Tapping into and out of Shame

Shame is a powerful emotion characterized by a deep sense of unworthiness or worthlessness or negative self evaluation and criticism that is often triggered by the perception of failing to meet a personal or societal standard. Whereas guilt is often associated with specific actions or behaviors, shame goes even more deeply as a way that we continue to cut ourselves down and remove ourselves from the very things in our life that can bring us connection and love. It is commonly the toxic emotional catalyst that leads individuals into addiction as a strategy for finding temporary relief from a sense of overwhelming failure in life. Using EFT for shame calls for a shame-informed approach which recognizes that the causality of shame is often traumatic in nature, commonly connected to childhood trauma, often related to addictions and necessitates a slow and gentle approach with any therapeutic intervention like EFT. In this podcast, we discuss some of those important considerations and adaptations.