When Guilt Prevents Boundaries: An Imagery Rescripting Demonstration

One of the most common dilemmas therapists encounter is helping clients who feel intense guilt when setting boundaries with their parents.

At first glance, these clients often appear ambivalent. They say they want to protect themselves, yet repeatedly move back towards caregiving, accommodation or self-sacrifice.

It is tempting to interpret this as resistance, avoidance, or an inability to let go.

I have increasingly wondered whether something else is happening.

From a Content–Process–Relationship (CPR) perspective, what appears to be ambivalence may instead reflect two equally legitimate relational needs operating simultaneously.

One part longs for safety, autonomy and psychological space.

Another part longs to remain a loving son or daughter.

The therapeutic task is therefore not to persuade clients towards one side, but to understand what relational process is organising the guilt.

In this supervision demonstration, I apply Schema Therapy Imagery Rescripting to work with this dilemma.

Rather than challenging guilt directly, the imagery gradually transforms the relational meaning beneath it, allowing differentiation to emerge without requiring the client to reject filial love.

In this recording, I work with a supervisee who was struggling with guilt while supporting a client to establish boundaries with a parent.

The demonstration illustrates:

• applying Schema Therapy Imagery Rescripting in supervision;

• recognising guilt as a relational process rather than simply a cognitive belief;

• learning what is ‘reparenting the client’s parents’ means in Schema Therapy;

• helping differentiation emerge without invalidating attachment.