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On first reading the proposed case material for discussion and reflecting on my own thoughts, I noticed the sense of unease arising from the absence of a lively response in the form of associations and ideas. The case description seemed to me quite substantial yet ‘closed’ at the same time, as if the analyst was already offering a predetermined solution. Perhaps, in an attempt to manage my own feelings of helplessness, I remembered the discussion among psychoanalysts about how clinical material should ideally be presented in publications (Boesky, 2013a, 2013b; Chabert, 2013; Rocha Barros, 2013). Meanwhile, I realized that this particular description had been shared explicitly for discussion purposes and followed a specific format. Upon rereading Charlotte's story, I realized how accurately the analyst had captured the sense of ‘hopeless and bored’, the patient's past and present.