Next month at East China Normal University the psychological counseling centre will open the first dream workshop in Shanghai to help students analyze their dreams and deal with hidden psychological difficulties.  

 

The workshop will allow students to share their most recent or impressive dreams with their peers and professional counselors who'll help to interpret the visions according to the dream analysis theory developed by Dutch psychologist Robert Bosnat.

 

"Dreams are believed to be a reflection of one's subconscious," said Zhang Ya, a center consultant. "Helping students bring their dreams to the conscious level has proved to be a scientific method to help people realize their hidden problems."

 

For instance a student may have a dream about a rocket suddenly losing power just seconds after lifting off. That's a typical dream for someone feeling their strength is falling short of what they require, analysts say.  

 

"But we won't focus too much on individual dream interpretation itself," Zhang said. "The importance lies in having all participants involved and letting them ease their own pressures through the experience of sharing." 

 

Consultants will also take note of any students who demonstrate strong tendencies toward psychological problems in their dreams and schedule individual counseling afterwards, center officials said.

 

The first dream workshop is scheduled for next month. It'll be open to all the university students for two hours each week. While some students say they don't fully believe in dream interpretation others say they are interested in the opportunity.

 

"Interpreting dreams to detect psychological problems sounds like something abstract but it's interesting and makes me feel less awkward about turning to a psychological counselor," said Zhao Wenchao, a local college student.

 

(Shanghai Daily November 27, 2006)