Treating Shame with Self-Compassion with Dr. Chris Germer

Shame is one of the hardest emotions to work with, in part because it blocks what we need most when we’re feeling shame: self-compassion. Dr. Chris Germer, co-developer of the Mindful Self-Compassion program, joins Forrest to discuss how we can get around that trap. They talk about where shame comes from, how to recognize it when it’s hiding behind other emotions, and practical tools that help us experience less shame. 

About our Guest: Chris Germer is a clinical psychologist, lecturer at Harvard Medical School, co-developer of the Mindful Self-Compassion program with Dr. Kristin Neff, and author of the new book Self-Compassion for Shame.

Key Topics:

0:00: Intro: shame, hiding, and why it blocks self-compassion

2:52: What shame is and why it hides

9:45: How self-compassion changes the inner voice

13:44: The arc of working with shame

18:05: Shame as an innocent emotion

22:57: Backdraft and the wish to be loved

29:50: Self-compassion as exposure

39:43: When people really do judge you

45:33: The "shrug"