Background: The significance of dreams has been explained in psychoanalysis, depth psychology
and gestalt therapy. There are many guidelines in analytic psychology for dream interpretation and
integration in clinical practice. The present study, based on the Jungian analytic model, incorporated
dreams as an instrument for assessment of aetiology, the psychotherapy process and the outcome of
treatment for social phobia within a clinical case study.
Method: This case study describes the use of dream analysis in treating a female youth with
social phobia.
Results: The present findings supported the three stage paradigm efficiency in the Jungian
model for dream working within a clinical setting, i.e. written details, reassembly with amplification
and assimilation. It was indicated that childhood and infantile traumatic events, psychosexual
development malfunctions, and inefficient coping skills for solving current life events were expressed
in the patient’s dreams.
Conclusion: Dreams can reflect a patient’s aetiology, needs, illness prognosis and psychotherapy
outcome. Dreams are an instrument for the diagnosis, research and treatment of mental disturbances
in a clinical setting.
