To the Editor:
Re “Your Dreams Tell You Who You Are,” by Alice Robb (Sunday Review, Nov. 11):
Many patients seek psychotherapy with the goal of gaining a better understanding of themselves. Dreams are a valuable tool for uncovering parts of ourselves of which we are often unaware. Dreams can be a window into the myriad thoughts, feelings and impulses that drive our behavior. Every character in a dream, in addition to representing people in our lives, also always represent parts of our selves.
Dreams can guide us to our parts unknown. Armed with our new knowledge of all our parts, often in conflict with one another, we are now in a position to build upon all that is good about us and to change that which does not serve us well.
Psychotherapy can be an exciting journey of discovery. With dreams as our guide, it can be well worth the trip.
Stephan J. Levitan
New York
The writer is a training and supervising psychoanalyst at the Columbia University Center for Psychoanalytic Training and Research.
Source: Read Full Article