In this article, I describe the general context for refugees in South Africa and, in particular, the violent xenophobia that many experience. I relate the story of a women refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, as told to me in counseling sessions over some months. The shifts she was able to make in a very constricted life were expressed in a complex metaphor. I show how external events led to the virtual collapse of the holding environment, and I explore the interacting subjectivities of therapist and client in order to bring some understanding to my subsequent actions.