Working with Nightmares in Psychotherapy
Early bird
Save $15 — register before Sept 1, 2026
Live in-person workshop · APA-approved CE
Clinical Approaches, Somatic Grounding & Treatment Applications
with Stephen Aizenstat, Ph.D. founding president of Pacifica Graduate Institute
6 CE hours · APA-approved
Introductory · no prerequisites
Fri, Oct 2, 2026
9 AM – 4 PM PT
DoubleTree Monrovia, CA
Description
About this workshop
Reading the language of nightmares
Nightmares can offer real insight into emotional distress, trauma, and underlying psychological processes.
This workshop shows how clinicians work with nightmare content in psychotherapy — distinguishing nightmares from night terrors, linking dream imagery to current symptoms, and helping clients safely engage distressing dreams to reduce fear. Somatic grounding techniques support emotional regulation, with current research woven throughout to keep the approach evidence-based.
Learning objectives
What you’ll learn
- Identify at least one way nightmare imagery can mirror or reflect a client’s current mental health symptoms.
- Describe at least one somatic or grounding technique that helps clients connect with internal resources when processing distressing dreams.
- Summarize at least three examples of current research on nightmares and dream work, and discuss their relevance to clinical practice.
6 CE hours
Workshop agenda
Introduction to nightmares and sleep
Sleep stages and dream formation, prevalence and clinical impact, nightmares vs. night terrors.
Nightmares and mental health symptoms
Links to anxiety, trauma, and mood disorders, and how imagery mirrors current symptoms.
15 min break — not included in CE credit
Research on nightmares and dream work
Current literature and its relevance to clinical practice.
Understanding nightmare content in clinical settings
Common themes and clinical approaches to distressing dreams.
Somatic grounding techniques for nightmare distress
Physiological responses to fear, and grounding strategies for internal resourcing.
Clinical application and case discussion
Integrating nightmare-focused interventions into psychotherapy, with case examples.
Your presenter
Stephen Aizenstat, Ph.D.
Stephen Aizenstat, Ph.D.
Clinical Psychology #PSY 12256 · LMFT #6866 · APA 7387-5626
A psychologist, author, and educator known for his work in dream studies, Dr. Aizenstat is the founding president of Pacifica Graduate Institute. He has lectured internationally on the role of dreams in psychological process, with decades of experience researching dream content and its relationship to emotional experience.
Continuing education
Earning your CE credit
You’ll receive your CE certificate after the workshop — just sign in when you arrive, sign out when you leave, and complete a short evaluation.
Venue & arrival
Before you come
Friday, October 2, 2026 · 9 AM – 4 PM PT
DoubleTree by Hilton Monrovia — Pasadena Area
924 W Huntington Dr, Monrovia, CA 91016
Doors open 8:30 AM · sign-in required for CE credit
Photo ID and license number
Diversity & cultural responsiveness
An inclusive approach to dream work
Dreams and nightmares are shaped by cultural background, lived experience, and individual belief. This workshop approaches dream content with cultural humility and emphasizes culturally responsive, client-centered care throughout.
Research & references
Grounded in the literature
Albanese et al. (2022) · Frontiers in Psychiatry
Cividini-Motta & Paiva (2021) · Frontiers in Psychology
Galovski et al. (2022) · Journal of Traumatic Stress
Gill et al. (2023) · BMC Psychiatry
Sheaves et al. (2023) · Sleep Medicine Reviews
Zhang et al. (2022) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews
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