Guest VO, there's lots of physical things you can do to help strengthen your energy field against psychic attacks or drains, from your mother or anyone else.

First, make sure you are looking after yourself physically - proper diet, sleep, exercise, breathing/fresh air, using effective ways of dealing with stress. Your electrical field (aura) is produced by your
physical body, thoughts and emotions -- so the healthier they are, the stronger your aura.

Second, have you ever worked with crystals as "medicine"? I have found great relief from symptoms just like the ones you described by carrying small pieces of iolite, moldavite, tiger's eye, amethyst, carnelian, amber, hematite etc in a pouch or pocket. Iolite and moldavite are especially strengthening. Necklaces, rings, bracelets etc made of same are very pretty and effective too. These stones add their own electrical charge to your energy field, reinforcing it. Kirlean photographs have shown that carrying crystals can quadruple the energy surrounding your body.

Third, there are some very effective meditations to help with this. The only problem I've found with using the "mirror" technique you've described is that it can lead to game of "ping-pong" with the sender -- you send the energy back to them, and they return it to you multiplied.
This can go on and on forever.

Exercises I've found to be very effective, and where to find them on the net are:

1)The Middle Pillar of Light
http://www.davedavies.com/splanet/magic3.htm

2)The Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram (MANY versions of this traditional magickal exercises are on the net)


3) Actualism (very easy, and quickly effective too!) http://www.actualism.org/

4) HUNA (ancient Hawaiian) techniques of "praying with energy" to reinforce your aura and maintain your boundaries with others. Information at http://www.geocities.com/huna101

I hope you find something valuable in all that! Best wishes,

daylia