The Science of Dream Interpretation presents a scientific, historic and psychological account of dream interpretation by introducing the biological and evolutionary foundations of sleep, dreams and dream interpretation. Chapters cover the theory of dream interpretation, the physiological and evolutionary reasons for sleep and dreaming, an overview of the role dreams and dream interpretation throughout history, including the cultural and religious significance of dreams, and how dreams interrupt sleep, including issues of insomnia, sleep walking, and more. The next few sections present influential dream theorists of the 20th century, including a review of their theories (Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, and Fritz Perls). The final section explains how dreams may be used to extract personal meanings and be utilized in psychotherapy, including case examples from actual psychotherapy sessions of the techniques used to interpret dreams. - Presents the evolutionary history of sleep and dreams - Discusses the psychotherapeutic techniques of Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung and Fritz Perls in relation to dream psychology - Reviews the historical and cultural significance of sleep and dreams - Examines common and uncommon sleep and dream problems such as insomnia, sleep walking and REM sleep disorder - Includes actual case examples from psychotherapy sessions

This is a new release of the original 1962 edition.

"A truly comprehensive, scientifically rigorous and utterly fascinating account of when, how, and why we dream. Put simply, When Brains Dream is the essential guide to dreaming." —Matthew Walker, author of Why We Sleep Questions on the origins and meaning of dreams are as old as humankind, and as confounding and exciting today as when nineteenth-century scientists first attempted to unravel them. Why do we dream? Do dreams hold psychological meaning or are they merely the reflection of random brain activity? What purpose do dreams serve? When Brains Dream addresses these core questions about dreams while illuminating the most up-to-date science in the field. Written by two world-renowned sleep and dream researchers, it debunks common myths that we only dream in REM sleep, for example—while acknowledging the mysteries that persist around both the science and experience of dreaming. Antonio Zadra and Robert Stickgold bring together state-of-the-art neuroscientific ideas and findings to propose a new and innovative model of dream function called NEXTUP—Network Exploration to Understand Possibilities. By detailing this model’s workings, they help readers understand key features of several types of dreams, from prophetic dreams to nightmares and lucid dreams. When Brains Dream reveals recent discoveries about the sleeping brain and the many ways in which dreams are psychologically, and neurologically, meaningful experiences; explores a host of dream-related disorders; and explains how dreams can facilitate creativity and be a source of personal insight. Making an eloquent and engaging case for why the human brain needs to dream, When Brains Dream offers compelling answers to age-old questions about the mysteries of sleep.

"Sleep is one of the most important but least understood aspects of our life, wellness, and longevity ... An explosion of scientific discoveries in the last twenty years has shed new light on this fundamental aspect of our lives. Now ... neuroscientist and sleep expert Matthew Walker gives us a new understanding of the vital importance of sleep and dreaming"--Amazon.com.

This inspiring new book covers the practical side of dream interpretation during the therapeutic consultation. It aids the understanding of sleep and dreams in a scientific context and provides and introduction to the biological and evolutionary foundations of sleep, dreams and dream interpretation, supporting its use in professional counselling. "Dream Interpretation as a Psychotherapeutic Technique" covers cultural, historical and religious foundations of dreams and dream interpretation, and gives an overview of the various dream interpretation theories. Psychotherapists and psychiatrists with an interest in dream interpretation will find this guide invaluable. It will also be of great interest to psychologists, counsellors, therapists and general readers. 'Excellent and very accessible, helpful, useful and flexible. I would recommend this book to any student or beginning therapist interested in working with dreams.' - Ernest Hartmann, in the Foreword. 'This is an essential book on sleep, dreams, and dream interpretation. It will reawaken dream interpretation in clinical practice as a pragmatic tool for client self-awareness.' - T Gayle Yamazki. 'A life-long student of dreams brings decades of research and practice to bear in this scholarly and fascinating work. Coolidge reveals ancient writings, the influence of human evolution on our dream life, and the latest scientific insights. In the tradition of Freud, Jung, and Perls, he uses disarming personal examples, as well as those of his subjects to teach principles of dream interpretation. The practical steps he has developed quickly enrich the therapy process.' - Michael Galvin.

The Freudian claim that dreams are meaningful and that their meanings can be discovered through dream interpretation has in recent times come under harsh attack from both scientific and hermeneutic-psychoanalytic circles. In a forceful response to these critiques, Rachel Blass demonstrates that while Freud and his followers have thus far failed to provide adequate justification for his dream theory, such justification may now be found through an alternate and legitimate—yet neglected—route, one that establishes both scientifically and philosophically the relationship between the self of the dreamer and that of the awake individual. The implications of this argument are both practical and theoretical: by providing sorely absent scientific and philosophical grounding to the very foundations of dream interpretation, the book clarifies and broadens the possibilities of dream interpretation within the clinical setting, and breaks new ground in the field of psychoanalytic epistemology and the philosophy of the human sciences.