Shadow Work® with Jim and Linda Brooks

Shadow Work® is deep transformational personal work in which we safely bring into conscious awareness parts of ourselves that have been unconscious. As a result, we no longer need the defensive behaviors that we developed to protect our deep vulnerabilities. We are able to be in relationship with ourselves and others more openly and fully and enjoy a more satisfying life.

Carl Jung described the human shadow as those parts of ourselves that we have hidden, repressed, or denied. In our attempt to get love from our early caretakers and be accepted by society, we unconsciously put into shadow the parts of ourselves – positive or negative – that our parents or our culture deem unacceptable. It might be our spontaneity and exuberance, because we had to "behave properly", or our sadness or fear, because we were told that "big boys don't cry." Or perhaps we can’t express our anger, because when we expressed anger as a child we were admonished. Maybe we are unable to be vulnerable or experience intimacy, because early on we learned that it was safer to put on a brave face.

Although it served us to put these parts of ourselves into shadow as children, our lives as adults are compromised when we don’t have access to the full range of our potential. We miss out on the ability to have a strong sense of self, to draw on our innate inner wisdom, to love fully, and to value and bless ourselves and others.

Shadow Work draws on a combination of Jungian psychology, Gestalt, Psychodrama, Focusing, and Voice Dialogue. It can be experienced in a group or individually.

Two Ways to do Shadow Work®:

• A Shadow Work Weekend

  
  

  This is the most comprehensive way to experience Shadow Work. You'll get to have personal experience with and a good understanding of the four archetypes we use to identify energies in shadow. The many experiential group activities on the weekend are designed to bring these energies out of shadow and into conscious awareness, where we can integrate them to support our aspirations:

  • The Magician archetype enables us to see options and perspectives.
  • The Sovereign archetype brings motivation, inspiration, and acceptance of self and others to our lives.
  • The Lover archetype allows us to connect, feel, play and express ourselves creatively.
  • The Warrior archetype empowers us to take action and set boundaries.

  The weekend also provides an opportunity for you to identify a personal issue or long-standing pattern in your life that you want to change. If you choose to do an individual Shadow Work process, we will help you remove the blocks and heal the wounds that have kept you locked into patterns of thinking and behavior that no longer serve you.

• Shadow Work Individual Coaching

  
  

  In a Shadow Work coaching session you have the opportunity to do Shadow Work in a one-on-one setting. These sessions range from 3 - 6 hours long. During that time you will be able to explore the different aspects involved in your issue in depth. By teasing out each conflicting perspective and giving it a voice, you can gain clarity on what’s really involved in the issue and what course of action is the best one to take. Once these different “parts” of you become clear, we can lead you through a dynamic process for deep, inner transformation around the issue.

For more information, visit www.shadowwork.com.