Wilfred Bion’s Theory of Dreaming

The psychoanalytic theory of dreams and dreaming is the same age as psychoanalysis as a whole. The Interpretation of Dreams was Freud's first major work, which laid the foundation for psychoanalytic metapsychology. The next notable step after Freud's fundamental discoveries was made in the late 50’s by Bion, and his revision of the theory from the Interpretation was so sweeping that it was considered to be a real revolution and paradigm shift. Dreaming is at the center of all of Bion's thinking: for him, it is the most important psychic function that processes and gives meaning to internal and external experience. The thesis is devoted to the theoretical and clinical aspects of dreaming in Bion's theory. Its theoretical part outlines Freud's and Bion's theories of dreaming, showing the differences and similarities between them, examines the main characteristics and functions of dreaming in Bion's works, as well as the main concepts associated with it. The practical part considers clinical implications from Bion's ideas on the example of the work of Thomas Ogden, Antonino Ferro and Giuseppe Civitarese.