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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Annierose on January 12, 2009, at 17:54:07
Okay ---- so I would love the babble dream team to help me with this therapy dream:
I go to my therapy appointment. Instead of her office being in an office building, in my dream her office is at her house. She has a seperate side-door entrance for her clients. There is a small foyer with a simple bench and coffee table. I sit down and look around. The previous client leaves and my t motions for me to enter. Once inside - this therapy room is similar to her real life office. My t is speaking softly and is barely audible. I come to understand that she has lost most of her voice.
So she moves to sit next to me on the couch - but not too close. I'm on my usual end (far away as possible from her) and she is at the other end. She explains that she was sick over the weekend and her voice hasn't come back and asks if its okay that she sits there - so she doesn't have to strain her voice.
At first I am freaked out. But as she talks, I calm down and am happy she is there. I think to myself, "It's okay. She isn't going to touch me, I'm safe and it's kind of cool that both of us are looking out in the same direction." I feel excited - it's something new for the both of us.
Next thing I remember - we are at a restaurant with a couple other people. I do not know their relationship to my therapist --- they are just there with us. I am careful not to eat any more than my therapist eats (and she doesn't eat too much because she's not feeling her best). The bill comes and she reaches for the bill and insists on paying --- only to realize she left her purse at her office/home. I volunteer to pay the bill and she is relieved and reassures me that she will pay me back --- which I believe to be true. I am happy I can do this.
Dream over.
Any thoughts?
Posted by obsidian on January 12, 2009, at 20:00:50
In reply to Anyone up for a dream interpretation?, posted by Annierose on January 12, 2009, at 17:54:07
I dunno...
but some thoughts
your therapist is somewhat vulnerable in the dream
you are in her space, and you start to think maybe it's too close, but then it's ok
it's curious that you end up taking care of her
you can't take more than she will when you're eating, you're being careful not to take too much??
caretaking (who is taking care of who) and boundary issues seem present
she's losing her voice?? her identity?I hope the dream team chimes in :-)
Posted by Looney Tunes on January 12, 2009, at 20:09:24
In reply to Anyone up for a dream interpretation?, posted by Annierose on January 12, 2009, at 17:54:07
Well, I noticed a couple things: (don't laugh, I am not an expert)
1) You "taking care of T." Shown by paying for the bill, when she forgot her purse. And you being happy to do this.
2)You fearing her judgement. Shown by you only ate as much as she did even though she was sick and only ate a little.
3) You concerned and interested about other people in T's life. Shown by some people sitting with you at the resturant, but you not knowing who they are.
4) Obvious need for more closeness. Shown by you having appointment at her house and her sitting closer to you.Interesting dream....
Posted by Dinah on January 12, 2009, at 20:26:00
In reply to Anyone up for a dream interpretation?, posted by Annierose on January 12, 2009, at 17:54:07
I guess the two things that struck me most is that you were taking care of her needs, and that her house and her friends were in the dream so maybe therapy has been at least partly about her lately? And she wasn't at her best.
But the nice thing was that while she moved because of her own weakness, afterwards you felt like the two of you were facing the same direction. You felt safe and excited. So maybe you really do appreciate her moving her schedule on Tuesdays?
Posted by Phillipa on January 13, 2009, at 1:00:40
In reply to Re: Anyone up for a dream interpretation? » Annierose, posted by Dinah on January 12, 2009, at 20:26:00
I kind of interpreted it to mean that being at her house meant you feel safe with her and sitting close and not being able to speak loudly meant that you could communicate without speaking. Restaurant that you were friends and she forgot purse but not big deal as you trust her to pay you back. Maybe if knew more background would think differently but that's how I'd take it. personally think it's a lovely dream. Love Phillipa
Posted by backseatdriver on January 13, 2009, at 10:44:38
In reply to Re: Anyone up for a dream interpretation?, posted by Phillipa on January 13, 2009, at 1:00:40
I'd echo what's already been said, and add that I was really struck by the detail about the side-door entrance. Traditionally isn't a side entrance reserved for "service" people -- the mail carrier, etc.? I wonder if you wonder where you stand in the relationship?
Posted by DAisym on January 14, 2009, at 0:12:54
In reply to Anyone up for a dream interpretation?, posted by Annierose on January 12, 2009, at 17:54:07
*****I don't disagree with the other interpretations here - but I thought I'd offer some additional thoughts.
>>>I go to my therapy appointment. Instead of her office being in an office building, in my dream her office is at her house. She has a seperate side-door entrance for her clients. There is a small foyer with a simple bench and coffee table. I sit down and look around. The previous client leaves and my t motions for me to enter.
****Usually a house in a dream represents your self or soul and a therapist is a piece of wisdom from your unconscious - or the therapist could represent a nudge to face something you've been avoiding. Entrances to the house represent a way in to that material. So the fact that it was your therapist's house suggest that she is currently the keeper of your self (or soul). You've talked about how hard things have been so perhaps this dream is about using a different approach to the problem -- coming at it from the side. While you are waiting to go in, it doesn't sound like you feel threatened or uncomfortable - it is a simple bench and table. So is life simpler "outside" of therapy - as in in-between sessions?
>>>>Once inside - this therapy room is similar to her real life office. My t is speaking softly and is barely audible. I come to understand that she has lost most of her voice.
*****Now this is really interesting. Since you've been laying down for a long time and have only recently started sitting up, your therapist's voice is how you really know her. And now there are many more things competing for your attention - so she has lost most of her voice and she is "speaking softly." In fact "barely audible." Makes me wonder if you feel like you've lost a big part of her.
>>>>So she moves to sit next to me on the couch - but not too close. I'm on my usual end (far away as possible from her) and she is at the other end. She explains that she was sick over the weekend and her voice hasn't come back and asks if its okay that she sits there - so she doesn't have to strain her voice.
********Again - everything is changed about her - you are still in the same place. But she feels so much closer to you. And her being sick suggests a worry you have about her taking care of herself. But a classical dream interpretation would suggest that you don't trust your source of wisdom internally because it has been "sick"- you haven't been able to hear it and/or it has been completely silent, not offering you any guidance. And not wanting to strain what you are now hearing suggests that you feel fragile in many ways.
>>>>At first I am freaked out. But as she talks, I calm down and am happy she is there. I think to myself, "It's okay. She isn't going to touch me, I'm safe and it's kind of cool that both of us are looking out in the same direction." I feel excited - it's something new for the both of us.
********So here, you tune into her voice - "as she talks" and calm down. You figure out that she is still safe and it doesn't "touch" you (doesn't make you uncomfortable). Does that mean she doesn't "touch" anything sensitive or push you in a direction that you don't want to go. You are on the same page together - finally - after several tough months!
>>>Next thing I remember - we are at a restaurant with a couple other people. I do not know their relationship to my therapist --- they are just there with us.
*****People you do not know who show up in a dream are usually parts of yourself that you have been repressing or that you aren't comfortable letting people see. And you don't know their relationship to your therapist - so have these parts come out in therapy yet?
>>>>>I am careful not to eat any more than my therapist eats (and she doesn't eat too much because she's not feeling her best).
******So food usually represents emotional nourishment in dreams - and you aren't willing to eat more (ask for more? take more?) than your therapist shows you is OK. And while you are willing to follow her lead, you also note that she is not feeling her best. So do you think she could be more nurturing if she felt better - or did she feel that way when you were lying down?
>>>The bill comes and she reaches for the bill and insists on paying --- only to realize she left her purse at her office/home. I volunteer to pay the bill and she is relieved and reassures me that she will pay me back --- which I believe to be true. I am happy I can do this.
*****So money in dreams often represents power and self-esteem. So she has it - until you figure out she left it (the power?) in her office - outside, in the real world, she shares the power with you and you even have the wield your own power to "save" her. Not having money represents vulnerabilities - so she shares some with you and you feel great that she also has some. Sort of balances things.
>>>>Dream over.
*****Did you tell your therapist? What did she say?
And of course, I could be completely wrong.
Posted by vwoolf on January 14, 2009, at 1:59:00
In reply to Re: Anyone up for a dream interpretation? » Annierose, posted by DAisym on January 14, 2009, at 0:12:54
Posted by Annierose on January 14, 2009, at 7:06:58
In reply to Re: Anyone up for a dream interpretation? » Annierose, posted by DAisym on January 14, 2009, at 0:12:54
I did share the dream near the end of my session. She is enjoying my therapy dreams and thinks they are very telling and are more hopeful than I feel in her office.
She did not take apart the dream - bit by bit - which I appreciate that you did Daisy, and others, so thank you.
The general thoughts we talked about were along what Daisy said, that unconsciously I feel closer to her (in my dream) that I present in her office (since sitting up). She found the eating lunch part particularly interesting. At my very first appointment (5 years ago) I mentioned to her how painful it was to have lunch (one on one) with my girlfriends. In the dream I am able to eat lunch with her - even though there are people at the table - maybe parts of myself, not fully understood. Sharing a meal represents not just closeness, but a nuturing role she plays in my life.
There is good stuffed packed into the dream. I wanted to ask her more about the first part but we ran out of time.
OH - speaking about home therapy offices, I heard over the weekend that HBO may bring back "In Treatment" for a second season. So exicted!
Posted by raisinb on January 14, 2009, at 8:58:27
In reply to Re: Anyone up for a dream interpretation?, posted by Annierose on January 14, 2009, at 7:06:58
I agree with everyone's interpretations and there's not much I can add, except that often, when a loved one is "sick" in my dream it represents a fear that whoever it is cannot give what I need from them.
Posted by no_rose_garden on January 14, 2009, at 22:49:43
In reply to Anyone up for a dream interpretation?, posted by Annierose on January 12, 2009, at 17:54:07
I tried to post the other day, but my internet has been bad :(
I'm not reading anybody else's until after I post so i'm not influenced.
Ok..Maybe the first part is that maybe you weren't "hearing" what she was saying, like maybe you weren't ready or were scared or something....then you let her come close to you and you started to hear her and you could do real therpy work and make a relationship.
The part in the restaurant is like maybe you're realizing that T is real and you want to help her and repay her for helping you.
Just a thought...could be way off :/
Posted by Annierose on January 17, 2009, at 22:34:04
In reply to Re: Anyone up for a dream interpretation?, posted by no_rose_garden on January 14, 2009, at 22:49:43
Thank you for adding your thoughts to my dream. I am always so curious behind the meanings of my therapy dreams and babblers are so insightful and helpful.
I like your interpretation that at first I couldn't hear her until she got closer ... hmmmm. These relationships are so complicated.
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