Analysis for Patricia, 11 January 2003

This is how you described the room:

The room is slightly cool with sunlight streaming in the windows. It is a room in an old Victorian house, and it has lots of light wood antiques in it. I am in a huge brass bed piled high with old quilts and a cat sleeping at my feet. The walls have a soft floral print wallpaper on them. The room feels like home.

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. Note the extremely inviting surroundings of the room. This suggests a childhood filled with joy. The depth of description tells us that the subject has strong memories of childhood.

You wanted to stay in the room.

The subject did not want to grow up.

This is how you described the forest:

Lots of tall trees, slightly dark with dappled sunlight coming through the branches. The leaves has just begun to change and the color in the forest is gold and red. The air smells of pungent moss and earth.

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. Average lighting tells us that the subject received enough attention from the adults to be guided but not oppressed.

This is how you described the path:

The path weaves in and out of the trees and it is an old path. It is barely defined as if no one has been here for awhile. It is wide enough to accommodate 2 people. Scattered leaves cover parts of the path. The earth under my feet is hard packed.

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. A wide path indicates that the subject had numerous options for emotional growth at this time. The lack of evidence of fellow travelers suggests strong feelings of isolation at that time. That the path is free of obstructions indicates that the subject had no problems during adolescence.

This is how you described the water:

It is a small stream that I come upon. It is not very wide but it is moving along at a good clip. The water is very cold and clear. There are many smooth stones in the stream bed. I can see everything in the bottom of the stream because the water is so clear, so pristine.

The water is the subject’s sexuality. What interests us here is the clarity of the water (representing attitude) and its movement (representing libido). Fast-moving water indicates a strong, active 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:

It is a cup. The cup is an old fashioned tin cup covered with enamel. It is green. The outside is slightly dented and scratched, as if it was well used and loved.

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 left the cup behind.

The subject is not interested in marriage.

This is how you described the key:

I think the key unlocks the door to a house in the woods that no longer exists. The house was old and fell down long ago. The key is one of the old brass ones, like a skeleton key, and a tiny bit of gray string is hanging on the end still.

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). Note that the key is worthless: this suggests that the subject is cynical about finding any satisfaction through a job. Note also that the house in the forest no longer exists; an indication of mourning for an opportunity lost? Old-fashioned keys suggest that the subject desires a traditional career.

You avoided the bear.

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

When you came to the wall, you jumped over it.

The wall represents death: by jumping over it, the subject not only acknowledges death but has come to accept its finality.