Mismirror

Each time, Helga's vulnerable and defensively haughty self approaches a potential mirror and is, or perceives itself to be, mismirrored.

The interpersonal self thus comes into being as a result of experiences with interpersonal mirroring or mismirroring, that is, approval or disapproval.

In the second version the mother misreads (mismirrors) her baby's messages because she cannot tolerate the baby's sensuous/sexual arousal, or its pain and neediness, or its desperation.

One mirror must mirror another; each mirror mismirrors the other.