In an anxiety dream about French toast, Tina evoked a waking-life issue that was bothering her and pointed herself toward a solution. On a deeper level, the process of dream analysis helped her see the origin of her anxieties and reach for a new perspective on her present-day responses.

The Dream

“In my dream, my two young grandchildren were visiting, and I was trying to make breakfast for them. I was looking for French toast in the freezer that I had already made, but it wasn’t there. I realized the French toast was in my other freezer at our mountain cabin. So, I pulled out a frying pan and ingredients to make a new batch, but I couldn’t find the pan I wanted to use. Now it was getting late, but, incredibly, the kids were still waiting patiently at the table."

The Discussion

I posed my first question. "How did you feel in the dream when you couldn’t find the French toast?"

Tina responded, "I felt anxious because I was scrambling around and couldn’t get a simple meal together. Breakfast is typically my specialty!"

I continued, "Was there an escalation of anxiety as the dream progressed from not having the French toast to not finding the pan?"

Tina offered, "Same feelings, maybe worse because I knew it would take more time to make a new batch of French toast rather than heat........

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