Shame

Shame is the feeling or thought that you are less than others, broken, unlovable, or defective in some way. It makes us want to hide at least part of ourselves from people in our lives. Shame leads us to being alone, isolated and it stops us from meeting our full potential.

Shame is Most Often an Illusion

The feelings and thoughts of shame are usually false and once they are confronted we see how they are not true. The trick is that the only way we can break through the shame is by sharing it with someone, but the shame makes us want to keep it a secret. We often hide in the shame out of fear that we will be rejected if we share that part of ourselves. As a result we get stuck in the illusion of the shame.

Limitations vs. Deficiencies

Typically we feel shame when we become in touch with one or more of our limitations as a human being. We all have different strengths and weaknesses and often when we compare ourselves to others and can not do something others are able to, we feel deficient in some way. We tend to ignore the things we can do that others cannot do and go to a place of feeling shame. The truth is that nobody can do everything and accepting our limitations and acknowledging our strengths is the beginning of letting go of shame.

My Approach to Shame

I create a safe environment where you can begin to explore your shame and discover how to free yourself from it. You will then learn how to be with your limitations in ways that don't create more shame. You will learn to accept your limitations as normal and not make them about you being deficient in any way. You will learn to to be at greater acceptance and peace with your humanity. You may even learn that when you share what you feel the most shame about with others that they embrace you instead of reject you.