Shame is one of the hardest emotions to work with, in part because it blocks what we need most when we’re feeling shame: self-compassion. Today on the Being Well Podcast, Dr. Chris Germer, co-developer of the Mindful Self-Compassion program, joins Forrest to discuss how we can get around that trap and begin treating shame with self-compassion. They talk about where shame comes from, how to recognize it when it’s hiding behind other emotions, and practical tools that help us experience less shame.
About our Guest: Chris Germer is a clinical psychologist, lecturer at Harvard Medical School, co-developer of the Mindful Self-Compassion program with Dr. Kristin Neff, and author of the new book Self-Compassion for Shame.
Key Topics
- 0:00: Intro: shame, hiding, and why it blocks self-compassion
- 2:52: What shame is and why it hides
- 9:45: How self-compassion changes the inner voice
- 13:44: The arc of working with shame
- 18:05: Shame as an innocent emotion
- 22:57: Backdraft and the wish to be loved
- 29:50: Self-compassion as exposure
- 39:43: When people really do judge you
- 45:33: The “shrug”
- 47:56: Healthy shame, toxic shame, and the parts of you
- 58:48: Recap
