Dr. Loehmann Character Analysis in A Little Life

Dr. Loehmann is a psychiatrist to whom Andy refers Jude following Jude’s suicide attempt. Despite his friends’ protests, Jude initially refuses to see Dr. Loehmann. Following a major fight with Willem over Jude’s continued self-harm, Jude finally starts to see Dr. Loehmann, but he refuses to answer any of Dr. Loehmann’s questions or else skips their sessions entirely. Following Willem’s death, Jude falls into a deep depression and nearly starves himself to death. As a result, his friends hold an intervention, commit him to a hospital, and only release him on the condition that he start to take care of himself and agree to see Dr. Loehmann. Jude agrees, though he continues to avoid discussing his past with the psychiatrist. At the very end of the novel, Jude seems to have a breakthrough and shows signs that he will begin to take his sessions with Loehmann seriously. However, this optimism is short-lived, as the next (and final) section of the book reveals that Jude dies by suicide not long after this final session.

Dr. Loehmann Quotes in A Little Life

The A Little Life quotes below are all either spoken by Dr. Loehmann or refer to Dr. Loehmann. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

“Jude,” says Dr. Loehmann. “You’ve come back.”

He takes a breath. “Yes,” he says. “I’ve decided to stay.”

Related Characters: Dr. Loehmann (speaker), Jude St. Francis (speaker), Willem Ragnarsson

Page Number and Citation: 794

Explanation and Analysis:

Dr. Loehmann Character Timeline in A Little Life

The timeline below shows where the character Dr. Loehmann appears in A Little Life. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...to every other week. He also gives Jude the business card for a psychologist named Sam Loehmann . Jude knows everyone means well, but he feels like this is just another version... (full context)

...longer than an hour. Willem asks Jude every day if he wants to talk to Dr. Loehmann , but Jude always declines. (full context)

...sharing the stories as part of a deal he made after he refused to see Dr. Loehmann . Andy doesn’t like the compromise—Willem isn’t a professional—but it’s all Jude will give them. (full context)

...emerge on Saturday afternoon, and Willem listens as Jude calls and leaves a message for Dr. Loehmann . When Jude hangs up, Willem asks him to pick up where he left off:... (full context)

...his disillusionment with therapy with Jude, though, since he wants him to continue going to Dr. Loehmann ; Jude has finally admitted that he is ill, and Willem wants Jude to heal. (full context)

...shoot, Jude calls him to confess that he’s actually missed the past four session with Dr. Loehmann : he goes to the doctor’s office, but then he sits in his car and... (full context)

...he can’t swim every morning the way he used to. Jude stops his sessions with Dr. Loehmann (which are mostly silent anyway) to free up time to go to the hospital for... (full context)

...any choices: they hook him up to the feeding tube, and they make him see Dr. Loehmann . They watch him constantly to makes sure that he eats and keeps his food... (full context)

...will text Andy, who will have Jude committed, if Jude tries anything. Jude starts seeing Dr. Loehmann again, though he resents being there and refuses to talk to him. He goes to... (full context)

Jude is still thinking these things when he sees Dr. Loehmann next week. In their session, Jude tries like he has never tried before. He answers... (full context)

Suddenly, Jude can’t breathe, and he runs out of Dr. Loehmann ’s office and into the bathroom. Then “he plays his old game of ‘If,’” imagining... (full context)

Dr. Loehmann Character Analysis

Dr. Loehmann Quotes in A Little Life

Part 6: Dear Comrade: Chapter 3 Quotes

Dr. Loehmann Character Timeline in A Little Life