Abstract
The present review consists of a re‐conceptualization of the existing empirical literature regarding the use of dreams in psychotherapy into four potential contributions. These four contributions of dreams to psychotherapy are discussed as being particularly relevant for clinicians in applied practice to (I) facilitate the therapeutic process, (II) facilitate patient insight and self‐awareness, (III) provide clinically relevant and valuable information to therapists and (IV) provide a measure of therapeutic change. The present review is distinctive in that it emphasizes the pertinence of research regarding dream use to applied clinical practice and it includes previously unreviewed research regarding dreams in psychotherapy on these four specific ways dreams can be useful within the therapeutic process. In addition, this review includes a section discussing the under‐researched and largely neglected potential for dreams to provide accurate and efficient information to therapists. Limitations of the research as well as future directions are presented. The generally positive findings of this research suggest that dreams can be considered an alternative type of clinical material that can be useful in psychotherapy. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.