Displacement

Displacement is directing an emotion not at its real source but at a safer target. A person angry at their boss at work may unload that anger on their family when they come home; for reacting to the real target seems risky. The emotion stays real, but it goes to the wrong address. This unloads the tension for a moment, but not only does it fail to solve the real matter, it also harms other relationships. The coach helps the client notice the real source of a reaction: "Does this anger really belong here, or does it come from somewhere else?"