Real-Life Decision Making
Billy Budd's uncle, who he was extremely close to, died very suddenly over a year ago. Since the death, Budd has had a recurring nightmare wherein he, a young lion, is chasing down and killing an old lion in a fit of rage.
Since he started having this particular bad dream, Budd has developed a nervous condition. Often, he has panic attacks.
As a dream therapist, it's not your place to offer medical advice on Budd's physical infirmities. It is, however, your place to tell Budd what he is dreaming and why he is dreaming it.
"Communicating dreams from dreamer to therapist leads us sometimes to the so-called 'pregnant void,' a more mystical expression of pure chaos," says Anne Klein, a licensed dream therapist from Colorado.
As for the nightmare itself, you've determined that your client harbors feelings of fear, resentment or anger towards his dead uncle. Perhaps, you reason, your client is bitter that he didn't get a chance to tell his uncle how much he cared before the death.
What you know for sure is that Budd's physical problems are symptomatic of a deep negativity. This is something that may be treated best by a trained psychiatrist.
What do you do?