Dreaming the research process: a psychotherapeutic contribution to the culture of healthcare research

Abstract

This paper challenges the neglect of psychotherapeutic methods in therapy research and discusses the use of methods arising directly from therapy practice to generate research data. Recent developments in therapy research culture are critiqued in order to contextualise the present contribution. The research design and methodology evolve from the scrutiny of a dream sequence, using Jungian analytic techniques as a means of data analysis. Methods familiar in psychotherapy practice are found to generate data and offer a meta-commentary on the research process, also enabling the researcher to continue a journey of individuation through healing splits between binary opposites of internal and external, psychological and spiritual, research and practice. Stories emerging from one individual's experience may resonate with others and suggest different ways of engaging in reflexive research practices, which can contribute to healing a perceived split between therapy research and practice.

Keywords:

• therapy research
• psychotherapeutic research methods
• Jung
• dream analysis
• reflexive research
• individuation

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the support and advice of Professor Dawn Freshwater, School of Healthcare, University of Leeds, UK and the comments of colleagues who read earlier versions of this paper.

Notes

1. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the BACP Research Conference, 14–15 May 2010, in London.