... dream analysis workshop / dreamwork in the philippines ... (life coach, counselor, psychotherapist, clinical psychologist, psychiatrist, quezon city, manila, philippines)

facilitating this workshop relived in me vivid memories of my wonderful stay in kerala, india way back in 2004.  why, you might ask?  well, in this workshop, participants were mostly indian nationals doing their graduate studies in clinical psychology.  

as a clinical psychologist and psychotherapist, i always make sure to work on my clients' dreams whenever they're brought up.  dream analysis is sort of like a game for me, wherein i help my clients decode the personal meaning of their dreams.  i always get a kick out of witnessing their 'aha' moment as the meaning of their dream dawns on them.  

as shown below, we did a lot of fun dreamwork activities:

by the way, i identify myself as a dream analyst and NOT a dream interpreter.  a dream interpreter interprets dreams for the dreamer.  a dream analyst, on the other hand, assists the dreamer in interpreting his/ her own dream.  a dream analyst therefore shuns dream dictionaries, knowing that each symbol in a dream has personal meaning which only the dreamer knows.    

this dream analysis workshop ended with a cultural show which i so much enjoyed that it made me dream of going back to india someday, and hopefully, soon! 

nighty night and sweet dreams everyone!

... touch psychotherapy, psychiatric acupuncture, and tarot card psychotherapy at the psychological association of the philippines PAP 2012 convention ... (life coach, counselor, psychotherapist, psychologist, psychiatrist, quezon city, manila, philippines)

the last time i attended a convention of the psychological association of the philippines (PAP) was almost a decade ago, to do a workshop where i taught an arnis (filipino stick-fighting) routine which could be used for emotional growth and healing.  i remember that workshop to be attended by around a hundred participants who had fun practicing the arnis sequence on each other using rolled-up newspapers instead of actual wooden sticks.  

this time, my purpose in attending the 3-day PAP convention at the cebu waterfront lahug hotel was to man the booth of life change recovery center (LCRC) and distribute flyers.  besides that, I did free 5-minute sessions for anyone interested in experiencing the dellosa approach to touch psychotherapy, psychiatric acupuncture, and tarot card psychotherapy.  lo and behold, the number of PAP participants who lined up for the 5-minute sessions totalled more than a hundred fifty-  almost 50 people per convention day.  

  

the best experience i had was to be of service to my fellow psychologists who felt some degree of physical, emotional, and mental relaxation through their sessions with me.  the next best thing was meeting old friends and making new ones.  

the moment i arrived back in quezon city, the first thing i did was to get a good massage and dine in a fancy restaurant.  now it was my turn to take good care of myself. and by the way, a big hello to all you friends i met at the convention!

... dream analysis / dream interpretation in the philippines ... (life coach, counselor, psychotherapist, psychologist, psychiatrist)

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segment producer japs (far right) and crew interviewed me for drew arellano's GMA TV show "ahaha." the topic was on dreams.

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in the brief interview, i stressed the following points:

• that dreams are best interpreted by the dreamer, rather than by dream interpreters or dream dictionaries.
• that instead of going to a dream interpreter, the person to approach should be a dream analyst or dream psychotherapist. Through special exercises and activities, the dream psychotherapist helps the dreamer discover the personal meaning of the dream.
• that the best dreams to analyze are nightmares, recurrent dreams, childhood dreams, and bizarre/odd dreams.

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after the interview, one of the camera men got a chance to do some dream analysis with me. from the way he was smiling immediately after the mini dream session, it looked liked he enjoyed it.

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... the randy dellosa growth groups ... (philippines, life coach, counselor, psychologist, psychotherapist, psychiatrist)

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The Randy Dellosa Growth Groups

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What is a Growth Group?
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• Growth Groups are small groups composed of 5-8 participants that meet regularly for the purpose of attaining greater self-discovery, personal growth, and life transformation.
• Growth Groups are highly-interactional and highly-experiential.
• Growth Groups may engage in activities such as psychodrama, body and sensory awareness, art/ sound/ and music therapy, dream work, health work, regressive-cathartic work, and others.
• Growth Groups aim for the growth and maturity of the total person. All aspects of the participants' lives-- the emotional, psychological, cognitive, behavioral, physical, relational, and spiritual aspects are addressed.
• The Growth Group is held in an environment that is supportive, safe, nurturing, and confidential.

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Who can benefit from Growth Groups?

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People who are:

• Seeking to be more self-confident and satisfied with themselves
• Seeking to break away from the dysfunctional and self-defeating patterns of their lives
• Undergoing life transitions and needing clearer direction for the future
• Seeking emotional, psychological, cognitive, physical, relational, and spiritual integration, and wholeness
• Seeking to relate with others more authentically and harmoniously
• Pursuing a path of self-discovery, personal growth, and life transformation
• Seeking for deeper purpose, meaning, and joy in life

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Mechanics for joining an Growth Group:

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• A psychological evaluation and one-on-one interview is required for selection of eligible participants.
• Growth group meetings last for 3 hours.
• Each participant must abide by the rules and ethical guidelines of the Growth Group.
• The selected participants will be informed of the schedule for the Growth Group Meetings.

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Some Guidelines for the Growth Group:
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• Participate actively.
• Express yourself.
• Be honest with everyone, including yourself.
• Stay in touch with your feelings.
• Focus on your experience in the here-and-now.
• Take responsibility for your choices.
• Take risks. Get out of your comfort zone.
• Give feedback and be open to feedback.
• Discover your defenses.
• Grow and expect to become a different person.
• Respect confidentiality.

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... dream interpretation in the philippines ... (life coach, counselor, psychotherapist, psychologist, psychiatrist)

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people often consult dream dictionaries or dream interpreters to discover the meaning of their dreams.

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as a dream analyst however, i contend that it is the dreamer alone who can give meaningful interpretation to his own dream. this is because the dreamer subconsciously selects specific characters, objects, places, and scenarios for the dream, and each of these elements in the dream has highly personalized meanings for the dreamer.

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once decoded, the dreamer discovers that the dream is a commentary on a particular life situation, or that the dream has a special message for the dreamer.

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i've found out that the best dreams to work on are (1) recent dreams with emotional content, (2) nightmares, (3) bizarre dreams, (4) recurrent dreams, and (5) dreams from the past that are still vividly remembered.

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just yesterday, i facilitated a dreamwork group composed mostly of medical students from the philippine general hospital (pgh).

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the dream we worked on was a recurrent dream- one of being chased by zombies, and ending with a fatal fall off a cliff.

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the dream was worked on with a gestalt therapy approach, and the participants were deeply immersed in the process.

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in a dreamwork group, even if only one participant's dream is worked on, all participants end up gaining insights for their own lives.

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the subconscious mind is a repository of wisdom and as such, must never be taken for granted. it would do us well to make it a regular practice of decoding our dreams, and heeding its messages which may spur us towards greater personal growth.

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