The Dark Aspect
of Healing Dreams
Laurel McCabe, PhD, is
Chair of the Psychology Department at Sonoma State University, and
Coordinator of SSU’s Depth Psychology Master’s Program, which
focuses on Jungian and depth psychological approaches to
understanding the psyche, dreams, and the earth. She is also a
current Board member of IASD.
Abstract
This presentation offers
theoretical reflections, based on quantitative study, regarding
the psychological aspects of dark or disturbing healing dreams.
The results of the presenter’s quantitative and qualitative
studies into dark or disturbing healing dreams are summarized. The
dark or disturbing healing dream is defined as a dream which
stands out in the dreamer’s dream experience; which is memorable
and which commands attention; and which to the dreamer’s mind
provided/provides an extra-ordinary and disturbing view into one’s
health, well-being, or development. Types of dark or disturbing
healing dreams; timing in life-stage development; emotional
responses; and consequences of the dream are summarized.
Theoretical reflections drawn from Jungian psychology, trauma
theory, religion, anthropology, and alchemy are discussed. The
dark aspect of the healing self is offered as an often-neglected
constituent of the numinous light-filled experience of the healing
self encountered in dreams.
