An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the Psychotherapists’ Lived Experience of Dream Analysis in Clinical Practice

Abstract

This study explores psychotherapists’ lived experiences of engaging with dream analysis in clinical practice using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Drawing on in-depth, semi-structured interviews with five experienced clinicians trained in psychodynamic, Lacanian, and Daseinsanalytic approaches, the study examines how differing theoretical orientations shape the understanding, use, and meaning of dreams in psychotherapy. The analysis generated five overarching themes: (1) conceptualisations of the dream as either a lived experience or a theoretical construct; (2) the “tail” of the dream as either bound to significant others and unconscious desire or free from predetermined associations; (3) the role of the analyst as either a facilitator of hidden meaning or an indicator of openness; (4) interpretation as a calling that sustains the analytic process; and (5) the status of the uninterpretable dream as either temporarily deferred or enduringly open. The findings reveal a fundamental divergence between interpretative, theory-driven approaches that prioritise the decoding of latent content and phenomenological–existential perspectives that emphasise openness, non-interpretation, and the irreducibility of the dream experience. The study highlights how these orientations influence not only clinical technique but also the therapeutic relationship and the ontological positioning of both analyst and analysand. It suggests that dream analysis may be understood not solely as a method of uncovering unconscious meaning, but also as an experiential and relational process that invites engagement with ambiguity, alterity, and the limits of interpretation. These findings contribute to qualitative psychotherapy research by foregrounding the experiential and philosophical dimensions of clinical dream work.