How To Do Shadow Work: 10 Simple Methods for Exploring (and Accepting!) Your Inner Self

Shadow work forces you to confront the worst parts of yourself. 

It sounds terrible, but the journey pays off in spades. 

Discover how to do shadow work and reap the benefits of exploring the dark corners of your mind. 

What is Shadow Work

Shadow work is the conscious process of exploring and accepting the aspects of ourselves we try to keep hidden, even from ourselves. 

It helps us confront our shadow self, the side of ourselves that we wish didn’t exist, so we push down deep into the subconscious. 

We can’t wish away our shadow selves, but we can learn to accept them through shadow work. 

How to Do Shadow Work

The task holds numerous challenges – how can we discover something about ourselves that we try so desperately to hide?

Here, we explore how to do shadow work, with the best tools for learning to fully accept yourself. 

10 Tools for Conducting Shadow Work

As a certified life coach, I help people learn how to do shadow work on their own and identify when they need professional help. 

Explore these ten tools for help coming to terms with your inner emotions, ideas, and behaviors. 

Remember – everyone is different. You don’t have to use all these tools, and some might not work for you at all. But you should sample them and decide what works best. 

Work with a Professional

Although I’m a life coach, I readily admit that sometimes, therapy is the best resource. 

A mental health professional can provide a safe space and an objective eye for exploring the negative personality traits our conscious minds try to suppress.

Some of the things we uncover during shadow work can be scary, painful, and upsetting, and a professional can help you work through any complex feelings you have about yourself.

Dr. Raffeollo Antonino, counseling psychologist at Therapy Central, LLP, says shadow work can be challenging and triggering, particularly for those with trauma or mental health issues. 

A trained professional can provide support and guidance throughout the process.

But therapy is expensive, and healthcare (at least in the US) is hard to access. If you can’t afford therapy, consider using these other tools for conducting shadow work. 

Hire a Life Coach

A life coach is not a licensed mental health expert. Life coaches can’t help you process emotions or work through trauma. 

But they are a lot cheaper than therapists, and they can help you realize you need to do shadow work. They can also help you find time to do it and hold you accountable for conducting shadow work on your own. 

Think of them as your shadow work accountability buddy. They can’t help you with the work itself (like a therapist can), but they can help motivate you to do it on your own. In addition, they can also offer ideas for how to do shadow work (like I’m offering below!). 

Journal

Journaling is a tried and true method for exploring your inner thoughts and feelings. It allows you space to write down your behaviors and explore why you did what you did.

Journaling has numerous benefits. It helps you become conscious of your thought patterns, gain a new perspective on events and behaviors, and gain awareness of yourself over time.

These positive aspects of journaling are essential to exploring your shadow self. 

Meditate

Mediation helps us clear our heads and become more comfortable with our inner selves. When you meditate for shadow work, you consciously use the session for self-exploration.

When meditating for self-discovery, set your goals ahead of the session. Clear your mind of everything except your intention to dig deep into your subconscious. 

Start with shorter sessions and build up to longer ones if you’re new to mediation.

Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness is an awareness of your thoughts and feelings in a particular moment. Typically, when discussing mindfulness, we talk about being present in the moment so you can enjoy everything life offers.

Practicing mindfulness for shadow work is about identifying your feelings in the moment and becoming aware of how you react to different things.

When you sense an emotional reaction, stop and identify it. Acknowledge the emotion and allow yourself the freedom to feel it, whether it’s positive or negative. 

Scrutinize Your Emotions

Becoming mindful of your emotions is a significant first step, but you can dig even deeper by scrutinizing them.

Dig deep and try to understand why you had each emotion. Consider the reasons certain events or actions make you happy, sad, upset, or jealous. Decide if that’s how you want to feel, and if not, what you can do to change. 

Journaling is a great way to work through your emotions. It will help you identify your triggers and uncover instances where you may have overreacted. It’s challenging work, but it can prevent you from letting your feelings guide your decision-making.

Art Therapy

Art can be a gateway to our subconscious. Art therapy helps us conduct shadow work through visual mediums rather than the spoken or written word.

Many people struggle with expressing their thoughts and emotions via writing, but can explore their inner selves through art.

Art lets us express ourselves with color, shapes, patterns, and imagery. It helps us turn off the logical, rational side of our brains for a minute and lean into the primitive side, bursting with feeling.

Let yourself go and create something artistic. Then, consider the color choices, symbolism, and meaning behind what you created for a glimpse into your hidden self.

Keep in mind that a professional guides proper art therapy.  Exploring art as a shadow work exercise doesn’t necessarily require professional help, but you might want to seek expert advice if you expose something concerning. 

Creative Writing

Overtly exploring our shadow selves can be challenging for some. If journaling and mindfulness have you drawing a blank, consider traversing your shadow self through fiction.

Writing a story can be cathartic. Your fictional characters can do things you’d never do, whether due to fear, shame, or social norms. Through them, you can explore your darkest desires and uncover hidden trauma you never knew existed.

When writing for shadow work, don’t worry about crafting a best seller that everyone will want to read. These stories are for you to help you work through deeply seated beliefs and ideas. They don’t need to be perfect; they need to be useful. You don’t even have to share them with anyone if you don’t want to. 

Use Prompts

Getting started with shadow work can be tricky. If you don’t know where to begin, consider using prompts and exercises as a starting point.

Many journal prompts ask pointed questions designed for self-reflection. Creative writing prompts give you a little push toward writing a story.

Shadow work exercises are actions you can take specifically designed to help you identify and confront your shadow self.

Explore Childhood Memories

Our childhood experiences shaped us. Things we learn and experience as kids stay with us for our entire lives, significantly impacting who we become.

These formative years often hold secrets to our shadow selves, so exploring them is vital to shadow work.

Look through photo albums and yearbooks to spark memories from your childhood. Remember both the good and the bad, and consider how those experiences relate to your current life.

Analyze Your Dreams

When we go to sleep, our subconscious minds take over. If you remember your dreams, you can use them to explore your shadow self.  

Write down everything you can remember about your dream as soon as you wake up, when it’s still fresh in your head. Note the colors, symbols, events, and people who appeared in the dream.

Next, analyze your dream, looking for common symbols or threads related to your inner self. Consider what message, if any, your subconscious mind was conveying through dream imagery.

Shadow Work is Tough, but Worth It

Shadow work isn’t always a pleasant experience. It hurts to be confronted with the worst aspects of ourselves. 

But it’s so worth the effort. Try it out. Explore your deepest secrets, and discover how they shaped your identity. Once you accept them, you can accept yourself, and you’ll be far happier for it.