V. J. S. Costa , A. Maurin Souvignet , L. Lafraia , P. Castanho
{"title":"Pas un rêve de vous, mais un rêve pour vous","authors":"V. J. S. Costa , A. Maurin Souvignet , L. Lafraia , P. Castanho","doi":"10.1016/j.inan.2025.100512","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Within the framework of contemporary psychoanalysis, particularly an “expanded psychoanalysis,” we follow René Kaës proposition that dreams occur within a polyphonic network of interdiscursivity. Based on this theoretical perspective, we implemented a device called “Group Dreaming” with elderly participants. To overcome the resistances encountered, we progressively supported an operative group (a device inspired by Pichon-Rivière), centered on the following task: “Reflecting on how dreams can help us understand both the inner world and the outer world.” This group took place in a residential care facility for dependent elderly persons over five weekly sessions.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>The analysis method used is qualitative and is based on the “construction of cases” as proposed by Pierre Fédida. This construction follows four steps: the enigma that arises in the analyst's mind, clinical work, supervision, and the production of metapsychology. In this case, the enigma includes the questions that guided the research: “Is it possible to dream knowing that we have little time left to live?”.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>The aim of this article is to gain a better understanding of the status of dreams and the ability to dream in elderly individuals. However, this study is part of a broader project aimed at re-examining the role of dreams within psychoanalytic theory, as well as in group and contemporary social clinics.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Consistent with our previous clinical experiences and René Kaës work, our clinical observations confirm the dual status of subjects, who are always both group subjects and singular subjects. In particular, the data collected reveals that at the end of life, the ability to dream can be reinforced by shifting the act of dreaming for oneself toward an altruistic act: dreaming for another, dreaming for others.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Ultimately, the group, composed of elderly individuals and dedicated to exploring dreams as a means of understanding both the inner and outer worlds, allowed us to consider that sharing dreams provided a psychic outlet for death anxiety, fostering the desire to transmit one's lived experiences to future generations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100661,"journal":{"name":"In Analysis","volume":"9 1","pages":"Article 100512"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0000,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"In Analysis","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2542360625000198","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"","JCRName":"","Score":null,"Total":0}
Within the framework of contemporary psychoanalysis, particularly an “expanded psychoanalysis,” we follow René Kaës proposition that dreams occur within a polyphonic network of interdiscursivity. Based on this theoretical perspective, we implemented a device called “Group Dreaming” with elderly participants. To overcome the resistances encountered, we progressively supported an operative group (a device inspired by Pichon-Rivière), centered on the following task: “Reflecting on how dreams can help us understand both the inner world and the outer world.” This group took place in a residential care facility for dependent elderly persons over five weekly sessions.
Method
The analysis method used is qualitative and is based on the “construction of cases” as proposed by Pierre Fédida. This construction follows four steps: the enigma that arises in the analyst's mind, clinical work, supervision, and the production of metapsychology. In this case, the enigma includes the questions that guided the research: “Is it possible to dream knowing that we have little time left to live?”.
Objective
The aim of this article is to gain a better understanding of the status of dreams and the ability to dream in elderly individuals. However, this study is part of a broader project aimed at re-examining the role of dreams within psychoanalytic theory, as well as in group and contemporary social clinics.
Results
Consistent with our previous clinical experiences and René Kaës work, our clinical observations confirm the dual status of subjects, who are always both group subjects and singular subjects. In particular, the data collected reveals that at the end of life, the ability to dream can be reinforced by shifting the act of dreaming for oneself toward an altruistic act: dreaming for another, dreaming for others.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the group, composed of elderly individuals and dedicated to exploring dreams as a means of understanding both the inner and outer worlds, allowed us to consider that sharing dreams provided a psychic outlet for death anxiety, fostering the desire to transmit one's lived experiences to future generations.