The association between chronic or relational trauma and intense feelings of shame and guilt is both profound and often misunderstood. Individuals who have experienced such trauma frequently find themselves grappling with these overwhelming emotions, feeling imprisoned by deep-seated feelings of unworthiness or regret. This connection is crucial to acknowledge, as it sheds light on why these intense emotions persist despite a rational understanding of oneself.
Fortunately, there is hope. Effective therapeutic trauma-informed approaches help individuals understand the origins of their emotional responses, fostering self-compassion and enabling a journey towards a more fulfilling and self-compassionate life.
Overcome shame and guilt by addressing underlying stress and anxiety through CBT, hypnotherapy & EMDR.
The internal struggle with shame and guilt is characterized by a relentless inner critic that constantly undermines one’s sense of self-worth and value. This battle is often hidden, as people may feel embarrassed or afraid to disclose these feelings, leading to a sense of isolation. Over time, unaddressed shame and guilt can contribute to a range of mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, and issues with self-esteem.
Our therapists, Clinical Psychologists with expertise in addressing deeply seated shame and guilt, offer a comprehensive approach to treatment that acknowledges the complex relationship between relational trauma and these emotions. They utilize a range of evidence-based therapeutic techniques, such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), to support healing and recovery.
The goal of therapy is not just to alleviate symptoms but to guide clients in overcoming the profound impact of deeply rooted shame and guilt. By integrating EMDR with other therapeutic modalities, they empower individuals to confront and work through their internalized shame and guilt, leading to a significantly improved quality of life and emotional well-being.
Clinical Psychologist
Rebecca specializes in addressing the complex issues surrounding shame and social isolation. Her approach is deeply rooted in the understanding that these emotional challenges are often intertwined, with shame frequently leading to a withdrawal from social interactions. She employs a combination of relational EMDR, trauma-informed practices, and mindfulness techniques to create a therapeutic environment that is both healing and empowering.
Her work primarily focuses on helping individuals explore and process feelings of shame, which can be a significant barrier to forming and maintaining social connections. By utilizing EMDR, she assists clients in confronting and reprocessing traumatic memories or experiences that are often at the core of deep-seated shame. Through her comprehensive and empathetic treatment, Dr. Hoffenberg guides her clients towards breaking the cycle of shame and isolation, paving the way for improved self-esteem and more fulfilling social interactions.
Read More about Dr. Hoffenberg
Clinical Psychologist
Dr. Yunusova’s expertise centers on treating individuals struggling with guilt and obsessive-thinking patterns. She focuses on helping clients who are burdened by guilt, whether it stems from past actions or is tied to intrusive, obsessive thoughts. Through CBT, she works with individuals to identify and challenge the distorted thinking patterns that fuel guilt and obsessive thoughts, replacing them with more balanced and constructive thinking. ACT plays a crucial role in her therapy, as it encourages clients to accept their thoughts and feelings rather than fighting or feeling overwhelmed by them. This approach fosters a more mindful and accepting attitude towards one’s experiences.
Dr. Yunusova employs EMDR when addressing traumatic or deeply rooted experiences that contribute to ongoing feelings of guilt and obsessive-thinking. EMDR aids in processing these memories, reducing their emotional impact, and enabling clients to move forward.This combination of approaches empowers her clients to overcome the challenges associated with guilt and obsessive-thinking, leading to greater mental well-being and an improved quality of life.
Clinical Psychologist
Dr. Leora Citrin specializes in addressing the complex interplay of guilt, sexual shame, and internalization, with a deep understanding of how culture and religion can shape these emotions. She recognizes that societal and religious beliefs often contribute to the internalization of guilt and shame, particularly around sexuality and self-worth, and that these influences can create lasting emotional barriers.
Dr. Citrin’s approach is rooted in EMDR, attachment-focused techniques, and trauma-informed care, offering a compassionate and safe environment for healing. By using EMDR, she assists individuals in confronting and reprocessing traumatic memories that are tied to these deeply ingrained beliefs. Her attachment-focused and trauma-informed practices further support clients in understanding how early influences, including family, culture, and religion, shaped their emotional world and sense of self.
Through this comprehensive and empathetic approach, Dr. Citrin guides clients in releasing shame and guilt, empowering them to embrace a healthier self-image and form more authentic, fulfilling connections.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an effective therapeutic technique particularly useful for addressing the complex emotions of shame and guilt. To understand its impact, it's essential to first define these emotions. Shame is a deep-seated feeling of being inherently flawed or unworthy of love and belonging, often internalized from negative experiences. Guilt, on the other hand, is the emotion experienced when a person believes they have done something wrong or failed to meet their own moral standards.
EMDR targets the root causes of shame and guilt, which frequently stem from past traumatic or distressing experiences. These emotions can be tied to specific events or a series of incidents that have left a significant emotional imprint on an individual's self-perception and self-worth.In EMDR therapy, clients focus on traumatic or distressing memories while engaging in bilateral stimulation, typically through eye movements guided by the therapist. This process facilitates the reprocessing of these memories in the brain, helping to diminish their emotional intensity and impact. As a result, clients can start to view these memories and themselves in a new light.
This shift in perspective is crucial in dealing with shame and guilt. By processing the painful memories and experiences, individuals often find their feelings of self-blame and self-criticism lessen. They begin to understand that their worth is not determined by past events, and that mistakes or negative experiences do not define their entire being.
Through EMDR, individuals grappling with shame and guilt can experience relief from these overwhelming emotions, leading to increased self-compassion and a healthier sense of self. This therapeutic approach not only alleviates the symptoms but also addresses the underlying causes, paving the way for lasting emotional healing and personal growth.
Embark on a path where self-compassion and liberation from fears and phobias converge. Let us guide you towards a more serene state of mind, fostering a harmonious relationship with your thoughts and reactions.
