In conclusion, during dreams, unacceptable desires, which are regularly associated with childhood desires (in the past), try to be fulfilled. The desires never disappear but remain active but well hidden in the darkness of the day, but are revealed in full light during the night.
 

The diverse individual stimuli that appear in the dream constitute a clear message for the dreamer to awaken, to appropriate the visions of his dream, and to shape a new gestalt of himself (in the present) by means of creative transformation.

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The present method is based on the classical (S. Freud), the gestalt (F. Perls) and the innovative organismic (W. Reich, C. Lubrano Kottula) interpretation of a dream.

 

According to the latter theory, the energy movements related to early desires and psychic conflicts are enclosed within our muscular system in the form of a bodily memory. Therefore, the physical approach encourages the analysand to imitate the movements and actions he experienced in his dream (physical gestures, physical postures, facial expressions). This approach goes beyond and completes the classical method of free association. In this way, the analysand will encounter his muscular armor. Thus, one can evade the unfortunate fact that a premature verbal interpretation without emotional physical involvement may be accepted mentally, but not bodily, that is, with the involvement of intense emotions.

 

Taking advantage of both verbal associative interpretation and active bodily interpretation, the present approach changes perspective and replaces speech with image in 5 different representational forms as below:

 

1. Portraits of the analysand and the analyst (with the aim of identifying transference and 

    countertransference dynamics).

     Visual medium: graphite on paper, dimensions 21x27cm, on cardboard,number: 7 + 7 pieces.

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2. Sketches of the general narrative (persons, objects, environments) of the dream in the form of a

    short representative drawing

    Visual medium: graphite on paper, dimensions 21x27cm, on cardboard, number: 40 pieces.

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3. Condensation of the sketches into symbols ( L. Bion’s Α-conceptualizations)  of central incidents/

    key points of the dream (e.g. moments of high emotion, surprise, etc.).

     Visual medium: digital drawing, color print, dimensions 8x8cm, on cardboard, number: 30 pieces.

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4. Story Board of the dream scenario (L. Bion's Soul Theatre) involving all key symbols and proposing

    alternations in the linearity and outcome of the dream.

    Visual medium: digital drawing, color print, dimensions 20x40cm, on cardboard, number: apprx. 5  pieces.

 

5. Interactive video animation   with focus on the rhythm of the dream, depicting the emotional    

    diagram of the intense and calm scenes which are incorporated within a living cell (W.Reich's

    notion contraction and expansion of the human psyche).

    Visual medium: digital 3D/flash moving image on a screen, duration approximately 2-3 minutes.

 

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The visual artwork as well as the analytical procedure are completed after three meetings/sessions, which are recorded with audiovisual material and last one hour. The interval between the sessions consists of approximately 10 days, so that the visual therapist has a reasonable amount of time at his disposal to create the various dream images with regard to the 5 above structural levels of analysis. In each meeting the client/analysand can reject the content of some representations either from an aesthetic or conceptual point of view and propose alternative images. And the visual analyst reserves the right to therapeutically exploit this fact.

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In practice, this methodology is like a group art work in progress. By the end of  the third meeting and after a short period of time, the Visual-Organismic Dream Analysis, consisting of a multitude of individual images and a video animation with a specific order and placement within the installation, is delivered to the analyzed client. It is noteworthy that each of the individual artworks can be removed from the whole and viewed separately although the whole exceeds the sum of its parts.

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The purpose and desired result of the entire artistic and therapeutic proposal is, firstly, to bring out all the qualities that characterize a successful work of art within the logic of aesthetic pleasure and revelation of truth. Secondly, the client/analysand should gain a more complete picture of himself, the unconscious conflicts and desires that characterize him and transform into a new gestalt. In other words, to feel happier (katharsis) and experience some sense of uncanniness.