you feel about that.  Upstairs has to do with  your spirit…basements speak about your “dark” side.

If you’re in a car that you know is yours – pay close attention to what you’re feeling as you’re traveling.  It’s your life symbol, just as is your house, and it’s sending  you a message.

Death is about major change ahead.  So is pregnancy.  ( for the person who is dead or pregnant)

Numbers indicate a need for control in your life.

Oh, there’s so much more.  (And, by the way, so many different interpretations of dreams.)  But please believe me when I tell you that dreams….that information that comes up from your subconscious….do have messages for you and you should pay attention.

Find yourself a good interpreter.  Pay attention.  Do some research.  Your dreams can actually change or save your life!!!!

No, I’m not drunk or high right now.  :>)

Peace!

Pat

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Physician Heal Thyself!

February 25, 2010 at 8:54 pm (Mental Health)
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I’m going to rant a little bit here.  Thanks for indulging me.

When I meet up with a licensed therapist who has no real sense of their own issues…who can’t pick up on how those issues impact their work…and who choose to blame and attack others instead  of taking five minutes to look inside…I feel really sad about my chosen profession.

Doing good therapy has very little to do with what you learned in school.  That 4.0 GPA might have gotten you many kudos and scholarships, but if you are unable to see how you are standing in the way of your own work…if you’re somehow incapable of developing the therapeutic relationship that will actually promote the healing…you are a waste of the client’s time and their and your agency’s money.

When we, as mental health professionals, walk into a patient’s psyche we need to take our shoes off and tread lightly, because we’re on holy ground.  We have the power to enlighten, enhance and further that person’s growth…but unfortunately, we also have the power to add to his/her lack of esteem; belief in the ability to grow and become exactly who they want to be.

As therapists, I believe we all need mentors to talk to about our cases.  People who will be honest about what they observe in our work.  Remember Johari’s window?  There are parts of self that we can’t know or see. 

I supervise several therapists right now, and am amazed at how confident they are as they develop their own treatment plans and intervention techniques.  They don’t ask for input…at least most of them don’t, and if input is given, they tend to ignore it.  And, for the most part, these are very new counselors…just out of school.

Of course anyone is free to disagree with me – but I would like to see it made mandatory that all ‘becoming-therapists’ participate in personal counseling to explore and resolve any potential pitfalls in their own mental health that could cause problems as they do their work.

Therapy is part technical knowledge…that’s for sure.  We need to understand development, motivation, etc.,…but it’s also an art.  And art can’t be taught in a classroom. 

Thanks for reading.  I’ll welcome your feedback.

Peace

Pat

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