4. Nightmare Kit

BA Graduation project
Brand identity

This scholarship-awarded project reimagines nightmares as a form of personal disaster, proposing a speculative "Nightmare Preparedness Kit" designed to support emotional resilience. Developed over the course of eight months and based on over 60 documented nightmares, the project draws from therapeutic methods to explore how design can engage with fear, memory, and psychological recovery.

The kit includes five components: a Nightmare Diary, Nightmare Calendar, Postcards, Incense Sticks, and Incense Cones. Each item is informed by recognised therapeutic approaches, including Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (IRT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Psychodynamic-Interpersonal (PI) methods, and Aromatherapy—offering practical and symbolic tools for alleviating nightmares.

The Nightmare Diary and Calendar are grounded in IRT and CBT principles, which involve recalling distressing dreams, rewriting them with positive imagery, and mentally rehearsing the new version. The diary features lightweight, detachable sheets to encourage easier recording and reflection, reinforcing consistent engagement.

The Nightmare Postcards are based on Psychodynamic-Interpersonal theory, designed to support deeper insight into the emotional meanings behind dreams. Each of the 20 illustrated cards pairs a visual interpretation on the front with a reflective reading on the reverse.

The Incense Sticks and Cones draw from Aromatherapy practices used in treating anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders. Each scent is selected for its calming properties, reinforcing the kit's therapeutic intent.

The kit is housed in a box featuring an illustrated grid that visually maps each component, accompanied by titles and a usage manual—inviting the user to engage with their subconscious not as something to fear, but something to understand, manage, and reframe.

Graduation Show, Ewha Womans University, South Korea

— Indigo print on Sierra 64gsm / 105gsm
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