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Why you should train yourself to lucid dream, according to a psychotherapist
With the caveat that some people might find lucid dreaming unsettling or challenging, a psychotherapist The Focus regularly turns to has some astonishing things to say about the potential therapeutic benefits of the practice.�
Kristie Tse is deeply engaged in the cognitive exploration of lucid dreaming, and says it can confer unique cognitive benefits upon those that practice it. Whether you suffer from anxiety or just want increased self-awareness and emotional regulation, training yourself to lucid dream might bring you a step closer to enlightenment.�
Psychotherapist explains the benefits of lucid dreaming
In her practice, and as a psychotherapist who has delved into the realm of lucid dreaming, Kristie Tse says it has great potential to foster personal growth through its unique cognitive benefits.
Lucid dreaming, for those less familiar with the term, is when you know that you are dreaming, while you dream. Its a form of metacognition, where youre aware of your awareness.�
Shes witnessed first-hand the positive changes it has brought her clients. These include improved emotional regulation and increased self-awareness.
For anxiety-prone or unconfident people, such as those who suffer from social anxiety disorder, it can offer a safe space to explore and experiment with emotional responses to unfamiliar social and sensory stimuli.
Boost focus, confidence, creativity, and self-awareness
Catching yourself in a dream and being conscious about it bolsters focus and instills confidence to address real-life challenges,” Kristie claims, “making it a remarkable skill to cultivate.�
I believe it offers unique benefits, she says. Lucid dreaming can enhance cognitive flexibility and emotional insight. It does so by giving practitioners a safe, introspective space in which to experiment with varied emotional and problem-solving scenarios.
In turn, this encourages creativity and self-awareness. Shes seen her clients gain confidence by training themselves to lucid dream, and find themselves able to tackle challenges both within their dreams and in waking life.
If you reach a point where you stop being completely sure whether or not youre awake enter Leonardo DiCaprio & co. try this easy elastic band test to find out if youre fully conscious or not.�
A friend of mine once recommended turning the lights on and off. If you’re dreaming, there’s a good chance the lightbulbs will respond in a way that’s inconsistent with your understanding of reality.
Reality? What’s that?
How to develop the skill of lucid dreaming
The two habits Kristie identifies as fundamental to any process of lucid dreaming training are:
- Reality testing
- Keeping a dream journal
The elastic band test is an example of reality testing. The idea is that you get into a habit of questioning whether or not youre dreaming during the day. Once this habit is sufficiently rooted, youll find yourself doing it in your sleep. Thats when your chosen reality test will reveal that youre sleeping. Thats when you start lucid dreaming.
Keeping a dream journal is an interesting exercise even if youre not working towards being able to lucid dream. It boosts the ability to recall dreams and makes us more aware of our subconscious in a general way.�
The Lucid Guide writes that a dream journal is a core component, a fundamental, of lucid dream practice. It acts as a personal map of the dream world and is an indispensable tool that every lucid dreamer should possess.
I’ve observed the mental health benefits of lucid dreaming in practice, Kristie says. It often enhances problem-solving abilities and provides new perspectives for clients wrestling with complex emotions or situations.�
The cognitive challenge of recognizing and navigating the dream world fosters creativity and introspection, making it a fascinating avenue to explore within therapeutic settings.
Kristie Tse is the founder of Uncover Mental Health Counselling.�
