Healing from Internalized Shame with Gestalt Therapy

Written by Alessandro Hillel Zanoni, LP, SCPsyA, Certified Gestalt Therapist based in New York

Do you ever felt like you're "not good enough"? As if you're constantly being judged or criticized? That feeling is called internalized shame. It can feel like carrying around a heavy backpack filled with negative thoughts about yourself. Perhaps, you often lack self-esteem and confidence in your skills. Those feelings show up in how you avoid interacting with others and "taking risks" in life, sitting in the background of your life experiences, watching others moving forward.

Internalized shame is not a new ailment experienced by the younger generations. Think about the culture of hubris in ancient Greece and how doing and saying things that cause shame to others was a major flaw.

My approach to help patients heal from internalized shame

Gestalt Therapy is a type of therapy that can help you deal with this. It's like exploring a map of your own mind. Instead of just thinking about your problems, you also pay attention to how your body feels. Maybe you feel a tightness in your chest when you think about past mistakes. Gestalt Therapy helps you understand how your body and mind are connected.

Internalized shame can be a deeply ingrained and painful experience, leaving us feeling inadequate, unworthy, and disconnected from ourselves.

Here's how it can help with internalized shame:

• Finding the Source: You learn to recognize the thoughts and feelings that make you feel ashamed. Where do these thoughts come from?

• Challenging the Inner Critic: Imagine you're talking to a friend who is feeling down on themselves. Would you be as harsh? Gestalt Therapy helps you challenge that inner critic and replace those negative thoughts with kinder ones.

• Listening to Your Body: You learn to pay attention to how your body feels when you experience shame. This helps you understand how shame affects you physically and emotionally.

• Taking Back Your Power: Gestalt Therapy helps you realize that you have the power to change how you think and feel about yourself. You can learn to accept yourself for who you are and break free from the grip of internalized shame.

Do you often feel "not good enough"?

• Yes
• No

Remember: Healing from internalized shame is a journey, not a destination. It requires patience, self-compassion, and a willingness to explore the depths of your inner world. With the support of a skilled Gestalt Therapist, you can begin to dismantle the patterns of self-criticism, reclaim your self-worth, and live a more fulfilling life. Healing from Internalized Shame with Gestalt Therapy.

Would you like to know more about how Gestalt Therapy can help you heal?

Connect with a certified gestalt therapist here.

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