Counselling with a profoundly deaf client and the impact of a therapist's dream: A case study

Abstract

This case study explores the experience of one client participating in a project evaluating the use of dreams in short-term counselling within the National Health Service. The client received 24 sessions of counselling and completed a post-counselling semi-structured questionnaire. This was followed by a semi-structured interview, which confirmed the internal coherence within the participant's narrative and allowed a more detailed exploration of her experiences, supported by process notes. Supervision challenged the therapist's preconceptions and held her in her uncertainty until the work was aided by a dream that the therapist had of the client.

Keywords:

• Dream
• dream-work
• case study
• profoundly deaf
• reflexivity
• primary care

Acknowledgements

Thank you to Elaine for allowing me to tell our story, and to Professor Dawn Freshwater for the sound, sensitive support provided in the alchemical flask of supervision.