Shadow Work Practitioner
When you think about some parts of your personality or some traits you have, you might not like them. In fact, you might be reluctant or even embarrassed to admit to having them. These parts of yourself are known as your inner shadow or shadow self.
Shadows can also include the experiences, thoughts and emotions you deny or avoid.
The resistance we create disconnects us from parts of ourselves. This inner disconnect can create limiting beliefs and patterns of behavior that are unproductive and hurtful. By exploring your shadows and how they impact your life, you can start to reconnect and understand yourself more fully. This can play a key role in changing your story and achieving a happier and healthier life.
Learn more about shadow work below, or book a free introductory session so you can better understand how shadow work can help you improve your quality of life and ask any questions you might have during a 30-minute phone call or virtual meeting.
The introductory call is free and will give you a chance to:
- Learn more about shadow work
- Learn about shadow work approaches
- Find out more about 1428 Transformation coaching options and how we can help you
- See how our shadow work coaching services fit your needs
If you’re reading this, you’re ready to embrace all of you so you can be the fullest expression of yourself. We can help.
If you’d like to know more before booking your call, please enjoy this additional information.
What Is a Shadow Work Coach?
A shadow work coach is someone who helps guide their clients through a variety of shadow work practices in an effort to help them evolve and grow through and accept parts of themselves that they were previously unaware of or resisted.
Exploring the Inner Shadow
Your inner shadow consists of parts of yourself that you would rather not admit to or traits that you reject. Keep in mind that you might not be consciously aware of rejecting these parts until you start doing shadow work. This kind of work helps you explore your shadow self, get to know its traits, and find a way to accept them and heal.
Your shadow self develops over the years as you go through different kinds of experiences. Early childhood trauma or trauma that occurs later on in childhood can cause your inner shadow to form. Some people refer to this as their wounded inner child. For example, you might reject your emotional self if you were told to stop crying or chastised for showing strong emotions as a child. When this happens, you might learn to unconsciously hide your emotions, so that you aren’t berated or teased. As you work on getting to know your inner shadow, you can become more comfortable with accepting that emotional part of yourself and seeing how it can actually become a gift or strength.
What Are Potential Effects of Ignoring Your Inner Shadow?
Ignoring this side of you can manifest in different ways that lead to unhealthy or harmful thoughts and behaviors. When you refuse to acknowledge your inner shadow, these are some of the problems that can occur:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Self-harm
- Low self-esteem
- Self-loathing
- Relationship problems
- Self-deception
- Projections and disconnect
You might recognize some or all of these in yourself
Projection occurs when you accuse other people of having the traits that are part of your shadow self. Instead of being able to admit to having them yourself, you might project them onto others. The discomfort and other unpleasant emotions you feel when you get to know your inner shadow are part of the path toward learning to accept them and heal from past trauma and pain and start to change your patterns of behavior that you no longer want.
What is Shadow Work?
Doing shadow work involves exploring parts of your unconscious mind that you have rejected. This exploration can be done verbally with a coach, through reflective writing and journaling prompts, dream tending, imaginative practices, art or play techniques as well as tuning in to physical sensations in your body. When you do this kind of work, you might discover aspects of your personality that you have ignored or hidden away if they don’t seem likable or desirable. You might also find that you have trauma in your past that you haven’t processed. Instead, this trauma has been kept hidden inside your shadow self. Shadow work can help you work through these traumatic experiences and find a way to more fully accept yourself.
Why Bother Doing Shadow Work?
Shadow work offers several benefits that can help improve your quality of life. When you take the time to do this kind of work, you can expect the following benefits:
- Improved self-esteem and self-confidence
- Healthier relationships
- Improved physical and emotional well-being
- Greater compassion for yourself and others
- Acceptance of your entire self
Doing shadow work can benefit your life in other ways as well. You might find that you have hidden talents you weren’t aware of, which can lead to new hobbies or passions.
You might also discover that you have a creative side. If you already do creative activities, working with your inner shadow can help improve this creativity.
Learning to accept your shadow self means you don’t have to hide parts of yourself or reject them. Through this kind of work, you can discover more about yourself, including what you would love to accomplish in life or what kinds of challenges you want to face in order to grow.
Start Your Shadow Work Journey
If you’re interested in starting shadow work, please book a free introductory call. Guiding men through shadow work to help them improve their emotional well-being, handle pain, discomfort and trauma, so they can start their healing process is a big part of our services at 1428 Transformations. Changing your story during shadow work, can help you discover your best self and focus on your potential and goals. You’re ready to change. We can help. We look forward to hearing from you!