Work

Jennifer is currently a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at UWE, Bristol.

She continues to use dream-work extensively in her practice. She currently specialises in adult children of problem alcohol users (also refrerred to as 'co-dependents') and people living with someone with a sex or love addiction.

• Jennifer is a respected dream researcher in the UK
• Designs and carries out cutting edge research in both dreams and addiction
• Is a reputably and appropriately qualified dream worker
• Works within recognised ethical frameworks
• Develops individual programs to treat addictive behaviours, sleep problems and nightmare reduction

Membership and Professional Associations:

The British Psychological Society
The British Sleep Society
International Association for the Study of Dreams (IASD)

Awards and Collaborations

1999-2004: Altering dream content through music. Studies have been conducted at The Royal Shakespeare Company and at other venues around the country.
2002-2007: Working in collaboration with Luke Jerram (Artist), Dr Christopher Alford (Sleep Expert) on the Soundscape project. Project received funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (£40,000)
2007-2008: The Remarkable Dream Life of Q: An experimental film project in Collaboration with Jennet Thomas, Senior Lecturer Fine Art, Pathway Leader Fine Art, Time Based Media Senior Lecturer Wimbledon College of Art, University of the Arts, London.
2009–Onwards: Currently collaborating with the BBC to promote dreamwork in the UK

Research Interests:

• Exploring sleep and dreams and altered states of consciousness. Specifically the identification of cognitive and subjective differences in various sleep states (i.e. sleep paralysis, false awakenings, hypnagogic & hypnomompic imagery, nightmares, lucid dreams and 'Big' Dreams)
• Cross-cultural comparisons of dream report content.
• Specialising in the treatment and impact of nightmares
• Consultancy with individuals (and groups) relating to ‘dream-work’

Areas of Expertise

• Jennifer is one of the UK leading dream researchers
• Believes that addiction is a disease
• Researches dreams and addictive behaviours together

Current projects

All Jennifer’s work has involved working closely with men and women with, and without, an addictive behaviour. In her teaching she has supervised dream research exploring dreams in co-dependency, and bizarreness in dream report content. Her addiction research supervision includes levels of co-dependency between men and women; the relationship between defence mechanisms and co-dependency; and binge drinking in students.

Jennifer is currently working on a research project looking at 'Dreams in the behavioural addictions.'

Media & Public Engagement with Science

Jennifer works with the media frequently and has had numerous articles published in the press relating to dreams. She is often interviewed by radio programs including Radio 4, BBC Radio Bristol, Scotland and Wales, RTÉ Dublin, and shows in the USA. She is widely known for her work with women’s nightmares. A web search using 'Men's and women's nightmares' will give you an idea of some of the magazines and newspapers world wide that have paid attention to her work.

Parker, J. & Alford, C. (2009). A comparison of the dreams of male and female abstinent alcoholics with non-alcoholic controls: Are the differences significant? International Journal of Dream Research, 2(2), 73-84. (Available online at http://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/ojs/index.php/IJoDR)

October 2007: Jennifer was an invited speaker at the Dana Centre, London Science Museum, speaking on 'Nightmares and Sleep Paralysis'.

May 2009: Her most recent public engagement was invited speaker at Bishop Grosseteste University. Her talk was title: “Something in the room? The dreamer’s sense of presence during sleep paralysis”

Books and Publications

Ennis, M. and Parker, J.D. (2002). Get A Grip On Dreaming. New York: Barnes and Noble.

Jennifer is currently writing a book for The Reader's Digest in collaboration with IVY Press. This is due to be published in January 2010.

Parker, J D. and Blackmore, Susan, J. (2002). Comparing the content of sleep paralysis and dream reports. Dreaming: Journal for the Association for the Study of Dreams: Vol. 12(1), 45-59

Public Engagement & Conference Presentations

Parker, J.D. (2009). Thematic analysis of the sensed presence experienced during sleep paralysis. 3rd International Conference of the Nordic and North European Network for the Study of Dreams. Dreams in a Changing Society. Göteborgs Psykoterapi Institut, Vasagatan 16, 411 24 Gothenburg, Sweden, 6-8 March 2009

Parker, J.D. (2009). The similarities and differences between UK men and women’s nightmares. 3rd International Conference of the Nordic and North European Network for the Study of Dreams. Dreams in a Changing Society. Göteborgs Psykoterapi Institut, Vasagatan 16, 411 24 Gothenburg, Sweden, 6-8 March 2009

Parker, J.D. Alford, C. and Haslum, M. (2007). Three Types of Emotional Concern Expressed in Nightmares. Dreams and Culture. 2nd International Conference of the Nordic and North European Network for the Study of Dreams. Bishop Grosseteste University College Lincoln, England, 7-9th September 2007

Parker, J.D. Alford, C., and Haslum, M. (2007). Using Q Methodology to Research Dreams. Dreams and Culture. 2nd International Conference of the Nordic and North European Network for the Study of Dreams. Bishop Grosseteste University College Lincoln, England, 7-9th September 2007

Boult, J. and Parker, J.D. (2007). An investigation examining the nature of nightmares and also the individual differences of sex on the content of nightmares. 2nd International Conference of the Nordic and North European Network for the Study of Dreams. Bishop Grosseteste University College Lincoln, England, 7-9th September 2007

Boult, J. and Parker, J.D. (2007). The effects of thematic stimuli and communal sleep experiments on the nature of dream recall content. . 2nd International Conference of the Nordic and North European Network for the Study of Dreams. Bishop Grosseteste University College Lincoln, England, 7-9th September 2007

Parker, J, D., Dr. M. Haslum and Dr. C. Alford. (1999). Beliefs About Dreams. Postgraduate Affairs Group Annual Conference. Lancaster.

Parker, J.D. and Chris Alford. (1997). Differences in the dreams of abstinent alcoholics compared to controls. International Conference of the Association for the Study of Dreams, Warren-Wilson College, Ashville, North Carolina, USA.

Parker, J.D. (1997). The emotional content of dreams. Postgraduate Affairs Group Annual Conference. Plymouth University.

Rose N., Parker J.D., Blackmore S. (1997). Experiences of sleep paralysis. 21st International Conference of Parapsychology, Brighton.

Parker, J.D. and Alford C.A. (1997). Dream Content: A useful therapeutic tool? Addiction Counselling World.

Parker, J. D. (1998). Beliefs About Dreams. Postgraduate Affairs Group Annual Conference, Derby University, July.

Parker, J. D. and Blackmore, S.J. (1998). Comparing sleep paralysis and dream reports. 22nd Annual Conference of the Society for Psychical Research. College of York St John, York.

Parker, J. D., Haslum, Mary. Dr., Alford, Christopher. (1998). Dreams of Princess Diana: A test of the continuity hypothesis. Annual Conference of the British Psychological Society, Belfast.

Parker, J.D. (1995) A comparison of the dreams of abstinent alcoholics and non-alcoholics: Are the differences significant? 7th Annual Meeting of the British Sleep Society.