I just returned from a training offered by one of my favorite people, Brene Brown. I was immersed with over 100 other healing professionals in learning more about how vulnerability and shame impact ALL of our lives. As part of the experience, we were all asked to look at shame and vulnerability in our own lives. I was amazed by the similarities in our shared stories, but one word was glaringly obvious to all our stories: shame!
We all have our unique experiences and stories, but shame sounds the same!
- I am not good enough.
- I am not strong enough.
- I am weak.
My facilitator, and then later Brene, both remarked: “Vulnerability is a formidable foe, but she is lacking in creativity.”
We ALL experience shame and vulnerability. For those who think, “I don’t do vulnerability or shame,” guess what?
IT WILL DO YOU! The result: We numb, we hide, we run, and we fight against it. We believe that if we don’t look at it, it will no longer be there.
That is a huge problem, especially for how it affects our bodies. The more we hold in our vulnerability and shame, the more it shows up in our bodies. Working with people who suffer from chronic illnesses, I see this all too often. We suppress and hold in our feelings, and it starts to take hold of our bodies.
Healing takes place when patients:
- unlock their feelings
- work through their difficult pasts
- learn how to create new neuropathways that allow vulnerability and shame to be present
Healing takes place both physically and emotionally. It releases in their minds, which trickles down into their bodies. When we allow our feelings to be present and for our bodies to release the pain…
We start to find joy, healing, and self compassion for ourselves and for our stories.
I will be offering upcoming Brene trainings and seminars for patients and for other healing professionals. Until then, you can find out more about Brene’s work on her Netflix documentary, Call to Courage, or her TedTalk, The Power of Vulnerability.
Written by Krista Day-Gloe, LCSW
