Ernst Hans Juerg Meier

Practice for Psychotherapy and Hypnosis Therapy, Switzerland

Title: Dreams and Dreamwork - Impulses from Psychology, Spirituality, Mysticism and Tradition for a Culture of Change and Empowerment in Mental Health and Therapy

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Biography

Ernst Hans-Juerg Meier, MSc, MA is a Swiss psychologist, psychological psychotherapist, and emergency psychologist with an extensive background in prevention, crisis intervention, and cross-cultural education. He earned a Master of Arts in Languages from Mississippi State University in 1977, reflecting an early academic focus on communication and intercultural understanding. He later pursued advanced studies in psychology, completing a Master of Science in Psychology with a specialization in social and preventive medicine at the University of Zurich in 1996. In 1997, he broadened his international academic experience during a sabbatical at the University of Queensland, Australia.

Abstract

Dreaming is a universal human phenomenon that has accompanied the development of cultures, religions, and healing traditions throughout history. Across civilizations, dreams have served as sources of meaning, guidance, and transformation, while contemporary psychology and psychiatry increasingly recognize their role in emotional regulation, memory integration, and meaning-making processes.

This presentation offers an integrative exploration of dreams and dreamwork as resources for change and empowerment in mental health and psychotherapy. It combines historical perspectives with contemporary clinical practice, drawing on psychology, psychiatry, spirituality, mysticism, and cultural traditions. Historical examples include ancient Greek dream traditions such as temple healing sleep and philosophical symbolism (e.g., the ‚Ladder of Love’ in Plato’s Symposium), biblical dream narratives (including the dreams of Joseph and kings in the Old and New Testament), early scientific discovery dreams, and Alpine peasant dream culture in Europe. These traditions are presented as early models of symbolic, relational, and meaning-oriented dream understanding.

In dialogue with these perspectives, the presentation illustrates contemporary clinical approaches to dreamwork through examples of nightmare dreams, trauma-related dreams, spiritually meaningful dreams, and lucid dreams, drawn from psychiatric and psychotherapeutic practice like ‚Hypnosis and ‚Resource Therapy‘.

The goals of the presentation are to enable participants to understand the historical development of dream concepts, gain insight into the psychological functioning of dreams, and learn how dreamwork can be applied in professional contexts and personal life. Dreams are presented as clinically relevant processes supporting emotional integration, resilience, and empowerment within a holistic culture of mental health and therapy.