Guilt & Self Blame

A client suffered from deep sense of guilt over the behavior of her teenager son. She did not know how to discipline him, and it felt that he could do whatever he wanted to do at home with no consequences. The mom blamed herself for being a bad mom when her son was much younger, and that, pushed him toward self-destructive behavior. MT found out that the self-blame was used by the mom to keep her away from living her life happily. It seemed that unconsciously, she preferred staying miserable as a way of punishing herself. IPEC therapy took place and this defense was cleared out in a few sessions. The client felt gradually, a heavy load had been lifted off her shoulders. She found herself able more to communicate to her son directly, and started to instill boundaries at home. Within a few months period, her life became qualitatively better, with no more guilt.