The Last Session Summary, Characters and Themes
The Last Session by Julia Bartz is a psychological drama that delves into the complexities of human connection, trauma, and personal healing. It centers on Thea, a social worker at a psychiatric unit, who becomes deeply involved with a new patient named Jane Doe, a woman suffering from amnesia and confusion.
As Thea navigates her professional responsibilities, she finds herself becoming obsessed with Jane’s true identity, which links her to Thea’s own unresolved trauma. This emotionally charged narrative explores the blurred lines between professional ethics and personal obsession, revealing how our pasts can shape our present relationships and challenges.
Summary
The narrative begins with a visceral prologue, where a woman is trapped in a dark, water-filled cave. She is surrounded by death and decay, questioning her fate and the surreal nature of her existence.
The chilling environment and her deep feelings of terror and confusion introduce themes of survival, rebirth, and existential questioning. The woman’s reflections about her situation are distant and detached, as she battles both physical and emotional despair, wondering whether she will emerge alive or succumb to the darkness.
Part One shifts to Thea, a social worker at a psychiatric unit. Her role is to facilitate art therapy sessions for a diverse group of patients, each dealing with their own struggles.
One patient, Ace, a manic individual, encourages the group to draw their greatest fears. This leads to a heated discussion, particularly with Lydia, a woman traumatized by past abuse.
The conversation quickly escalates, revealing the fragile nature of the group dynamic. Thea does her best to steer the conversation back to the art, but the discussion highlights the volatility and complexity of working in a psychiatric setting.
Soon, Thea meets Jane Doe, a woman found wandering a highway in a disoriented state. She is physically disheveled, with cuts and bruises marking her body.
Despite her amnesia, Thea senses a strange familiarity with Jane, which intensifies when she notices a tattoo resembling a symbol she once saw in a film. The discovery sparks Thea’s memory, and she realizes that Jane is not just any patient; she is Catherine O’Brien, a former child star who once starred in a controversial movie.
This film, which depicted a young girl in ancient Egypt, had caused significant public outrage due to its portrayal of sexualized themes. Catherine’s troubled past as a child star had led to a turbulent adulthood marked by failed relationships, substance abuse, and a dwindling career.
Thea becomes increasingly obsessed with Catherine, feeling compelled to unravel her identity and the tragic events that have shaped her. As Thea investigates, she connects Catherine’s appearance to her own childhood memories, which resurface as she recalls her traumatic experiences with her religious upbringing.
Thea’s adolescence had been marked by manipulation and exploitation, particularly during her time with Pastor John, a figure who took advantage of her vulnerability. These repressed memories complicate Thea’s professional role and her desire to help Catherine.
The connection between Thea and Catherine deepens as Thea learns more about Catherine’s life and the trauma that continues to haunt her. Catherine’s past involves not only her early fame and its consequences but also the manipulative forces that have controlled and exploited her.
This discovery leads Thea to explore her own unresolved issues, particularly her internal struggles with her sexuality and her feelings of inadequacy. She becomes torn between her desire to help Catherine and the emotional weight of confronting her own painful past.
In her professional capacity, Thea faces increasing resistance from her colleagues, who begin to question her obsession with Catherine. They view her behavior as unprofessional, yet Thea is unable to distance herself from the patient.
The emotional intensity of their interactions grows as Catherine’s mental health fluctuates, and Thea struggles to maintain boundaries while dealing with her own personal trauma.
The story takes a darker turn as Thea discovers that Catherine has been missing for years before she was found wandering in a confused state. Catherine’s disappearance ties into a more sinister web of manipulation, with various shady figures involved, including Dr. Clint, a therapist who claims to have treated Catherine but whose motives remain unclear. As Thea digs deeper, she uncovers the existence of a retreat center connected to Catherine’s recent life, one that is led by Moon and Sol, individuals who present themselves as spiritual healers.
However, Thea begins to suspect that the retreat may be more than it seems, with cult-like practices at its core.
The podcast associated with the retreat offers further insight into Catherine’s struggles, revealing unsettling details about her past and the manipulative forces that continue to shape her life. Despite her colleagues’ dismissiveness, Thea presses on with her investigation, uncovering the retreat’s connection to questionable spiritual practices.
She begins to uncover disturbing clues suggesting that the retreat is not a place of healing but one of control, preying on the emotional vulnerabilities of its members.
The tension between Thea’s professional obligations and her personal obsession intensifies as she delves deeper into the mystery surrounding Catherine. Thea discovers that the retreat’s leaders are exploiting their followers under the guise of emotional healing and past-life regression.
She also uncovers a hidden shrine in a cave, suggesting the group’s involvement in ritualistic activities. The more Thea uncovers, the clearer it becomes that Catherine is being manipulated by the retreat’s leaders, Moon and Sol, and their followers.
The final stages of the narrative see Thea preparing to confront the leaders of the retreat and free Catherine from their grasp. As she fights to break free from the psychological manipulation, Thea also faces her own unresolved trauma, particularly the memories of her past with Pastor John.
This internal conflict adds layers to her journey, highlighting the complexities of her emotional struggles.
In the end, Thea takes matters into her own hands, making the difficult decision to help Catherine escape from the retreat. As they plan their escape, Thea is forced to confront the blurry line between professional responsibility and personal obsession.
The narrative concludes with Thea reflecting on the weight of her actions and the trauma she and Catherine must continue to grapple with, underscoring the emotional cost of helping someone in need while confronting one’s own painful past.
Characters
Thea
Thea is the central figure in The Last Session, a social worker who navigates the complexities of her job while wrestling with her own unresolved trauma. Her journey is both personal and professional, as she attempts to help others while simultaneously confronting the haunting memories from her past.
Thea’s work in the psychiatric unit reveals her deep commitment to her patients, yet her emotional involvement with them often blurs the line between empathy and obsession. Her relationship with Catherine O’Brien, a former child actress, serves as a catalyst for exploring Thea’s own unresolved emotions, particularly those tied to her traumatic childhood and religious upbringing.
Thea is portrayed as a complex individual, driven by a sense of duty to help others but also struggling with her own demons, including guilt, shame, and a desire for redemption. Throughout the narrative, her character grapples with intense emotional turmoil, trying to reconcile her past experiences with her present responsibilities.
Her obsession with Catherine’s case becomes an avenue for Thea to explore the darker aspects of herself, as well as the effects of trauma and manipulation.
Catherine O’Brien
Catherine O’Brien, once a famous child actress, emerges as a tragic figure whose past is both captivating and deeply unsettling. Her life, marred by public scrutiny, substance abuse, and failed career attempts, offers a poignant exploration of the price of fame and the long-lasting effects of exploitation.
When Thea encounters Catherine in the psychiatric unit, the actress is suffering from amnesia and psychosis, leaving her disoriented and fragile. Despite her troubled state, Catherine exudes a magnetic pull that draws Thea in.
Their shared vulnerabilities, symbolized by their similar physical traits and birthdates, create an almost spiritual bond between them. As Thea delves into Catherine’s past, she uncovers the dark truth of her life, including the abusive circumstances that led to her mental and emotional unraveling.
Catherine’s trauma, both from her time as a child actress and her ongoing struggles with manipulation and control, mirrors Thea’s own buried traumas. The complexity of Catherine’s character lies in her duality—she is both a victim of circumstances and a symbol of resilience, struggling to reclaim her identity in a world that has long since taken it from her.
Ace
Ace is one of the patients Thea works with at the psychiatric unit, a manic individual who presents a complex and often abrasive personality. His behavior and suggestions, such as the idea to have the group draw their greatest fears, reveal his volatile and unpredictable nature.
Despite his manic tendencies, Ace’s character reflects the complexity of mental health issues, as he shifts between moments of agitation and seemingly insightful reflections. His interactions with Thea and the other patients highlight the challenges of working in a psychiatric setting, where the boundaries between professional care and personal connection can become easily distorted.
Ace’s presence in the narrative underscores the varying dynamics between patients and caregivers, showcasing the emotional intensity of working with individuals who are dealing with deep psychological turmoil. His character serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of mental health, as well as the impact of unresolved trauma on one’s behavior.
Lydia
Lydia is another patient at the psychiatric unit who serves as a poignant reflection of trauma and its lasting effects. Her fear of men, which becomes a central point of discussion during a group therapy session, offers a glimpse into her past experiences with abuse and her struggle to overcome the emotional scars it has left.
Lydia’s agitation during the therapy session, coupled with her vulnerability, highlights the difficulty of working with individuals who are dealing with deeply rooted fears and traumas. Thea’s attempts to guide the group back to the art therapy exercise reflect her dedication to her role as a caregiver, but they also showcase her challenges in managing the diverse needs of her patients.
Lydia’s character emphasizes the complexities of healing, particularly when it comes to trauma that is both personal and pervasive, affecting her ability to trust and find peace in the present.
Melissa
Melissa, a former friend from Thea’s high school years, reappears in the narrative, serving as a key figure in Thea’s journey of self-discovery. Their reconnection brings to light unsettling revelations about Adam, a person who had previously tormented Thea.
Melissa’s relationship with Adam, now married to him, forces Thea to confront the painful remnants of her past trauma, especially the manipulation she suffered at the hands of Pastor John during her adolescence. Melissa’s role in the narrative acts as a mirror to Thea’s own emotional struggles, as she grapples with the contrast between the person she was in the past and the individual she has become.
Through her interactions with Melissa, Thea is pushed to reflect on how the past continues to shape her present decisions and relationships.
Adam
Adam is an unsettling figure from Thea’s past, representing the predatory forces that have shaped her emotional landscape. His connection to Melissa, as her current husband, brings his toxic influence back into Thea’s life.
Adam’s presence serves as a reminder of the manipulation and abuse Thea endured during her adolescence, particularly under the guise of religious authority. His character embodies the dangerous allure of control and the lasting damage caused by emotional manipulation.
As Thea confronts her feelings toward Adam, she is forced to reckon with the unresolved trauma he represents, and his presence in her life becomes a source of tension and emotional conflict.
Moon and Sol
Moon and Sol are the leaders of the retreat where Thea finds herself drawn deeper into a troubling web of spiritual manipulation. They present themselves as spiritual guides, using practices like past-life regression and emotional healing to exert control over their followers.
As Thea becomes more involved with Catherine and the retreat, she begins to uncover the darker aspects of Moon and Sol’s influence, including their use of vulnerable individuals to maintain power and control. Moon and Sol’s characters represent the dangers of unchecked spiritual authority, and their practices highlight the exploitative nature of groups that prey on the emotional weaknesses of their members.
They serve as antagonistic forces in the narrative, pushing Thea to confront not only her own vulnerabilities but also the toxic dynamics of manipulation and control. Their presence underscores the theme of exploitation, as they attempt to bind others to their cult-like beliefs while suppressing personal autonomy and growth.
Clint
Clint plays a pivotal role in Thea’s escape from the cave, offering a glimmer of hope in an otherwise harrowing journey. Though his role is more supportive than central, Clint’s involvement in the narrative highlights the theme of survival and the importance of external help in times of crisis.
His assistance in rescuing Thea reflects the complex dynamics between individuals who are grappling with their own trauma while also trying to help others. Clint’s character adds another layer of tension to Thea’s story, as his role in the escape serves as a reminder of the people who play key roles in supporting one’s journey to recovery, even if they are only briefly involved in the process.
His presence offers a contrast to the manipulation and control exhibited by characters like Moon and Sol, providing a momentary reprieve from the emotional chaos that surrounds Thea’s life.
Themes
Trauma and Survival
In The Last Session, trauma plays a central role in shaping the characters, particularly Thea, whose journey is heavily defined by her past and her attempts to survive not just physically but emotionally. The narrative begins with an ominous prologue where a woman trapped in a dark, claustrophobic space is overwhelmed by feelings of isolation and fear.
This scene sets the stage for the exploration of trauma’s lingering effects, highlighting how individuals struggle to survive not only the external challenges of their environment but also the internal battles shaped by past experiences. Thea, in her role as a social worker in a psychiatric unit, interacts with patients who, like herself, are grappling with unresolved trauma.
This creates a strong parallel between Thea’s professional life and her personal struggles. The recurring themes of isolation, helplessness, and the deep emotional scars that characters carry are evident throughout, reflecting the psychological toll of enduring traumatic experiences.
Thea’s survival, whether in the face of physical peril, like her experiences in the cave, or emotional challenges, such as her past manipulation by figures of authority like Pastor John, underscores the tension between living and merely existing in a world where pain is a constant companion.
Identity and Self-Discovery
The exploration of identity in The Last Session is complex and multifaceted, especially in relation to Thea’s evolving sense of self. From the outset, Thea’s obsession with Catherine, a former child actress whose troubled past mirrors her own in disturbing ways, becomes an avenue through which Thea begins to question her own identity.
As Thea immerses herself in Catherine’s past, piecing together fragments of her life, she is forced to confront aspects of her own history that she had buried or failed to understand. The dual exploration of Catherine’s identity and Thea’s own self-discovery reveals how our sense of self can be influenced by external perceptions, societal expectations, and hidden trauma.
Thea’s own past, particularly her struggles with her sexuality and her religious upbringing, resurfaces as she investigates Catherine’s life, showing how unresolved issues can shape one’s identity over time. This theme is further complicated by Thea’s work in a psychiatric unit, where she encounters individuals whose identities are fractured by their mental health issues.
The narrative challenges the notion of fixed identity, suggesting that self-perception is often fluid and subject to external and internal forces beyond one’s control.
Manipulation and Control
Throughout The Last Session, the theme of manipulation and control plays a significant role in shaping the characters’ lives, especially as Thea delves deeper into the enigmatic world of Catherine’s past and the dubious practices of figures like Moon and Sol at the retreat. Catherine’s life is marked by manipulative relationships, from her early years as a child actress in a controversial film to her later interactions with figures who exploit her vulnerability.
Thea’s obsession with Catherine is paralleled by her own emotional manipulation by Pastor John during her adolescence, highlighting the damaging effects of those who prey on others’ emotional fragility. The retreat that Thea becomes involved with introduces a more insidious form of control, where spiritual and psychological manipulation is disguised as healing.
The retreat leaders, Moon and Sol, use practices like past-life regression and emotional healing as tools for coercion, taking advantage of individuals’ vulnerabilities to assert dominance and influence. This manipulation is not only emotional but also psychological, as the retreat’s methods distort the boundaries between reality and illusion, leaving participants, including Thea, uncertain about what is truly genuine.
The narrative thus critiques how vulnerable individuals can be exploited by those in positions of power, whether through religious authority, fame, or psychological manipulation, with devastating consequences.
The Blurring of Professional and Personal Boundaries
The tension between Thea’s professional role and her personal life is a constant undercurrent in The Last Session, where the lines between helping and becoming emotionally entangled are often blurred. As a social worker in a psychiatric unit, Thea is supposed to maintain a professional distance from her patients, yet her growing obsession with Catherine undermines this boundary.
Her attempt to help Catherine becomes more about her own need for closure and understanding than it does about providing therapeutic care. This conflict is further amplified by Thea’s unresolved emotional baggage, which makes her interactions with patients far from neutral.
The book delves into how personal trauma can interfere with professional responsibilities, raising questions about the ethical implications of personal involvement in a patient’s journey. This theme is explored not only through Thea’s fixation on Catherine but also in her strained relationships with colleagues who view her obsession as unprofessional.
Thea’s emotional vulnerability and her need for connection make it difficult for her to maintain a professional detachment, highlighting the complexities of caregiving in environments where the boundaries between the personal and the professional are often in flux.
Redemption and the Quest for Healing
In The Last Session, the theme of redemption is closely tied to the characters’ struggles with their past traumas and their search for healing. For Thea, healing is not just about helping others, but also about confronting her own past and emotional scars.
Her work with Catherine serves as a mirror to her own unresolved issues, particularly the trauma stemming from her religious upbringing and her manipulative experiences with Pastor John. The idea of redemption is explored in a psychological and emotional sense, where characters are not simply seeking forgiveness, but rather a deeper understanding of themselves and the pain they carry.
Thea’s attempts to help Catherine escape from the cult-like retreat reflect her own desire for redemption, not just for Catherine but for herself as well. The narrative suggests that healing is a complex, often painful process that requires facing the darkest aspects of one’s past and confronting the ways in which these experiences continue to shape one’s actions and relationships.
The search for redemption in The Last Session is not linear or easily achieved, but rather an ongoing struggle where personal and emotional growth can only occur through the most difficult of reckonings.
The Impact of Fame and Public Scrutiny
Another theme explored in The Last Session is the impact of fame and public scrutiny on individual lives. Through Catherine’s story, the narrative delves into how the pressures of public life, especially for a child actress, can lead to significant personal damage.
Catherine’s early fame, which she struggles to shake off in her adulthood, is shown to have shaped her identity in destructive ways, leaving her emotionally unstable and vulnerable. The way the media and society view her – as an object to be consumed and criticized – directly correlates with her inability to forge a healthy sense of self.
This scrutiny, coupled with abusive relationships, contributes to her unraveling and eventual psychological breakdown. Thea’s own experiences with fame and the way she looks back on her own relationship with Catherine as a fan also reveal the objectification and emotional toll that can accompany public life.
The narrative critiques the societal obsession with fame and its ability to distort reality, leading to a cycle of manipulation, trauma, and self-doubt for those caught in its grip. The book ultimately explores the price of public recognition and the internal cost it exacts on individuals, questioning whether fame can ever truly provide fulfillment or healing.