What Is Shadow Work, Exactly?

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Is there a side of you that you suppress during certain social situations? Or maybe one you don't even know you hide? That’s your shadow. Shadow work is uncovering the hidden parts of your psyche to understand yourself more, heal from old wounds, and improve relationships.

In other words, it's the work you do on the darker side of yourself that you don’t want or cannot see.

Liz Hughes, MEd, LPCC, founder and therapist of Mind Body Therapy explained that shadow work comes from the work of Carl Jung’s depth psychology. It speaks to the unconscious aspects of a person’s mind or personality.

Swiss psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung pioneered the concept of the shadow in his exploration of the unconscious mind. He argued that acknowledging and integrating our shadow is crucial for achieving wholeness. Jung believed that by confronting and understanding our shadow, we could attain a deeper understanding of ourselves, leading to what he termed “individuation,” or the process of becoming aware of oneself as a unique individual, by integrating the conscious and unconscious parts of the psyche.

At a Glance

Shadow work is a transformative process that brings the unconscious parts of our psyche to light, recognizing, acknowledging, and integrating them into your whole self. It can play an important role in helping us recognize and modify self-sabotaging behaviors, and can improve personal relationships through better understanding and communication.

The Practice of Shadow Work

The first step of practicing shadow work is to decide whether you want the help of a therapist. Getting the guidance of a mental health professional can be incredibly beneficial in ensuring your shadow work journey is meaningful.

Keila Shaheen, creator of Zenfulnote and the author of "The Shadow Work Journal" shared that some effective techniques to practice shadow work include journaling with a guided shadow work journal, therapy, guided meditations, and EFT tapping. You can also access guided meditations online such as the Zenfulnote YouTube channel and Zenfulnote App.

Start by noticing in your daily interactions how your shadow affects you. For instance, you're browsing social media when an image or text triggers negative feelings. Instead of distracting yourself or ignoring the feeling, try to figure out what you may be projecting.

Ask yourself deep questions. Respond to those questions by writing a letter to yourself. Address uncomfortable feelings such as anger, jealousy, or fear, offering them acknowledgment and a voice.

You can do a visualization exercise where you pretend to have an open and honest conversation with your shadow. Imagine a safe space where you can meet and dialogue with different parts of yourself, especially the vulnerable ones. Ask them what they need or why they behave in certain ways.

Shadow Work Goals

The goals of shadow work include the following:

• Increase self-awareness by recognizing and accepting the parts of ourselves that have been ignored, repressed, or denied
• Integrate the shadow into consciousness to create a more complete and balanced self
• Heal psychological wounds and resolve internal conflicts
• Personally grow and enhance creativity and authenticity

"The goal of shadow work is to bring personal growth by recognizing and integrating the parts of ourselves we have neglected or suppressed," adds Shaheen.

Common Challenges in Shadow Work

Hughes shares that the first step in shadow work is to acknowledge the parts of ourselves we feel detached from or are rejecting. This can bring up discomfort, fear, or resistance since they are the parts of ourselves that come out when we feel hurt or triggered.

Dealing with uncomfortable emotions can be a challenging aspect of shadow work.

“I often see clients judge or reject shadow parts of themselves. It can be challenging to see a part of your personality you do not like or agree with. It can also be difficult to uncover our own unconscious traits from an unbiased point of view when engaging in shadow work on our own,” says Hughes.

It can [also] be difficult to uncover our own unconscious traits from an unbiased point of view when engaging in shadow work on our own.

However, those who maintain consistency and commit to shadow work can uncover, understand, and integrate the hidden parts of themselves, leading to a more whole and authentic existence.

What Is the Difference Between Shadow Work and Light Work?

Shadow work and light work focus on different aspects of personal growth and spiritual development. Shadow work involves confronting the “darker” parts of ourselves, including fears, traumas, and the aspects deemed negative by societal standards.

On the other hand, light work focuses on enhancing the “lighter” or positive aspects of the self, such as dreams, creativity, aspirations, love, compassion, and kindness. It aims to spread positivity and light as a way to heal ourselves and others.

What Is the Difference Between Inner Work and Shadow Work?

Shadow work is a type of inner work; however, not all inner work is shadow work. Inner work is a broad umbrella of personal and spiritual growth practices that build a deeper connection with ourselves and the universe. Examples include meditation, mindfulness, self-reflection, therapy and journaling.

Inner work explores our shadows in addition to the development of our strengths, talents, and positive qualities.

Benefits of Shadow Work

Here are some of the benefits of shadow work:

Improved Self-Awareness

Shadow work helps us recognize the hidden aspects of our psyche to improve our self-awareness and help us understand our motivations, desires, fears, and behaviors better. Knowing ourselves allows us to live a more authentic life and make decisions aligned with this new insight.

Emotional Healing and Integration

For many of us, our shadows were formed from past traumas, unmet needs, or unexpressed emotions. Shadow work allows us to emotionally heal from those experiences. Those painful parts of ourselves no longer serve as sources of fear, shame, or anxiety. They are integrated into how we view ourselves, creating a more complete sense of being. We develop a more compassionate and accepting relationship with ourselves as a result.

“By exploring the shadow self without judgment we can then move towards accepting these parts of ourselves and bring these shadow parts to our conscious awareness where we can work on having healthier new reactions when triggering events occur,” adds Hughes.

Personal Growth and Transformation

When we face and integrate our shadows, it is possible to unlock new strengths, talents, and abilities buried underneath our fears and insecurities.

This can lead to a significant shift in how we view ourselves and the world around us. We may be more open to new possibilities and feel more courageous and confident to make decisions to transform our lives.

How to Start Shadow Work

Self-reflection and journalling can be a great way to begin shadow work.

• Begin a daily journaling practice. Focus on your emotions, thoughts, reactions, and dreams. Notice what comes up in your responses. Pay special attention to recurrent patterns or themes that you feel strong emotions or are uncomfortable with.

Questions to Reflect On for Shadow Work

• How frequently do you offer advice, and what motivates you to do so?
• When you feel jealous, ask yourself: what does this person have that I wish I had?
• How do you talk about other people when they’re not present?
• What are your triggers?

• Practice mindfulness meditation. Meditation can create a more objective perspective of your thoughts and feelings. It helps recognize and observe your shadow aspects without immediate reaction or suppression.
• Work with a therapist. Hughes says it can benefit those looking to start this practice to work with a skilled therapist. They can help you see these shadow parts with less judgment and guide you towards accepting these traits with kindness.
• Get help from your community. You can also participate in workshops or group sessions focused on shadow work, personal growth, or holistic healing. These can offer structured approaches to shadow work and the support of a community.

Starting shadow work is a journey into self-discovery and healing. It requires courage, vulnerability, honesty, and willingness to face your innermost fears and desires. The process is challenging but ultimately, it is a deeply rewarding journey that leads to a more fulfilling and authentic life.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

1. American Psychological Association. Collective unconscious.
2. Roesler C. Evidence for the effectiveness of jungian psychotherapy: a review of empirical studies. Behavioral Sciences. 2013;3(4):562–575.
3. Jung C. Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Volume 12: Psychology and Alchemy. Princeton University Press; 1968.

By Katharine Chan, MSc, BSc, PMP
Katharine is the author of three books (How To Deal With Asian Parents, A Brutally Honest Dating Guide and A Straight Up Guide to a Happy and Healthy Marriage) and the creator of 60 Feelings To Feel: A Journal To Identify Your Emotions. She has over 15 years of experience working in British Columbia's healthcare system.

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