Shadow Work is a trend that seems to have come out of nowhere in the last two years. One cannot explore much of witchy social media these days without seeing recommendations to “do your shadow work”, which seems to mean anything from “go to therapy” to “meditate more” to “write your feelings in a journal”. As with many trends, plenty of people are trying to commodify it with spiritual advisors selling shadow work services alongside tarot and astrology readings, sometimes inserting it into a reading without prior notice. Spiritual dabblers are buying up Shadow Work journals and seeking out more information about how to do this work themselves or with a professional. But…what is it and what makes a professional Shadow Work…er? 



Shadow Work is a term stemming from Jungian psychology and is a part of trauma therapy, a sensitive practice where licensed trauma counselors assist patients with processing serious traumatic events in their lives. It is delicate, difficult work that takes years of training to master. Because of the nature of this form of therapy, there are a number of risks involved with undertaking it, and even more risks when determining what kind of professional should assist you.
 
I spoke to Lauren Theresa, a licensed Trauma Therapist and witch, to unpack how this term got wrapped up in modern spiritual discourse, what it really means, whether the online community’s version of shadow work matches up with reality, and what warning signs to look out for when beginning shadow work.
Find more of Lauren Theresa at LaurenTheresa.com.
 
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Fire Lyte
IncitingARiot.com
FireLyte@incitingariot.com
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