ABSTRACT
This chapter describes a lecture period of a counselling training course that took place in November 2001. The atmosphere was tense, laden with anxiety as students grappled to understand and prepare for the workload. A friend voiced disgruntled feelings about the coursework, joking and laughing about it, somewhat teasing the tutor across the classroom filled with students. The dramaturgical approach to dream analysis, derived from narrative research, embeds the dream in current concerns, desires, and challenges in life. This research approach has been like juggling three balls: writing the research, being open and responsive to the experience of reflexive writing, and managing the emotional reality of a personally difficult topic. The research relies on reflexivity, which has the ability to promote personal growth and self-actualization on the part of the researcher. It also has the potential to promote honesty and transparency within the research process, thereby improving quality and to present a clear picture of the complexities involved.
