Lucid dreaming occurs when you become explicitly aware that you are dreaming while still dreaming. You can state, "I'm dreaming right now." You understand that your physical body is asleep and safe in bed, that the usual rules of the waking world don't apply, and that you can carry out value-driven, pre-sleep intentions. Knowing you're dreaming enables the exploration of experiences that may not be easily accessible while awake. The purpose of lucid dreaming is NOT controlling your dreams, despite common misconceptions. Lucid dreaming is about learning to exercise creative flexibility, higher intentions, and resilience in a safe environment to translate benefits to one's waking life.

Lucid Dreaming Therapy (LDT) is a therapeutic approach that incorporates lucid dreaming—a state in which you remember you are dreaming—to target nightmares and REM parasomnias, and other stress-related conditions. This mental model, or "lens" on one's reality, creates a unique opportunity to engage with dream content while knowing the state is malleable and safe, making it ideal for recalibrating maladaptive learning. Skills targeted in LDT—such as metacognizance, psychological flexibility, and prioritizing higher values—can be nurtured to enhance daytime resilience, offering benefits that extend beyond improved sleep to broader aspects of health. LDT may be able to augment standard mental health treatments by providing a rich, experiential platform that honors dreams as a vital component of our emotional and existential landscapes.

No, lucid dreaming is not a prerequisite for benefiting from Lucid Dreaming Therapy. Patients can gain significant advantages by incorporating "lucidity" into imagery rehearsal exercises, which are guided during therapy sessions and assigned as homework. Research indicates that achieving lucidity in dreams is not necessary to experience therapeutic benefits.

According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), Lucid Dreaming Therapy may be used as a treatment option for adults with nightmares, but Imagery Rehearsal Therapy remains the recommended therapy. A few randomized, controlled studies have demonstrated that lucid dreaming therapy can reduce nightmares effectively, but have not shown lucid dreaming to be superior to Imagery Rehearsal Therapy, which has less training demands for the patient and therapist. Still, Imagery Rehearsal Therapy has limitations in effectiveness, and further research is necessary to determine if incorporating lucid dreaming provides additional benefits over Imagery Rehearsal Therapy. By integrating theory, research, and practical knowledge into Lucid Dreaming Therapy, psychotherapists are well-positioned to explore potential mechanisms that could improve outcomes of patients with nightmares.

Live Programs: These are real-time events where instructors and participants interact directly and simultaneously, typically via platforms like Zoom or at in-person venues. Live programs allow for immediate feedback, dynamic interaction, and real-time engagement, creating an environment similar to an in-person class.

Lucid Dreaming Therapy is a fascinating topic with broad appeal. Our CE courses are designed specifically for psychologists, though the material is relevant to a wide range of mental health professionals, including therapists, counselors, and social workers. Check with your licensing board to see if CE credits from APA-approved sponsors can be applied toward your license renewal.

Our refund and cancellation policy corresponds with the features of the program.

We are committed to equal access to our programs and will work with you if you have specific needs to accommodate a disability. Our standards include prioritizing the selection of venues that are ADA compliant and the use of video platforms that support automated closed captioning. We will attempt to provide text-based materials to be used with assistive softwares (eg slides or transcripts), when requested.

We select topics and instructors that promote a respectful and nondiscriminatory learning environment.

Lucidity Sleep Psychiatry is co-owned by Kristen LaMarca, PhD, DBSM and Nevin Arora, MD, where both individuals are providers of clinical services, members of the CE planning committee, and faculty. Dr. LaMarca additionally operates a personal business focused on increasing layperson access to the lucid dream state and its creative applications. We recognize the importance of mitigating potential conflicts of interest related to these roles. Therefore, our program implements multiple safeguards, including:

Lucidity Sleep Psychiatry adheres to the American Psychological Association's Ethical Principles of Psychologists in all activities. We comply with all legal and ethical responsibilities to be non-discriminatory in promotional activities, program content, and treatment of program participants. The monitoring and assessment of compliance with these standards is the responsibility of the Continuing Education (CE) Administrator, Kristen LaMarca, in consultation with members of the continuing education (CE) committee.