Prof. Bruce A. Stevens

Experts

Wicking Chair of Ageing and Practical Theology, School of Theology

Founder of Canberra Clinical and Forensic Psychology in Canberra City

BIOGRAPHY

Professor Bruce Stevens was born in the USA, but has spent most of his life in Australia. Bruce served in parish ministry as an Anglican minister in the parishes of St John's Reid, an associate in Church of the Redeemer in Boston and rector of St Pauls Millis, then Holy Covenant, Jamieson. In 1993, Bruce went into private practice as a clinical psychologist and continued with honorary ministry at St James Kippax and All Saints Ainslie. John has taught pastoral counselling at St Mark's for many years. Bruce founded Canberra Clinical and Forensic Psychology in Canberra City. The last five years, Bruce was the convenor of the clinical psychology training program at University of Canberra and in February 2015, came to CSU/St Mark's as Wicking Professor of Ageing and Practical Theology and director of CAPS. Bruce presently worships at Wesley Uniting Church in Forrest, Canberra.

Articles

The self-analysis of dreams: A selfobject function?

Australasian Journal of Psychotherapy

2014A self-analysis of a sample of 40 dreams was carried out using autoethno-graphic (qualitative) research methodology. The overall study compared five approaches: Self Psychology, Jungian Analysis, Existential Therapy, Schema Therapy and Dream Dictionary. This paper more closely examines the Self Psychology implications of the study. One of the findings was that the self-analysis of dreams felt like being in therapy. This insight was used to develop links with the psychoanalytic concept of a selfobject.

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The self-analysis of dreams: Does it work?

Psychotherapy in Australia

2014The great pioneers of the psyche Freud and Jung both took the self-analysis of dreams very seriously in their efforts to provide a theoretical map to understand the unconscious realm. Recent research has shown that dreamwork in sessions improved patient evaluation of the usefulness of therapy. Bruce Stevens draws on his own dreams recorded over a period of twenty years to embark on an enthographic research project to compare five therapeutic approaches to the self-analysis of dreams. In this process he considers some primary therapeutic questions: Do different therapeutic approaches to understanding one's dreams differ when compared? Is there value in the self-analysis of dreams? Can any meaningful analysis of dreams be separated from the interpersonal milieu of the therapeutic relationship?

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