text: Jackie Cruickshanks
  At the age of 58 I discovered an Archetypal Dreamwork group right here in my own backyard in Vermont, where I learned to let dream feelings seep into my body viscerally. This experiential approach resonated deeply in me because it allowed for embodiment, something I had not had with other therapists or groups when working my dreams. With the visceral image of the dream and this embodiment, I uncovered a deep longing to return to myself, to be more present, to live in the here and now, while revisiting dream images. I quickly discovered the myriad ways I had drifted away from my young child/soul self. At these experiential dream gatherings, we engaged in psychodrama by acting out every character and aspect of our dreams. It is here that I began the long journey to reconnect with my true self.
  I have always had intense dreams, even at the age of three. My dreams have put me in many variations of danger, involving terrifying men, soldiers, apocalyptic destruction, and unknown evil forces in general. I sought people/therapists/groups many times to help me make my way through the confusion and fear I felt, only to walk away with nothing but intellectual musings, judgment and a disconnect between my feelings in my everyday life and my dreams. I even tried looking things up in a dream dictionary to decipher the symbols and became even more bewildered.
  Now, after 12 years of working dreams, I am amazed at the changes I have experienced, in my spiritual self and my outer world life. Before I began this dreamwork, I practiced for 20 years as a school psychologist in small rural schools, helping students find themselves, get grounded, and overcome educational difficulties and emotional traumas. I can see now that I was a wounded healer, who believed that by healing others, I would heal my own wounds and traumas. By operating in this way, I only ignored my own traumas and was oblivious to my own need for healing.
  Nowadays, dreams are my soul guides for inner growth. They nourish, correct, and advise me about how to live from my heart, and uncover my own unique obstacles to staying in my heart as I make my way through the world.
  Currently, I have some dream clients, who work with me in one-on-one sessions to explore their unique dreams to uncover their healing messages. I also facilitate dream play gatherings for people curious about the deeper messages of their dreams.
  Artwork from Jackie Cruickshanks
  Click on images to see larger view…
  Dream that inspired the art…
  I am moving through tunnels in a foreign, warm place (like a tropical island) with a big sweet black man behind me. There are bushes with berries on them. I sample the fruit each time I see a different one. There are these small doors I have to unlatch and open to keep going. As I go deeper the fruit gets sweeter. The doors open up to more beautiful places. Such a feeling of safety and curiosity and excitement tinged with fear. We get to one very small door deep down and when I unlatch it, there is nothing but black darkness behind it. I close it back up, frightened.
  I worked for 20 years as a Special Educator and School psychologist in Connecticut and upstate New York. In this capacity, I ran groups and offered psychological services, including learning evaluations for students with learning disabilities as well as individual therapy for students who experienced abuse. I also provided workshops to school faculties about the impact of abuse on learning.
  For 20 years I worked at the Stern Center for Learning in Burlington Vermont. As a Clinical Diagnostician, I evaluated children and adults to explore their learning preferences, and developed intervention with schools and universities to help individuals reach their academic and personal potential. I conducted teacher training sessions for students and adults who learn differently. I also managed the Stern Center individualized teaching clinic to plan effective interventions for instruction.
  I was a student and client at the Center for Archetypal Dreamwork in Montpelier, Vermont for 10 years. For the past few years I have been in advanced classes and seminars with Students of the Dream. With this advanced training and my own individual and group dream sessions. I continue to learn from my dreams every day.
  I underwent Hospice Volunteer Training recently, and am currently a witness and companion to hospice clients as they prepare for their own passing. I offer dream sessions in person and on the phone to assist others to decipher their own dream messages.