Unshaming

We live in a culture that is mired in shame.

I use the definition of shame by my teacher, David Bedrick, that says “Shame is the absence of a loving witness.” Shame can be caused by the absence of a loving witness, or, by the presence of a shaming witness. The shaming witness’ presence can be an external person such as a family member, or an internal “inner critic,” whose purpose is reinforcing self-hatred, judgment, dismissal/minimization, gaslighting, etc. Such shaming experiences are common and widespread in society.

What would be different if we could express our truths in the context of loving witness? Unshaming is not about fixing or changing whatever is there—it is about accepting and integrating it. This method works by accessing our sensory grounded experience in the present moment, also called the soma, rather than the mind. Through this practice, and with a loving witness’ presence, significant personal transformations are often unlocked.

The result? You become more you.