APPLICATIONS OF GUIDED FANTASY IN PSYCHOTHERAPY

Guided Fantasy represents one of many specialized approaches that may be used to help clients achieve healthier and more satisfying levels of personality functioning through increased insight and self-acceptance. It may also help clients deal with conflict and situations to which they experience phobic reactions. In addition to the use of  fantasy in the systematic desensitization and aversive counter-conditioning of behavioral therapy, it has been made a part of some  approaches to Implosion Therapy or emotional “flooding”  as a way of extinguishing fear.

Shaffe has described the therapeutic value of Guided Fantasy in  dealingwith nightmares and dream fragments, and as a way to help  clientsexperience fantasized age regression. Another popular use of  the technique may be in helping clients focus on bodily concerns and their causes (Alexander, 1971). Guided Fantasy has been useful in the treatment of children, adolescents, and youth. Hartman and Fithian (1974)  employ Guided Fantasy…