Structured brief therapy with a focus on dreams or loss for clients with troubling dreams and recent loss

The authors tested whether a focus on dreams added something specific to th e therapy process beyond the structure of a 3-stage approach. Fourteen dist ressed clients with troubling dreams and recent loss of a loved one partici pated in brief structured therapy focused on dreams or loss, After therapy, clients in both conditions reported being satisfied with therapy having lo wered impact of the loss, gaining new insights about themselves, and. havin g made changes. In addition, clients in the dream condition rated the proce ss of therapy higher, became involved in the therapeutic process more quick ly, gained more understanding of their dreams, liked the structure of thera py more, and kept fewer secrets from their therapists than clients in the l oss condition. In contrast, clients in the loss condition gained more insig ht about the effects of the past and their loss and liked therapist guidanc e more than clients in the dream condition.