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Article

The Shadow and the Demon: The Psychodynamics of Nightmares

Pages 277-284
Published online: 28 Dec 2017
 
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This article considers the psychodynamics of nightmares and the importance of correctly understanding them as reflecting central, conflictual themes that arise during psychotherapy. A review of the literature demonstrates that the significance of nightmares has been underestimated in transactional analysis. Two types of nightmares are delineated, both of which are described as unconscious forms of communication about script. The first is tied to counterinjunctions and the second to injunctions.

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Author information

Michele Novellino

Michele Novellino is a psychiatrist and a Teaching and Supervising Transactional Analyst (psychotherapy, counseling) who lives and works in Rome. He has authored many books on transactional analysis, the most recent of which is The Transactional Analyst in Action: Clinical Seminars (Karnac). He is the winner of the 2003 Eric Berne Memorial Award and can be reached at .