This article is part of an ongoing series exploring the role of psychotherapy in addressing deep emotional wounds, particularly those rooted in early abandonment. Each installment follows one segment of a single case study. In the unfolding narrative of Patricia, we explore how past pain can resurface and ultimately begin to heal when nurtured within a safe and reflective environment.

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The Orphancy Lens, Part 3.
Tonight, Patricia receives a message in blood. This nightmare is more than a dream; it is an unconscious communication speaking in symbols of primal violence. It reveals a glimpse of generational rage and Patricia’s fractured self-image: she is simultaneously the wounded, abandoned creature and the terrifying devouring mother she fears she is destined to become.

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Dream: A message in blood

That night, Patricia dreamed.

She was in a city of cobblestoned streets and narrow, covered walkways that twisted and turned here and there. The air felt dense and cloying, and a low-lying thick fog clung to everything. Patricia was running and stumbling along the street, chasing a scrawny gray cat—neither kitten nor adult, but somewhere in between.

As she ran, her exasperation surged into rage. No matter how close she seemed to get, she could never catch the cat.

Suddenly, the cobblestones vanished. Patricia now found herself in a brightly lit, sterile environment—something like a hospital or operating room. Though everything was white, the tiled walls were streaked with grime, and mold clung to the grout. In the corner of her eye, she noticed a pile of debris.

Just as she registered the new surroundings, her perspective shifted in the chaotic vertigo of the dream state. She was no longer in her body but watching herself—crouched in the corner of the tiled room, convulsing over something dark and sinister.

A mounting horror grew in the observing Patricia. She knew she shouldn’t be so close to the other version of herself. Just then, the crouching Patricia turned a snarling face toward her. Her mouth was smeared with blood, white teeth glinting through the red. The image seared itself into the dreamer’s mind: her own face, twisted in a silent, feral scream.

She was eating the gray cat.

Patricia woke with a start, her body shaking with terror. Oh, my God, she thought. What the hell is wrong with me? The fear was still coursing through her as she rose to go to the bathroom. Her belly was heavy now; she moved slowly, carefully.

A pang of guilt shot through her. Poor baby, she whispered to her unborn son. You didn’t need to feel that.

Compassion swelled in her—then shut down as quickly as it came.

This is why you’re not staying with me, little man. The last thing you need is a crazy mama.

Back in bed, Patricia tried to slow her breathing. She remembered she had a therapy session with Dr. Campbell later that day.

Wonder what she’ll think about this? she thought, staring at the ceiling until the fear finally faded.

In session: Tales of transformation

• Intro: An Introduction to Tales of Transformation
• In Session, Part 1: Considering Adoption
• In Session, Part 2: Client and Therapist Meet
• In Session, Part 3: Message in Blood
• In Session, Part 4: Dream Work
• In Session, Part 5: The Analyst is Analyzed
• In Session, Part 6: Deliverance
• In Session, Part 7: Disconnected
• In Session, Part 8: Termination

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE
This case study is based on real-life therapy work and reflects the emotional and psychological truths of the process. To protect the privacy of those involved, all names and identifying details have been changed.