Dr Leslie Ellis
Dreams as Guides, Nightmares as Gateways
An international online workshop
delivered over zoom across 2 intensive half-days
Thur 9 & Fri 10 JULY 2026
Introduction
Embodied Experiential Dreamwork is a way of engaging with dreams through direct experience of the dream. Rather than trying to figure out a dream intellectually, this process meets the dream as it presents itself. Practices include re-entering the dream through the subjective experience of its characters and elements, encouraging dreamers to pick up the felt sense of what the dream is offering and carrying that forward.
Workshop Overview
In this immersive two half-day workshop, you’ll be introduced—or re-introduced—to Embodied Experiential (EE) Dreamwork, a gentle, depth-oriented approach that integrates focusing, somatic awareness, and contemporary dream science. For those who attended Leslie’s previous workshop, there will be an opportunity to revisit and deepen the methods that support re-entry into dreams and the discovery of their meaning. This iteration places a stronger emphasis on working with disturbed dreaming states, alongside exploration of emerging research into trauma dreams and its clinical implications.
Day 1
Encompasses a grounded introduction or return to the foundations of EE Dreamwork. You’ll learn—and importantly, experience—how to work with dreams in ways that are respectful, collaborative, and attuned. Through a blend of presentation, live demonstration, guided experience, and partner practice, you’ll develop confidence in supporting others to enter more fully into their dream material.
Day 2
The focus now is on nightmares—often the most urgent and misunderstood forms of dreaming. You’ll explore different types of nightmares, their relationship to trauma and stress, and evidence-informed pathways for supporting change. Alongside a clear overview of contemporary treatment approaches, you’ll engage in experiential practices that foster safety, agency, and transformation.
Across both days (3.5 hours each), the emphasis is on learning through direct experience. You’ll hear, observe, practise, and reflect within a supportive learning environment. For those returning, the opportunity for repeated immersion deepens both personal and clinical understanding of this embodied approach.
What you can expect to walk away with:
- Renewed respect for the wisdom of the dreaming mind
- Practical tools you can begin using immediately
- A felt sense of the transformative potential of dreamwork
Who Should Attend
This workshop is for counsellors, psychotherapists and other practitioners who want to deepen their engagement with dreams in both personal and clinical contexts. It is suitable for those new to Embodied Experiential Dreamwork, as well as those who have previously attended and wish to consolidate and extend their learning. Repeat attendance offers a valuable opportunity to deepen embodied understanding, refine practice, and engage more fully with the transformative potential of dreamwork.
References:
A small selection of the references that will be used:
- American Academy of Sleep Medicine. (2017). Clinical practice guideline for the treatment of nightmare disorder in adults. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 13(3), 387–401.
- Ellis, L. A. (2023). Solving the nightmare mystery: The autonomic nervous system as a missing link in the aetiology and treatment of nightmares. Dreaming, 33(2), 85–99.
- Ellis, L. A. (2024). The nightmare–suicide link: Evidence and clinical implications. Journal of Projective Psychology and Mental Health, 31(1), 23–35.
- Geoffroy, P. A., et al. (2022). Dream changes preceding suicide attempts. Journal of Affective Disorders, 302, 194–202.
The Details
Dates: Thur 9 & Fri 10 JULY 2026
Time: Please join at 8.45 am to iron out any technical issues
Workshop: 9.o0am to 12.30pm AEST ( break times will be accommodated)
Location: online via zoom (registrants will receive an invitation to participate and all the details they require in advance of the date)
Cost: $350 (flat rate in AUD)
CPD Hours: 7
Dr. Leslie Ellis is a leading expert in the use of experiential and somatic approaches in psychotherapy, in particular for working with dreams, nightmares and the effects of trauma. She is the author of A Clinician’s Guide to Dream Therapy (Routledge, 2019) and offers online training in embodied, experiential dreamwork and nightmare treatment. She has a PhD in Clinical Psychology with a somatic specialization, and a Masters in counselling psychology with a focus on depth/Jungian approaches. She worked as a therapist in private practice in Vancouver, BC for more than 25 years. She is a former adjunct faculty member at Adler University, and past president of The International Focusing Institute, where she is currently a Certifying Coordinator. Dr. Ellis has published numerous book chapters and journal articles on the use of focusing and dreamwork in psychotherapy. Recent journal articles include reviews on nightmares and the nervous system, and on the alarming nightmare-suicide link. She has presented her work worldwide at conferences, in the media, as a guest on many podcasts, and through her own teaching and writing. Her web site is at drleslieellis.com