Dream Portrait: A Study of Nineteen Sequential Dreams As Indicators of Pretermination

Dream Portrait is the story of nineteen sequential dreams in the analysis of Dr. Bond's patient, John Henry Jones, and how they led to the termination of his analysis. The dreams are analyzed in terms of improved ego functioning, superego modification, improved object relations, and movement in the transference. These dreams, which led to the successful termination of the analysis, prompted the authors to postulate a pretermination phase of analysis, by which analysts can be helped to predict more scientifically the approach of the termination phase. Freud spoke of analysis as being like a chess game in that only the opening and closing moves can be taught. The book teaches one more move in the analytic chess game.
The authors further postulate that the success of the pretermination phase can be assessed by applying valid principles of dream interpretation. The steps outlined in this book will enable psychoanalysts to avoid unnecessarily protracted analyses in some cases and premature termination in others.
To the authors' knowledge, nineteen sequential dreams never before have been recorded in the literature. The book presents convincing evidence of the greater value of sequential dreams beyond that of the single dream for analysis. Dream Portrait offers a veritable course in dream analysis for students and a new finesse in the art of dream interpretation for experienced analysts.

All therapists interested in dream interpretation will find this work theoretically sophisticated, convincing in its description of the therapeutic outcome, and clinically useful.

This intriguing book presents 19 sequential dreams of one of the author's clients. These dreams are interpreted and analyzed in terms of improved ego functioning, superego modification, movement in transference, and improved object relations. The authors postulate that readiness for termination begins in dream three, and they illuminate features of subsequent dreams that validate this conclusion. ...the volume is focused directly on the client, his dreams, the analysis of the dreams, and the indicators of pretermination they contain.