Shadow Work

Shadow Work

Shadow work is bringing unconscious aspects and experiences within ourselves to our conscious awareness so that we can heal and be more fully centered in our power of wholeness to create the life we want to live.

Due to trauma or negative experiences, especially during childhood, we may repress or hide parts of ourselves that are uncomfortable to be aware of or were mis-labeled as bad by ourselves or others. These unacceptable parts can also be called our shadows. Our shadows can include both negative and positive feelings and aspects of ourselves that were not okay to experience or express in certain environments for fear of judgment, criticism or some type of mental, emotional or physical harm.

Although hiding these parts of ourselves in the darkness of our unconscious mind may have protected us at one time, continuing to not have conscious access to these denied parts may lead to feeling disconnected, self sabotage, relationship problems, and loss of creativity or productivity in various areas of our lives. Bringing the light of awareness to the darkness of our shadow parts is how we begin to integrate these denied parts back into our conscious mind to regain information and a sense of wholeness that will help us to make healthier choices to be able to enjoy life more fully.

Integrating these shadow parts through bringing the light of awareness to them is something that can be done through counseling, dream interpretation, and journaling. Another effective tool in approaching shadow work is through hypnotherapy.

Hypnotherapy can help you to reach a relaxed state of mind where you can access your subconscious and unconscious mind to more easily discover parts of yourself you have repressed, hidden or denied.

If you’re interested in doing shadow work, let’s talk more about finding which ways may work best for you.