| Abstract: | In this analysis particular emphasis is given to the question of blame in meaningful relationships, such as those occurring within families and between practitioners and their clients. The authors suggest there is a potential in these contexts for the subjective experience of being blamed to challenge, perhaps even disturb, an individual's sense of personhood and for interpersonal boundaries to therefore become de-regulated. A general implication for practice is then raised: if blame can be so powerful in its effects, practitioners may benefit from talking explicitly to their clients about blame in order to access intrapsychic and interactional material, for its relevance to the immediacy of the client's lived experience, for its ability to contribute to engagement, and perhaps most importantly, because feeling blamed and being blaming reduces the self-agency available to clients and hence potential for change. |
