Co-sponsored by Lucidity Sleep Psychiatry & Mindful Lucid Dreaming

Continuing Education

Sleep, Dreams, and Mental Health

Frequently asked questions

Lucid Dreaming Therapy FAQ

What is lucid dreaming?

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.

What is Lucid Dreaming Therapy?

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.

Do you have to lucid dream to benefit from Lucid Dreaming Therapy?

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.

How effective is Lucid Dreaming Therapy for treating nightmares?

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.
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General Information

What's the difference between Live, Hybrid, and On-Demand or Homestudy programs?

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.

Hybrid Programs: Hybrid programs combine elements of both live and on-demand learning. They might include live sessions for direct interaction and engagement, supplemented by on-demand resources that participants can access at their own pace or within a limited time-frame. This format provides a blend of structured, live instruction and flexible, self-directed learning.

On-Demand or Homestudy Programs: These are self-paced courses you will complete at home using study materials and they do not include live interaction with instructors. These programs may have a deadline for completion to ensure content remains relevant and that participants are able to apply new knowledge promptly. Participants access pre-recorded videos, readings, and exercises on their own schedule, allowing for maximum flexibility. On-demand programs are ideal for learners who prefer to study independently or who need to fit their learning around other commitments. On-demand courses have traditionally been called Homestudy courses; however, we updated the name to "on-demand" given that live courses can be virtually taken from home.

Refund & Cancellation Policy

Our refund and cancellation policy varies regarding whether you registered for a Live, Hybrid, or On-Demand program.

Live and Hybrid Programs
For Live and Hybrid programs, cancel 30 days before the event for an 80% refund of your registration fee. Cancellations made 7 to 29 days before the event are eligible for a 50% refund. Cancellations under 7 days of the event are non-refundable. We are unable to provide refunds for non-attendance or if you fail to complete the required CE assignments on time. Recordings will not be available if you miss the event. In the rare event that the instructor cancels or reschedules the event due to unforeseen circumstances (eg, illness), registrants have the right to a full refund. 

On-Demand ("Homestudy") Courses
On-demand course purchases are final. We are unable to provide refunds for failing to complete the required CE assignments.

Accommodations Policy

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.

Non-discrimination Policy

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

Disclosures

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:

  • Independent Oversight: Independent psychologists participate in our committee’s planning and review processes to mitigate potential conflicts of interest related to the program owner(s) and program integrity. Committee members may be offered fair yet modest compensation that is not attached to the profitability of programs.  
  • Noninvolvement in Grievance Resolutions: Decisions regarding grievance resolutions are delegated to an independent psychologist who is not also an instructor or owner.
  • Instructor Disclosure: Instructors and co-owners are required to disclose any activities or external support that could reasonably be construed as a potential conflict of interest at the beginning of each CE event and in promotional materials.

We believe that these safeguards will assist our CE program in adhering to the highest ethical and professional standards, prioritizing transparency, educational integrity, and the interest of our learners. Lucidity Sleep Psychiatry does not receive external commercial support for its activities. We have no other potential conflicts of interest to disclose at this time.

Grievance Policy

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.

While we attempt to assure fair treatment of participants and anticipate problems, there will be occasional issues which come to our attention. This procedural description serves as a guide for handling such grievancesWhen a participant files a grievance and expects action on the complaint, the following actions will be take 
  1.  When the grievance concerns Lucidity Sleep Psychiary’s CE program, we engage an independent psychologist as the Ethics and Convention Chair, Jill DeLorme PhD, to advise and respond to grievances. Dr. Jill DeLorme’s direct contact information is listed below to arbitrate grievances that contain potential conflicts of interest with the CE administrator. If Dr. Jill DeLorme is unavailable, a secondary point of contact is listed below.
  2. If the grievance concerns a speaker, the content presented by the speaker, or the style of presentation, the individual filing the grievance will be asked to put his/her comments in written format. The Ethics and Convention Chair will then pass on the comments to the speaker, assuring the confidentiality of the grieved individual. The concerns will also be reviewed by the CE Committee when considering whether to (dis)continue or revise a course, and will be taken into consideration when evaluating new course proposals. If requested, the grieved individual will be notified of the final determination.
  3. If the grievance concerns a workshop offering, its content, level of presentation, or the facilities in which the workshop was offered, the Ethics and Convention Chair will mediate and will be the final arbitrator. If the Ethics and Convention Chair determines action is warranted on a grievance and the participant requests it, we may take actions such as: a) attempt to move the participant to another workshop, b) provide a credit for a subsequent year's workshop, or c) provide a partial or full refund of the workshop fee.

Contact information to submit a grievance:
• Primary point of contact; Ethics and Convention Chair: Jill DeLorme PhD
• Secondary point of contact: Isaac Taitz, PhD

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Lucidity Sleep Psychiatry is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Lucidity Sleep Psychiatry maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
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