Efficacy of Guided Dreaming in Stress Reduction & Problem Solving: Eleven Mixed-Method Case Studies

Abstract

Background: As mental health demand continues to escalate worldwide from worsening environmental, geopolitical, social, and economic crises, Guided Dreaming is emerging as a new holistic community mental wellness practice for stress reduction and problem-solving. The author created Guided Dreaming based on waking dreams during the pandemic of a shapeshifting underwater octopus, combined with modern dream science, psychology, and dreamwork. It engages cognitive and emotional functioning to facilitate a safe and supportive waking dream experience unique to each participant, transforming their problems and negative emotions into self-awareness, self-efficacy, and solutions. With its online and large group delivery options, Guided Dreaming is easy to access for underserved individuals and communities to overcome pressing challenges and foster long-term mental resilience.

Objective: This research aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Guided Dreaming in reducing stress and solving problems for diverse adult populations and explain its transformative capability.

Methods: Eleven self-selected adult volunteers from diverse backgrounds completed an online survey of 15 quantitative and qualitative questions after a single Guided Dreaming workshop. They provided phenomenological data on their problems, waking dreams with self-determined meanings, insights, and solutions, quantifiable subjective mental changes, and demographics.

Results: All 11 subjects had vivid waking dreams featuring bodily sensations, unique dream symbols, and positive emotions. Ten subjects reported feeling safe and less stressed. On average, the subjects’ self-assessed mental outlook improved by 36% (from 57.8±17.7 to 78.9±23; p = .00067; Cohen’s d effect size = 1.03). Six of the 11 subjects found Guided Dreaming definitely and four somewhat provided insights into solving their problems. Detailed case studies reveal that Guided Dreaming generated unique dream symbols that resonated with each subject and served as catalysts for individual meaning-making and transformation.

Conclusions: This evidence-based research has demonstrated that Guided Dreaming is a safe and effective mental practice that reduces stress, helps solve problems, and improves well-being. Larger, more in-depth, and longitudinal studies are recommended.