Dreams provide insights and lessons

Go ahead, think I’m weird, but my idea for this article came from a book I saw in a dream. The cover was white with pastel random flowers and one small white chair. The title of the book was, “One Little Chair.”
When I woke up the image was so vivid that I wondered if it was a child’s book I was supposed to write. That was a fun thought. I Googled the title to see if it was a published book. It wasn’t. Since I had an article due for my column, Mental Matters, I decided to share two varied thoughts about my dream.

In my therapy office I always have a small child’s chair. It is blue. It is used for clients to sit on when s/he believes something that is not true; something that interferes with adult thinking. For example: Joe sidesteps contact with his ex-wife because he gets extreme anxiety whenever she is present. His avoidance interferes with his desire and ability to share parenting responsibilities.

As he sits in the “little chair” in my office we can identify what he is telling himself. It could be, “I am not a man”, or, “I am a failure”, or, “I am worthless.” None of which are true. It could more likely be that he is afraid of her, or that he is overly sensitive to her words and actions. The former is not true and can be very disturbing. The latter is true, and can be successfully managed.

The little chair helps to pinpoint the truth.

Primarily, the little white chair in my dream was a metaphor of each of us: We are basically alone, strong, stable, and cast shadows on the world around us. We have a finish that reflects who we are. We choose to face the world head-on, backwards, or slanted, and we all have a side that few are privy to see. But, we can provide a resting place, and even though we are vulnerable to problems that come to rest on us, we are still viable and valuable even if we break under the weight. We have all the parts to mend, rebuild and become whole again.

What do you dream about? How are the images relevant?

Until the next time: Live while you live