I am surprised and at the same time admired by our (human) abilities to call out and react to everything that happens in society. The mechanism of our reactions is interesting, because we see, hear and pay attention not to everything, but selectively. And our amazingly wise body makes this selection with amazing accuracy, reflecting our condition. Once a woman came for a consultation, and on the threshold of the office she began to talk about a situation that she heard on the bus five minutes ago. There were enough emotions in her story, and therefore I listened more carefully to her text. Short summary of the story: some Maria Ivanovna constantly controls the behavior of her daughter-in-law. Client: And why does she control her, I don’t know why, I heard the conversation, and it hurt me so much. Psychologist: What exactly hurt you? Client: I don’t know, what nonsense Well, well, she controls her daughter-in-law, but what about me? This is somehow unpleasant. I’m not married, I don’t have a mother-in-law, I have no one to compare with. Psychologist: What exactly is it that you don’t like? Client: Well, something that is constantly being controlled. Psychologist: Was there a situation in your life when you were constantly being controlled? Client: Not I remember. My parents trust me. I am an adult and independent. Psychologist: What do you think will happen to that woman if her mother-in-law does not control her? Client: Well, she will probably be free and successful. The feeling that her mother-in-law is “killing her opportunity for success.” Psychologist: What is your attitude to your success? Client: Everything is fine with my success, interesting work, friends. Psychologist: What does the phrase “killing the opportunity for success” mean to you? ?Client: I don’t understand...Psychologist (I suggest the client move to an empty chair): Imagine that you are sitting on this chair exactly at the time when you became acquainted with the state of “killing the opportunity for success” (the client moves). What do you feel now, how old are you, what is happening there, what and who surrounds you... Client: The feeling that I am 14 years old, and... (the client begins to cry, has difficulty breathing, and remembers an old school story). The beauty of psychological defenses is that in situations where you don’t even expect your internal conflict, our internal tension elegantly hides and feels very good. And let these tensions be temporary guests in our lives.