Dream analyst

It’s a conversation stopper, momentarily. “I’m a dream analyst,” I say, when asked what I do, and I see eyes widen, minds ticking over.

“Did she say dream analyst? Or was it team analyst, some kind of HR job or competitive sports role? Or cream analyst, maybe she works for a dairy company.”

Or, as a recent news article about the meaning of common dream themes said, “We spoke to Brisbane dream analyst (yes, that’s a job title) Jane Teresa Anderson”.

I might say I’m a dream interpreter, or dream therapist, and while these are also apt descriptions of what I do, it’s the process of deeply analysing a dream that sheds light on the dreamer’s unconscious mind.

From that point, I can interpret the dream, which means translating the bizarre and surreal dream into a language that is meaningful and helpful to the dreamer, or I can work with the dreamer at a therapeutic level to address issues revealed by the analysis of the dream.

As a writer I chuckle at the tangle of words as I work to interpret what I do into everyday language.

Mine is a niche profession, and yet why?

We all dream, and most of us are curious about why we dream and whether our dreams are meaningful.

Those of us who move beyond curiosity and discover the rich, deep personal insight our dreams can bring on a nightly basis, know that dreams are not only meaningful but practically helpful on every level: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Understanding yourself – the way your conscious and unconscious mind, your heart, and spirit tick – gifts opportunities for growth and change.

I remember the moment I realised that I could reach out to help more people to understand their dreams if I had a website. It was back in 1998, and I figured that having a website would mean being able to help people beyond my Brisbane clients, as well as somehow educate about dreams on a wider level. This was just before my third book came out, and I had a vision of having my web address on the back cover of the book. I checked with Random House, my then publisher, and they agreed. The decision was made, and all I had to do was find out how on earth to get a website up and going in those long ago early days of the mysterious internet. That first website went live 18 years ago next month.

Little did I know at the time the enormity of the task ahead of me, and where it would lead, but here I am, still loving every moment of my dream job as a dream analyst and writer.

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