Dreams as gifts: A Maussian perspective.

Abstract

In The Gift, Mauss argues that people in many cultures have engaged in what appears to be a voluntary giving of gifts, but which in fact carries obligations at each point in the exchange-in the giving of, receiving of, and response to each gift. Moreover, these exchanges of gifts are an integral part of both building connections between individuals and groups and maintaining social hierarchies. Using the Mauss view of gifts as a framework for examining the social practice of sharing dreams, this article demonstrates the obligations present in the giving of, receiving of, and responding to dreams. It then identifies the implications of this understanding of dreams as gifts, for clients offering their dreams in psychotherapeutic settings.

Client experiences and understandings of dreams in contemporary Australian psychological practice: An IPA study.

“…They see dream sharing as a strategy to test and forge solidarity, in which dreams are offered as a gift in the form of an intimate revelation that comes with expectations around how the receiver will respond. We explored this idea further and proposed that when dream sharing is seen as a gift or exchange, inappropriate psychologist responses could negatively impact the therapeutic relationship, the credibility of the therapist's expertise, and even potentially the credibility of the broader psychology profession (Leonard & Dawson, 2019).…”