Dream Psychology

Courses and workshops taught by Tayria Ward, Ph.D.

Sigmund Freud stated that “dreams are the royal road to the unconscious.” In Carl Jung’s view, a dream is a self-dramatization of the actual state of your unconscious. Just as an x-ray is a picture of the inner structure of the body, a dream is a snapshot of the inner structure of one’s psyche. An x-ray shows the areas in need of healing or repair in the physical structure, as a dream demonstrates what is needed to bring one’s spiritual, psychological or even physical state into balance. To ignore dreams as meaningless is the same as, even worse than, ignoring an accurate diagnosis necessary for the healing and treatment of the physical body.

History shows that for millennia dreams have been valued as accurate guides for conscious life. Pharaohs and kings employed gifted dream interpreters to help make decisions on behalf of their realms. Even the Judeo-Christian Bible offers numerous examples of dreams that informed and guided its characters. Einstein received his theory of relativity in a dream. Many of the world’s great composers first heard their greatest masterpieces in dreams.

In the last century, especially since the work of the great psychoanalytic pioneers Freud and Jung received respect and attention, the field of depth psychology has developed tremendous insight into the efficacy of consistent recording and work with our dreams. Any conscious image that we have of ourselves as individuals is grossly incomplete. There is a vast realm of unconscious material that drives and motivates our perceptions and behaviors, affecting every level of our thought, emotions and health, thereby creating our inner and outer reality. Every dream offers invaluable assistance in making conscious that which is unconscious in our nature, thereby allowing us to consistently alter and improve our everyday life and affairs.

Learning the language of dreams takes attention, application and study – similar to what is required to learn the nuances of any foreign language. But as this language is explored and learned, every individual has the opportunity to discover the deepest truths about himself or herself, the authentic nature where the gold of one’s own individual gifts can be excavated and revealed. Multivalent insight and healing takes place.

I can offer lectures and group sessions working with the dreams of participants in workshops of any length – an evening, day-long, weekend-long or regularly held sessions.