Shame is the profoundly painful experience of feeling defective and unworthy of acceptance. Etymologically related to “covering up,” shame can leave us feeling disgraced and exposed. Shame is a universal emotion and not reserved for the few “unfortunate.” Despite its universality, shame lurks in the shadows, as it is a “negative” emotion that few will admit. In fact, the experience of the feeling itself constellates shame, and thus falls into what Jung called “the shadow,” making it one of the most difficult feelings to understand and manage. In this program, we will explore the meaning and value of shame to our psychological functioning, the role of shame to an individual’s socialization and development of identity, and we will distinguish the normal human emotion of shame from “toxic shame” which is shame as an identity and belief that one is flawed and defective. Running time: approximately 60 minutes.
To register: Jung Center of Houston Shame Lecture
Psychotherapy and Counseling in Houston 