Freud believed that dreams are the “royal road to the unconscious”, for it is within an individual’s dream state that their unconscious wishes, needs, and fears are expressed (Corey, 2005, p. 76). Dedicating his work to creating a procedure which could assist with the emergence of unconscious thoughts into the conscious mind, Freud developed psychoanalytical therapy: a therapy aimed at increasing awareness, encouraging insight into the client’s behaviour, and understanding the significance of symbols (Corey, 2005). Using Freud’s psychoanalytic theory on dream analysis, this reflective essay endeavours to analyse a personal dream. The purpose of this analysis is to offer an interpretation in to any emotional issues that I may be
Help me. I need you. I want you. Mum. Where are you? Help me. Please. Why won’t you help me? Mum, where are you. Once the latent content has been extracted through free association, an understanding of it can be explained through the process of ‘dream work’ (Tate Angel, 1999). Wilson (2005) claims that dream work is the process by which latent content transforms into manifest content through condensation, displacement, symbolism, or secondary vision. In my dream, it appears to have taken place primarily through displacement and symbolism (Wilson, 2005). That is, displacement is when true (latent) emotion or desire regarding a person, is transferred onto an unrelated object or symbol, in the manifest dream (Tate Angel, 1999). For example, in my dream the latent emotions I possess towards my father were transformed into the manifest of my ex. And likewise, the latent yearning I posses for my mother, was transformed into the manifest of my partner. Furthermore, the manifest of my partner appears also to represent my day residue, as the day prior to my dream I was feeling down due to the lack of intimacy between him and I. Symbolism is where complex concepts (latent) convert into a less invasive object (Tate Angel, 1999). Freud believed that because most dream symbols (symbolism) are sexual in meaning, a more appropriate object is created to avoid the dreamer from waking disturbed (Wilson, 2005). For example, a box, chest or suitcase, would represent