Gestalt dream work

Fritz Perls (1893-1970) was the main influence in an approach to dream work that was not interpretative. Unlike the Freudian or Jungian work that includes a lot of interpretative comment on the part of the analyst, Perls encouraged the dreamer to explore and express their own sense of each character and object in the dream. This developed a sense of personal ability and insight in the dreamer. It enabled the dreamer to arrive at direct perception of how they had unconsciously formed their own dream. The insights into their own behaviour arising from this enabled them to more wisely make decisions about action. It also opened a door of direct experience regarding the enormously potent emotional content of their dreams.