You look upset.
Bad day at work.
What happened?
Boss yelled at me.
Sounds uncomfortable.
How are you feeling?
Guilty.
Why did the boss yell?
I’m not really sure. Having
a bad day, I guess.
He’s like that.
But why do you feel guilty?
I don’t know. I just do.
Did they yell at you when
you were a kid?
They did.
And how did you feel
when that happened?
Guilty.
Like now.
I guess.
Well, I’m not sure that’s
guilt you’re feeling.
What else could it be?
Anger. Internalized anger
feels like guilt.
It does?
Yes. Swallowing anger is like
swallowing poison.
It doesn’t just go away. It stays
inside and eats holes in you,
and the holes feel like guilt.
And some people spend their
whole lives feeling guilty
without understanding why..
Well, I’ve always been
a pretty guilty person.
I see. Tell me, what kind of
a person is your boss?
He’s an asshole.
What makes him an asshole?
He’s a bully. He likes to make fun
of people and make them feel small.
And how do you feel
when he does that?
Angry.
How angry?
Very angry. Sick-to-my-stomach angry.
To where I can’t stand looking at him.
I really hate that guy.
What did you say?
I hate him.
Say that again.
I hate him.
Say it louder.
I hate him.
Louder.
I HATE HIM.
HATE HATE HATE
HATE HATE HATE
HATE HATE HATE.
Good.
Breathe.
How do you feel now?
Better.
Still guilty?
Not at all.
Good.
Does that always work?
Pretty much, when the guilt
comes from suppressed anger.
Speaking of which…
How do you feel about your parents?
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