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The Brain Never Sleeps: How Dreams Heal, Rewire, and Reveal with Karen van Kampen
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“When you rewrite a nightmare’s ending, you’re not avoiding it. You’re transforming it—and that rewiring gives you back control.” - Karen van Kampen
Science writer Karen van Kampen explores how dreams help us process emotion, boost creativity, and build resilience—with tools for dream recall, reflection, and healing.
Have you ever woken up from a dream wondering, “What was that about?” Or felt like your mind was trying to tell you something—just out of reach?
In this episode, I welcome back science writer Karen van Kampen to explore what dreams are really doing for us. Karen is currently writing The Brain Never Sleeps, a forthcoming book with Simon & Schuster Canada that dives deep into the science of dreaming, memory, and emotional well-being.
Together, we talk about why your dreams matter—not just as strange midnight cinema, but as active tools your brain uses to sort through stress, solve problems, and generate creative insight. From managing nightmares through imagery rehearsal and targeted dream incubation, to using apps like Elsewhere for AI-assisted interpretation, Karen walks us through cutting-edge research and her own experiments in dream-guided creativity.
We also explore what happens when your brain starts weaving together old memories and new worries—how dreams help us process emotion, consolidate memory, and prepare for life's difficult moments. Karen even shares a unique “dream salon” experience, where artists painted her dream on a page from Freud’s Interpretation of Dreams. It’s as poetic as it is scientific.
Key Takeaways:
- Dreams reflect our waking stress: What preoccupies us by day often shows up in dream form—symbolically or directly.
- Nightmares can be transformed: Tools like imagery rehearsal therapy (IRT) and targeted dream incubation (TDI) help reframe bad dreams and reduce anxiety.
- Creative sweet spots exist: The moments just before sleep and after waking are powerful times to access ideas and insights.
- Apps like Elsewhere and Dust are using AI and sensory cues to guide dream themes, increase dream recall, and help reduce nightmares.
- Dreams act as a reframing tool: They reveal emotions and patterns we might not notice consciously—offering perspective, healing, and creative breakthroughs.
- Dream interpretation isn’t one-size-fits-all: Karen uses Freudian, Jungian, and personal approaches to reflect on her dreams from multiple angles.
Bio
Karen van Kampen is a Canadian science writer and the author of The Golden Cell: Gene Therapy, Stem Cells, and the Quest for the Next Great Medical Breakthrough. Her work has appeared in publications like The Globe and Mail and National Post. She’s currently writing The Brain Never Sleeps (Simon & Schuster, 2026), a deep dive into the science of dreams, memory, and emotional health. Karen explores how our dream lives intersect with well-being, using both cutting-edge research and personal experimentation.
Website: https://www.karenvankam
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Chapters
1. The Pitfalls of Constantly Striving for Perfection (00:00:00)
2. Embracing Sufficing: Making Tough Trade-offs for Success (00:00:41)
3. The Importance of Self-Awareness and Self-Compassion for Longevity (00:01:04)
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