Analysis for Patty, 15 January 1999

This is how you described the room:

I awake in a bitter cold room. It is frigid outside and I need to put on several layers of clothing and two pairs of socks. The furnishings have been moved. The room is filled with holiday decorations.

The initial room is the subject’s childhood. What interests us here is the general atmosphere of the room, in addition to the level of furnishings described by the subject. A very uncomfortable room suggests a highly traumatic childhood. No furnishings at all tells of either a complete absence of memories from that time or active suppression of said memories. The lack of normal furnishings could also imply a childhood that was radically different from other people’s.

You wanted to leave the room.

The subject wanted to become an adult.

This is how you described the forest:

The forest is white with snow. The tall pine trees are in close rows. Although it is sunny in the clearings, within the forest of tall pines it is dim. Snow occasionally falls from the snow-covered branches.

The forest is growing up, and the trees are those adults with whom the subject interacted at that time. Tall trees imply that the adults had a strong influence on the subject. A semi-dark forest tells us that the subject felt somewhat oppressed by the attention the adults gave.

This is how you described the path:

The path through the forest is not well marked. It is a deer trail which is very hard to travel because of the deep snow drifts.

Adolescence is represented by the path through the forest. Poor visibility of the path tells us the subject was often confused by the changes brought on by adolescence. Lots of obstructions on the path indicate many problems during adolescence.

This is how you described the water:

I finally come to a small, natural creek. Despite the cold temperatures, the creek still has a trickle of flowing water.

The water is the subject’s sexuality. What interests us here is the clarity of the water (representing attitude) and its movement (representing libido). Slow, gently moving water suggests a passive, restrained, calm sex drive. Clear water tells us that the subject has no issues regarding sex.

When you came to the water, you crossed it.

The subject is open to new sexual experiences.

This is how you described the cup:

On the other side of the creek, I am surprised to find a bottle of Coke on the ground where somebody has apparently dropped it. The bottle appears to be nearly full, although the contents are now frozen.

The vessel, or specifically the practicality of the vessel, is how the subject approaches marriage or bonding. A practical container indicates that the subject is pragmatic when it comes to questions of marriage.

You took the cup but left it empty.

The subject is interested in marriage, but sex won’t be a significant part of that relationship.

This is how you described the key:

I find a key in the path. I am approaching a house. The house has a child's clubhouse. I assume the key is for the child's clubhouse.

The key is the ideal career for the subject. What interests us here is how the key appears (representing how others view the career) and what it may open (representing the subject’s goals for the career). Indicating that the key accesses something along the path (the subject’s history) suggests that a career is to solve a life-problem. An ordinary-looking key suggests that the subject desires a nondescript career.

You avoided the bear.

In a crisis, the subject prefers the indirect, non-confrontational approach.

When you came to the wall, you turned around and walked back along the path.

The wall represents death: by avoiding it altogether, the subject shows complete denial about the possibility of death.