Swiss psychiatrist and psychotherapist Carl Jung coined the term "the shadow self" in 1945. Jung described the shadow as “the thing a person has no wish to be” (CW 16, para. 470). Although some speculate that the idea of

grappling with the shadow has existed in humanity for a long time, the actual term "the shadow," referring to the unconscious part of the mind, was not part of our collective vocabulary until Jung introduced it. Moreover, the phrase shadow work in this context is referring to the therapeutic "work" of healing whilst tending to the shadow.

WHAT IS THE SHADOW?

The shadow holds the parts of ourselves we’d rather not see—the things we've done to others that make us feel ashamed, and the things others have done to us that we instinctively know weren’t right. These are the moments we suppress—when something painful happens and we bury it, discard it, or try to forget it. Guilt, fear, trauma—these unsettling emotions don’t just disappear. Instead, they slip into the shadow. That’s why ignoring painful experiences doesn't actually rid us of their impact. When we repress memories or emotions, we don’t process them. We just pack them into mental boxes and store them in the shadow. Over time, these unprocessed pieces accumulate. The more we avoid them, the more cluttered our shadow becomes with things we have “no wish to be.” If we never unpack these boxes—never face the trauma—they begin to weigh us down. Eventually, the shadow can become so full, so dominant, that it begins to overtake the conscious mind. We become what we’ve refused to face.

But there is another path.

HOW TO WORK WITH THE SHADOW?

Working through these moments—facing the feelings and the trauma—allows us to release what has held us back. It opens the door to compassion for the parts of ourselves we’ve hidden away. This is the process of integrating the shadow. When we work with it, rather than avoid it, the shadow no longer needs to protect us. The shadow often holds fear and sadness—emotions we may have never truly dealt with. And as they sit in the dark, they can evolve into shame, making us feel unworthy of healing. But it’s important to remember: we are not responsible for the ways others have hurt us. We are responsible for how we learn and grow from those experiences.

Sometimes the lesson is to be more careful with whom we trust. Sometimes it's learning to listen to our gut, to love ourselves, or to forgive ourselves. Other times, it’s about taking responsibility for what we will never do again.

RECLAIM POWER AND EMBRACE WHOLNESS

This duality—the shadow as both what we’ve done and what’s been done to us—creates complexity. But it's through this complexity that growth occurs. Learning to work with the shadow, to take responsibility for it, and to integrate it, allows us to bring the unconscious into the conscious. When we do this, we begin to live more consciously and protect ourselves more wisely. We reclaim our power. By leading with compassion—for the choices we’ve made and for the pain we've endured—we strip guilt and shame of their strength. We learn, we integrate, and we heal. Shadow work helps us become whole