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Dream Consultation InformationInterpretive StyleSince Dr. Van de Castle subscribes to the IASD (International Association for the Study of Dreams) code of ethics, it is his belief that only the dreamer can accurately interpret his or her own dreams. This is because only the dreamer can obtain that sense of inner recognition, that "Aha!" awareness, that comes from considering a possible meaning of some dream element in a certain way and knowing it just feels right. In my role as a "dream consultant", I attempt to offer my reactions to someone else's dream by treating it as if it were my own dream. This is the well-known technique pioneered by Dr. Montague Ullman. The "if it were my dream" approach makes it clear that any comments about the dream refer only to the consultant's dynamics, and not to those of the dreamer. This eliminates any need for the dreamer to become defensive or threatened by the consultant's comments, because nothing the consultant has said is considered to be a direct or correct interpretation of the dreamer's dynamics. If what the consultant has said leads to a sense of connection between the consultant's remarks and something that " clicks" inside the dreamer which feels right, then the dreamer may be in a position to accept some new awareness or insight that had not been there previously, because that new awareness now resonates with the dreamer. So beware of any dream "authority" who begins by dogmatically telling you: "Your dream means that you...." | |
Providing Dream ReportsTo have a more reliable basis for considering your dreams, I am requesting that you supply two dream reports . You can't determine what a line looks like from a single dot, but with two dots available, it is possible to detect the angle and length of the line. Similarly with two dream reports available, hints of consistent themes and types of dream characters, etc. can possibly be detected. Each dream report should be at least 50 words in length (no upper limit), and at least one of them should be a fairly recent one (within the last 30 days or so). In recounting your dreams, please describe each background setting and whether you were familiar with it. [I was at my favorite beach; I was in some strange foreign looking city]. Describe each character, their relationship to you, the nature of your interaction with them, and anything atypical about their appearance [My boyfriend looked sort of like my father; this stranger approached me and said he had a message for me]. What emotions did you or any other characters feel in your dream? [My boss seemed angry with me, and I became confused and hurt.] What emotions did you experience when you woke up? [My heart was beating fast, and I felt panicky.] Was there anything unusual about the dream that caught your attention? [I seemed to be a child again; I was sitting topless in the restaurant.] Read over your dream and try to identify its most prominent theme, striking quality, or its "essence" and give it a salient title [Handcuffed to a Big Pink Stove; Going Downhill and Discovering My Brakes Don't Work.] What events from the day before your dream left you with a feeling of being upset or confused? [I had been late for work; I couldn't find my cell phone; my husband seemed preoccupied all night.] Forms as they appear below must be completed in order to enable Dr. Van de Castle to obtain some necessary background information before he attempts to comment on your dreams. The completed forms should be sent to: 1225 Sunset Avenue Extended, Charlottesville, VA, 22903 with an enclosed check or money order and a return address. You may be able to download them as a PDF (Portable Data Format) through for PDF. There are three pages. You may also may be able to download them as RTF (Rich Text Format) through for RTF. It would be useful to keep a duplicate copy of what you send, so that you can review that material while listening to Dr. Van de Castle's comments. You will receive a regular audio tape recording (or a micro cassette recording, depending on your choice) that will be approximately one hour in length mailed to the address you have provided. If you find that you are unable to capture the forms at all, please just send an SASE to Dr. Van de Castle with a note asking for a copy of them. Charges for Dream ConsultationThe charge for the approximately one-hour taped individual dream consultation that you will receive is $150.00[USD]. It takes Dr. Van de Castle several hours to carefully and systematically review your dream reports and attempt to integrate your biographical data with your answers to the various projective questions into his comprehensive commentary. This effort to integrate the various items from the Personality Inventory and weave them together with the various elements from the dreams is graphically represented in the mandala shown below, where the pattern of overlapping strands of information is portrayed. Dr. Van de Castle will attempt to explain on your tape what items of information are being connected together to make the various inferences he is making.  Permission has been granted by Henry Reed, Ph.D., to use his August 18, 2005 mandala. Daily Mandala The charge for subsequent consultations involving two dreams not previously commented upon will be $120.00[USD], since Dr. Van de Castle will have some previous experience with your personality /dreaming patterns. These additional taped commentaries will also last approximately an hour. Commentaries will be completed in the order in which they are received. If a significant backlog of requests is received, you will be notified about the estimated time it will take to process your request, so you can determine if you wish to remain on the waiting list.It is also possible to arrange for individual telephone consultation with Dr.Van de Castle regarding your dreams for a charge of $80.00[USD] per hour, if no review of the background information described above is required. Call 434 296 8476 for an appointment.
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