Can making a collage serve some of the same healing function that dreaming does? Our guest today has seen that it can.

Johanna Vedral starts by sharing some of the intense nightmares that populated her world when she was young. As a multi-lingual person, Johanna also talks about how translating her dreams from one language into another deepens her experience and understanding of them.

She then describes her collaging technique which prioritizes intuition over planning or intention and urges us to chose images that induce emotional reactions in us, either positive or negative. Collaging can be used to tune into the body’s wisdom and sometimes can induce a more vivid dream life.

Johanna ends by sharing how her dreams have evolved from childhood nightmares of being chased by beasts to walking confidently with them.

Bio: Johanna Vedral is a psychologist and expressive arts therapist and works as writing teacher at universities and at the writersstudio (Vienna). She teaches psychologists, psychotherapists, psychonauts, teachers and students in Austria and Germany.

Her main interests are dreams, collage art and autobiographical writing. Since 2000, she is connected with the IASD community and offers workshops at conferences. She developed a creative approach called „Collage Dream Writing“ where cut-out collages are experienced like dreams. Collages help to explore and to map inner landscapes in an easily accessible playful way.

She published a book about Collage Dream Writing and a memoir in German and is the editor of the first German magazine for journal writing & memoir, „Schreibräume“ (Writing Rooms). Currently she is working on a Collage Dream Play book in English.

On Johanna’s website SchreibStudio.at, you will find a blog, workshops and her books. Or find her at WritersStudio.at/CollageWorkshops.php (Vienna), a writing school where Johanna offers creative writing workshops.

Johanna is the editor of the first German magazine for journal writing & memoir, „Schreibräume“ (Writing Rooms). The illustrator of issue 2/2020 was Victoria Rabinowe. The issue 1/2022 will be dedicated to dream journaling & visual diary, the illustrator will be Harshita Ilango, and there will be contributions by Tzivia Gover, Victoria Rabinowe, Lauren Schneider etc.

Photo Credits:

We play clips from two guest-selected songs:

Ane Brune with “Springa” and Georg Danzer with “Weisse Pferde”

Live ambient music by Rick Kleffel.

Show was originally broadcast on June 26, 2021.

The Dream Journal is produced at and airs on KSQD Santa Cruz, 90.7 FM, streaming live at KSQD.org 10-11am Saturday mornings Pacific time.  Catch it live and call in with your dreams or questions at 831-900-5773 or at [email protected].

If you want to contact Katherine Bell with feedback, suggestions for future shows or to inquire about exploring your own dreams with her, contact [email protected], or find out more about her at ExperientialDreamwork.com.

The complete KSQD Dream Journal podcast page is found here.

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