Series 2, Episode 3: Nightmares are normal (and treatable) with Prof Michael Schredl

Waking in a cold sweat, waking yourself up as you cry out in fear to find yourself in your own bed but still filled with feelings of horror or dread from a disturbing dream – we’ve all had nightmares, and for people who experience them frequently, they can be disruptive and distressing. Enter Prof Michael Schredl of the Central Institute of Mental Health in Mannheim, Germany, who has been spent 30 years in the sleep lab and working with patients and who has researched the efficacy of psychological treatments like Image Rehearsal Therapy (IRT). Michael talks to Dave and Laura about: the difference between nightmares and night terrors causes and factors of nightmare frequency the relationship between waking attitudes and nightmare content how particular images trigger different emotions for individuals but how the basic pattern of a dream gives hints as to what experience is being dramatized in the dream. the difference between idiopathic (not related to real-life experience) and post-traumatic nightmares Image Rehearsal Therapy (IRT), its applications and limitations the important role of self-empowerment in dealing with nightmares By the end, Michael can advise us all to “Have nice dreams – and even if it’s a nightmare, you know what to do.” Appropriately, the Dream of the Week is a nightmare of a plane flying into a wall of water and being crushed in ice. Michael shares his thoughts on how the dreamer might overcome their helplessness and find an active solution to the scenario. Your dreams are fascinating, too! Send a dream to share as the Dream of the Week or for our Dream Lab episodes via the social and website links below.  Mentioned in this episode: Erich Fromm, The Forgotten Language: An Introduction to the Understanding of Dreams, Fairy Tales and Myths Barry Krakow, M.D. and Image Rehearsal Therapy (Krakow and Zadra, 2010)   Let us know what you think, and submit a dream for us to explore on the podcast!  Instagram @thedreamboatpodcast FaceBook @dreamboatpodcast Twitter @dreamboatpod DRI website: driccpe.org.uk/contact  This podcast is a project of the DRI, the centre for dream studies at CCPE, the psychotherapy college overlooking the canals at London’s scenic Little Venice. **Enrolment for the DRI’s 2024 dreams courses starts in September! Keep an eye on @dreamresearchinstitute social media and driccpe.org.uk/courses to find out how to apply** Remember you can join the DRI for just £30 a year currently to access discounted events, courses, newsletters and join in the conversation about dreams. Go to driccpe.org.uk/sign-up to join! Keep dreaming, and keep sharing your dreams!   Credits Recorded by Sophie, Lev and Ella at the Boat Pod https://theboatpod.com  Edited by James Ede at Be Heard https://beheard.org.uk  Podcast Artwork Design by Kat Seager Design   Music: Adventures by A Himitsu https://soundcloud.com/a-himitsu  Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: http://bit.ly/2Pj0MtT Music released by Argofox https://youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQE  Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8