ABSTRACT
Yvonne has arrived at work early. She is giving a presentation today, the fruit of months of work. Alone in her office, she checks her slides one last time, making sure there are no errors. As she runs through the presentation she feels a combination of nervous anticipation and pleasure. She has checked all her facts, she is wearing her favourite skirt, and she feels prepared to answer all questions. Then, as she rummages in her bag for a backup disk, she discovers her son’s completed homework assignment. She has forgotten to give it to him when she dropped him off at school. She notices a sudden change in her mood, a rush of anxiety and guilt. Now his grade will be marked down because it is late, he will be upset, and his teacher will disapprove. As she dials the phone to try to reach the teacher, she decides to stop and ‘look inward’, as her new therapist suggests. She notices that there are phrases in her mind: ‘I can’t help it. I can’t do everything on my own. It’s not my fault.’ And she notices that these phrases are directed at someone, but she isn’t sure who it is. It seems a bit like her mother, who disapproves of her absorption in her work, or her boss, who thinks her family obligations are excessive, or perhaps her son. But the person she is addressing is apparently much closer, because that person now responds sarcastically, ‘Oh, and whose fault is it?’
