Shadow Work: How Exploring The Unconscious Mind Can Support Mental Health

According to Jungian theory, we all carry hidden aspects of ourselves: traits, emotions, and memories we push aside, often without realizing it. However, these tendencies may still impact our thinking and behavior patterns. Shadow work is a practice designed to help you identify and integrate these suppressed elements. Below, we’ll explore what shadow work is and how to approach it, and then we’ll offer some shadow work exercises to help you along the way.

Therapy can be a powerful tool for self-discovery

Connect with a therapist online

What is shadow work?

Shadow work is the process of exploring the hidden, repressed, or unconscious aspects of the self. Based on psychologist Carl Jung’s concept of the shadow—that is, the parts of our personality we deny or suppress—the goal of shadow work is to gain greater self-awareness and achieve emotional healing. 

It’s often used by mental health professionals specializing in Jungian therapy to help people find and identify unhealthy patterns they may not be aware of, heal from past trauma, and cultivate a stronger sense of self. Shadow work can also be done independently using reflective practices like journaling, meditation, and targeted exercises.

If you are experiencing trauma, support is available. Please see our Get Help Now page for more resources.

Carl Jung and the psyche: understanding the roots of shadow work

To understand why shadow work can be beneficial, it may help to explore Jung’s ideas in greater depth. Carl Jung’s concept of the shadow refers to the hidden facets of ourselves—that is, traits, emotions, and desires we repress because they conflict with how we want to be perceived. 

While we may construct a persona or a social mask to navigate the external world, our shadow represents parts of ourselves we deny—often out of fear, shame, or societal pressure. The tension between the persona and the shadow can be thought of as a conflict between appearance and authenticity. Even when we suppress parts of ourselves, Jung believed, these may still subtly influence our thoughts, behaviors, and emotions. Shadow work is the process of recognizing these hidden aspects of our personality, accepting them, and working with them in a healthy way (known in Jungian psychology as “integrating”).

The potential benefits of shadow work for mental health

Shadow work can be a valuable tool for those looking to achieve personal growth. People often use shadow work to:

• Improve relationships
• Identify and shift unhealthy patterns
• Heal past trauma by confronting unresolved pain
• Develop greater self-awareness and emotional balance
• Foster authenticity by embracing all parts of the self

Shadow work step-by-step

Shadow work is a process of deep self-exploration that involves identifying, understanding, and integrating the hidden aspects of the psyche. Here are a few key steps.

1. Identifying the shadow: recognizing suppressed thoughts and emotions

The first step in shadow work is becoming aware of the traits, emotions, and desires you may have repressed. A good starting point may be to identify points of negativity in your life. These could be things that upset you, recurring negative patterns, or discomfort around certain people or situations. Try to notice what brings up a strong emotional reaction and makes you feel moved in some way. It may help to write these things down as you think of them.

2. Exploring the unconscious mind: understanding root causes

Once you’ve identified elements of your shadow self, the next step is to explore where these hidden aspects might come from. Many suppressed emotions stem from childhood experiences, societal conditioning, or past traumas. You might reflect on these formative experiences through journaling, self-talk, or working with a therapist.

3. Accepting the shadow: cultivating self-compassion and non-judgment

While confronting the shadow may bring up difficult feelings, self-compassion can help you work towards a state of acceptance. Try to recognize that all emotions—even the difficult ones—are part of being human. You might think of healthy ways to reframe self-criticism, such as by embracing the learning process and approaching the shadow with curiosity rather than shame.

4. Integrating the shadow: transforming awareness into growth

Integration refers to the process of bringing the shadow into your conscious awareness and learning how to work with it rather than against it. This often involves using constructive ways to express repressed emotions, challenging self-defeating thoughts, and developing healthy coping mechanisms to manage aspects of your shadow self.

5. Maintaining shadow work as a lifelong practice

It may be helpful to think of shadow work as an ongoing journey rather than a one-time task. As life brings new challenges, you may have the opportunity to discover deeper layers of the shadow, offering new opportunities for personal growth. As such, it may be advisable to incorporate regular self-reflection, mindfulness, and therapy into your self-care practice.

Shadow work exercises to explore thoughts in your unconscious mind

Shadow work involves bringing hidden aspects of yourself into conscious awareness through reflection and exploration. These exercises can help uncover repressed emotions, unconscious patterns, and personal growth opportunities. Whether practiced alone or with a therapist, these techniques may support deeper self-understanding and healing.

Journaling prompts

Journaling can be a powerful way to explore unconscious thoughts, patterns, and emotions. Writing allows you to process past experiences and engage in self-discovery. You might try responding to these prompts with honesty and curiosity:

• Relationships: Think of a recent conflict or misunderstanding in one of your relationships. What emotions did it bring up for you? How might your reaction be influenced by past experiences, fears, or unmet needs?
• Emotional reactions: Recall a time when you had an unexpectedly strong emotional response to a situation. What were you feeling in that moment, and what might have caused it? Does this reaction connect to a past experience or unresolved emotion?
• Dream analysis: Think of any memorable or recurring dreams you’ve had. What symbols, location types, or emotions stand out, and how might they relate to your shadow? Consider using a dream dictionary to help you.
• Personal traits: What qualities in others irritate you the most? Which do you appreciate? Could these reflect hidden aspects of yourself?
• Fears and insecurities: Which parts of yourself do you feel ashamed of? Why do you feel the need to suppress these aspects? Where might they come from? What would change if you embraced these parts?

Role reversal

This exercise helps you see situations from a new perspective by stepping into someone else’s shoes. If you struggle with conflict or feel judgment from others, you might imagine yourself as the other person and write from their point of view. What fears, emotions, or motivations might be driving their behavior? Shifting perspectives might help deepen your self-awareness. 

Meditation practices

Meditation may help you get in touch with the unconscious mind, cultivate self-compassion, and manage difficult emotions that can accompany shadow work. If you are not an experienced meditator, you might look for guided meditations to help you. Useful techniques to consider exploring include:

• Metta (loving-kindness meditation): direct kindness toward yourself and your shadow, which may reduce self-judgment
• Self-compassion meditation: a focus on accepting difficult emotions without resistance or judgment
• Body scan meditation: the process of identifying and releasing any emotional tension stored in the body
• Guided shadow work meditation: a visualization of meeting and conversing with your shadow to deepen self-understanding

Dialogue with shadow thoughts

Engaging in a written or spoken dialogue with your shadow can reveal unconscious motivations. You might write a letter to your shadow or simply speak aloud to yourself as you ask it questions, and then respond as the shadow. Verbalizing these deeper thoughts, feelings, and emotions can often be an effective way to introspect and develop more self-awareness.

The 3–2–1 shadow process

Developed by psychology theorist Ken Wilber, the 3–2–1 method involves three steps:

• 3rd person: Describe the shadow as an external figure (e.g., "That person is controlling").
• 2nd person: Speak to it directly (e.g., "Why do you act this way?").
• 1st person: Own it as part of yourself (e.g., "I can be controlling at times").

This process may help you explore your shadow and integrate it into your conscious awareness.

Working with a therapist

While self-guided shadow work can be valuable, working with a therapist tends to provide deeper insights and structured guidance. Research suggests the effectiveness of Jungian psychotherapy for reducing interpersonal issues, improving personality structure, and enhancing everyday functioning, with potential benefits that may continue even after therapy ends.

Therapy can be a powerful tool for self-discovery

Connect with a therapist online

Therapy for self-discovery and healing

Therapy can be an effective way to gain self-awareness and emotional resilience. Your therapist will work with you as you explore thought and behavior patterns, understand past experiences, and develop healthy coping skills. Jungian therapy, in particular, may be a worthwhile consideration for those on a self-discovery journey.

With an online therapy platform like BetterHelp, you can get matched with a licensed therapist according to your needs and preferences as outlined in a questionnaire, and you can change providers for any reason at no extra cost. You can meet with your provider via phone, video, or live chat sessions, plus benefit from a suite of tools and features designed to help you get the most out of therapy. Research suggests that online therapy can often be equally effective as in-person sessions and may be preferable for those seeking a convenient and cost-effective alternative to in-office care.