Analysis for Melanie, 5 February 2004

This is how you described the room:

The room is very warm almost too warm, there are pictures of my family on the wall. There's a bed with a bright pink and yellow comforter. The floor is bare, with just one small rug also pink and yello. A bright yellow light is hanging from the ceiling

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. This room is neither comfortable nor uncomfortable; this suggests the subject had a bland, uninspiring childhood. The significant detail in the description of the room tells us that the subject has rich, lasting 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:

There are really tall skinny trees, bright green leaves on the tops of the trees, the effect is a little scary, tree are looking above me. There are a couple of animals nearby, a sqiurill and a woodchuck, birds chirping in the distance.

The forest is growing up, and the trees are those adults with whom the subject interacted at that time. Average-sized trees imply the normal influence adults have on a child: neither insignificant nor impressive. 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 is directly in the middle of the forest, clear all the way through I can almost see the end of the path.

Adolescence is represented by the path through the forest. The visibility of the path tells us that the subject had a good idea of what to expect from adolescence. That the path is free of obstructions indicates that the subject had no problems during adolescence.

This is how you described the water:

The water is rushing forward very rapidly, it splashes over the banks, and I'm afriad it will get my clothes wet, so I take a step back.

The water is the subject’s sexuality. What interests us here is the clarity of the water (representing attitude) and its movement (representing libido). Rushing, violent water indicates a powerful, vigorous, and quite possibly compulsive sex drive.

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's bright, shiny silver with little hearts engraved all over it.

The vessel, or specifically the practicality of the vessel, is how the subject approaches marriage or bonding. A decorative container indicates that the subject views marriage as a romantic adventure.

You took the cup and filled it.

The subject is interested in marriage, and sex will be a significant part of that relationship.

This is how you described the key:

Huge key very pretty but heavy, I'm not sur what it unlocks but I keep it with me anyway

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 subject is confused about the purpose of the key: the subject has no discernible goals when it comes to a career. Decorative keys suggest that the subject wants an attention-grabbing, one-of-a-kind career.

You confronted the bear.

In a crisis, the subject prefers the direct, no-nonsense 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.