Nightmares
Dreams with intense fear that wake you and stay vivid after waking.
How it shows up
They are more frequent in periods of stress and after trauma. Recurring nightmares are often maintained by the fear of sleep that follows them.
What we do with it in therapy
For recurring nightmares there are effective methods that work by rewriting the ending of the dream while awake. If they persist, they are worth addressing — they aren’t something you simply have to endure.
See also
Homework in therapy
Agreed things you do between sessions — often where most of it happens.
Intrusive thoughts
Sudden, unwanted thoughts that often stand in complete contradiction to the values of the person having them.
Self-image
Your picture of who you are — as distinct from self-confidence, which is the belief that you can do something.
