Q&A for How to Have the Dreams You Want

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  • Question
    Can you go into other people's dreams?
    Klare Heston, LCSW
    Licensed Social Worker
    Klare Heston is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker based in Cleveland, Ohio. With experience in academic counseling and clinical supervision, Klare received her Master of Social Work from the Virginia Commonwealth University in 1983. She also holds a 2-Year Post-Graduate Certificate from the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland, as well as certification in Family Therapy, Supervision, Mediation, and Trauma Recovery and Treatment (EMDR).
    Licensed Social Worker
    Expert Answer
    Sometimes when you are very close to someone you can have related or similar dreams. This might be more likely to happen if you talk about your dreams or share your dream journals.
  • Question
    How do you trigger a lucid dream?
    Klare Heston, LCSW
    Licensed Social Worker
    Klare Heston is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker based in Cleveland, Ohio. With experience in academic counseling and clinical supervision, Klare received her Master of Social Work from the Virginia Commonwealth University in 1983. She also holds a 2-Year Post-Graduate Certificate from the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland, as well as certification in Family Therapy, Supervision, Mediation, and Trauma Recovery and Treatment (EMDR).
    Licensed Social Worker
    Expert Answer
    You can trigger a lucid dream by having a relaxing bedtime ritual—including meditation. You can also visualize what you want to dream about—for example, calmness, a nature scene, or a particular accomplishment.
  • Question
    Can you control what you dream about?
    Klare Heston, LCSW
    Licensed Social Worker
    Klare Heston is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker based in Cleveland, Ohio. With experience in academic counseling and clinical supervision, Klare received her Master of Social Work from the Virginia Commonwealth University in 1983. She also holds a 2-Year Post-Graduate Certificate from the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland, as well as certification in Family Therapy, Supervision, Mediation, and Trauma Recovery and Treatment (EMDR).
    Licensed Social Worker
    Expert Answer
    Control might be too strong a word, perhaps influence or shape might be more accurate. You can develop a relaxing bedtime routine, get the right number of hours of sleep that you personally need (7-9 hours), and avoid stress, sugar, drugs, and alcohol prior to going to bed.
  • Question
    Can you use lavender scented oils to help you sleep and dream better?
    Klare Heston, LCSW
    Licensed Social Worker
    Klare Heston is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker based in Cleveland, Ohio. With experience in academic counseling and clinical supervision, Klare received her Master of Social Work from the Virginia Commonwealth University in 1983. She also holds a 2-Year Post-Graduate Certificate from the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland, as well as certification in Family Therapy, Supervision, Mediation, and Trauma Recovery and Treatment (EMDR).
    Licensed Social Worker
    Expert Answer
    Different oils work better for different people. Lavender is certainly one you can try. Get some vials of several oils and see which one works better for you. You can also do some reading online, or ask for assistance in your health food or toiletry store.
  • Question
    I had a lucid dream once, but I can't seem to have another one. What can I do?
    Klare Heston, LCSW
    Licensed Social Worker
    Klare Heston is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker based in Cleveland, Ohio. With experience in academic counseling and clinical supervision, Klare received her Master of Social Work from the Virginia Commonwealth University in 1983. She also holds a 2-Year Post-Graduate Certificate from the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland, as well as certification in Family Therapy, Supervision, Mediation, and Trauma Recovery and Treatment (EMDR).
    Licensed Social Worker
    Expert Answer
    There are a lot of good ideas in this article on lucid dreaming, so this is a good place to start. You can begin by trying to have a calm bedtime routine, and leaving paper and pen very close to your bed so you can capture images right after you wake up. Good luck!
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