Exploring Shame

Workshop: Future of Healing — Day 1
Facilitators: Ryan Hassan & Ben Tannehill

Ryan and Ben open the Future of Healing 3-day workshop by diving into one of the most misunderstood and deeply rooted emotional experiences: shame.

What is Shame?

Shame is a protective mechanism that inhibits authentic self-expression in order to maintain a sense of safety and belonging.

It can attach itself to emotions, behaviours, desires—essentially, any part of ourselves.

It often underlies emotional struggles such as addiction, anxiety, and depression.

Why Addressing Shame Matters

Shame is a foundational imprint beneath many mental health and life challenges.

It drives patterns of isolation to avoid being seen, judged, or rejected.

True healing requires meeting shame with awareness, presence, and compassion.

Healthy vs. Toxic Shame

Healthy shame helps regulate behaviour in a way that maintains social connection.

Toxic shame becomes internalised, creating beliefs like “I am wrong” or “There’s something wrong with me.”

This can lead to patterns of self-disgust, self-hatred, and a fixed identity of being broken or deficient.

The Physiology of Shame

Shame expresses itself through physical postures—shrinking, closing in, avoiding eye contact.

Exploring these physical sensations and postures in a safe, embodied way can be profoundly healing.

Inquiring Into Shame

Engage in mindful inquiry to uncover shame-based beliefs and internal narratives.

Recognise shame as just one part of the self—not your entire identity.

Explore what this part of you is trying to express and what it truly needs.

Working with Shame in Embodied Processing

Begin by establishing a resourced, safe internal space to return to during the process.

Invite the experience of shame into conscious awareness with compassion and curiosity.

Trace the origin of the shame imprint—when and how it formed.

Use embodied, somatic techniques to process and integrate the experience, allowing transformation.

Key Takeaways

Shame is a core emotional wound that must be addressed for genuine healing to occur.

Compassionate, curious inquiry can shift how we relate to shame.

Embodied Processing provides an effective pathway for transforming toxic shame into wholeness and self-acceptance.

Stay tuned for Day 2 of the Future of Healing workshop in the next episode.