I'm in "empath protection mode" but am I protecting my empathy or am I just emotionally shutting down? Analyze my protection: from what? How do I protect? What's the result? Then reality-check: empath protection is maintaining boundaries while staying open; shutting down is just closing off. Map my "protection" behavior and expose: am I protecting my gift or am I just becoming numb and calling it protection? Show me where boundaries are healthy vs. where I'm just disconnecting and using empath language. Include: whether I'm protecting or disconnecting, what I'm really avoiding, and if I'm boundaried or just closed off.