1 00:00:09,680 --> 00:00:12,879 Speaker 1: I started to realize that not being an expert isn't 2 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:16,640 Speaker 1: a liability. It's a real guest. If we don't know 3 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:18,960 Speaker 1: something about ourselves at this point in our life, it's 4 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:20,960 Speaker 1: probably because it's uncomfortable to know. 5 00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:24,520 Speaker 2: If you can die before you die, then you can 6 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:25,120 Speaker 2: really live. 7 00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:30,480 Speaker 1: There's a wisdom at death's door. I thought I was insane. Yeah, 8 00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:32,479 Speaker 1: and I didn't know what to do because there was 9 00:00:32,479 --> 00:00:36,000 Speaker 1: no internet. I don't know, man, I'm like, I feel 10 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:38,479 Speaker 1: like everything is hard. 11 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:42,920 Speaker 3: Hey, y'all, my name is Kat. I'm a human first 12 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:46,479 Speaker 3: and a licensed therapist second. And right now I'm inviting 13 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:49,720 Speaker 3: you into conversations that I hope encourage you to become 14 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:54,240 Speaker 3: more curious and less judgmental about yourself, others, and the 15 00:00:54,280 --> 00:00:54,960 Speaker 3: world around you. 16 00:00:55,640 --> 00:00:58,040 Speaker 1: Welcome to You Need Therapy. 17 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:02,360 Speaker 2: Hi guys, and welcome to a new episode of You 18 00:01:02,440 --> 00:01:05,880 Speaker 2: Need Therapy podcast. My name is Kat, I am the host, 19 00:01:06,080 --> 00:01:10,520 Speaker 2: and quick reminder before we get into today's content that 20 00:01:10,680 --> 00:01:15,240 Speaker 2: although this podcast is hosted by a therapist and it's 21 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:17,760 Speaker 2: called You Need Therapy, it does not serve as a 22 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:23,880 Speaker 2: replacement or a substitute for actual mental health services. However, 23 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:27,320 Speaker 2: we always hope that it can help you however, it 24 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:30,800 Speaker 2: needs to help you on whatever journey you're on, whenever 25 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:34,800 Speaker 2: you're on the journey. So it has been a minute 26 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:40,160 Speaker 2: since we've really focused on a topic that's very relevant 27 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:44,000 Speaker 2: in therapy and in the work that people tend to 28 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 2: do in therapy, and that is the topic of shame 29 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:51,040 Speaker 2: and how shame just kind of can easily show up 30 00:01:51,040 --> 00:01:54,480 Speaker 2: in our lives and really hijack us without us even 31 00:01:54,680 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 2: knowing it. And one reason where I actually think that 32 00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:01,240 Speaker 2: one I should be taughtalking about shame more often than 33 00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:04,560 Speaker 2: I am on here, because one of the things that 34 00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:09,639 Speaker 2: makes shame so difficult is that it sends us the 35 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:13,240 Speaker 2: message that we shouldn't talk about it. Yet not talking 36 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:16,120 Speaker 2: about shame is what actually gives it more power. And 37 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:18,399 Speaker 2: so the more we ignore it, the more it's a thing, 38 00:02:18,639 --> 00:02:21,640 Speaker 2: and the more it becomes a thing. And so maybe 39 00:02:21,639 --> 00:02:24,440 Speaker 2: part of my New Year's resolutions, my goals, or even 40 00:02:24,440 --> 00:02:26,680 Speaker 2: though I did a whole episode of having und goals, 41 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:29,440 Speaker 2: might be to talk about shame more on this podcast, 42 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:32,240 Speaker 2: and we are definitely going to do that today. And 43 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:36,080 Speaker 2: I want to freshen up some of your memories on shame, 44 00:02:36,280 --> 00:02:40,920 Speaker 2: because we haven't done an actual shame based episode in 45 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:44,040 Speaker 2: a year or two probably could have been more than that. 46 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:46,360 Speaker 2: And so I just want to freshen up on what 47 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:48,440 Speaker 2: shame is, what it sounds like, what it feels like, 48 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:54,360 Speaker 2: and then talk about how it can create some achiness 49 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:56,800 Speaker 2: inside of us and how and what it has to 50 00:02:56,840 --> 00:02:58,880 Speaker 2: do with secret keeping and secrets and all of that. 51 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:02,520 Speaker 2: And so start off by just you know, frushening up 52 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:06,880 Speaker 2: our memories on what shame is. And a very simple 53 00:03:06,919 --> 00:03:12,120 Speaker 2: way of defining shame comes from Brene Brown, and she 54 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:16,480 Speaker 2: says that it is the feeling that we are unworthy 55 00:03:16,639 --> 00:03:20,560 Speaker 2: of love and belonging. So that's saying a lot with 56 00:03:20,639 --> 00:03:23,120 Speaker 2: not a lot of words, and so we're going to 57 00:03:23,240 --> 00:03:27,600 Speaker 2: unpack that, but by baseline, just like a very simple 58 00:03:27,639 --> 00:03:30,120 Speaker 2: if you want just a simple something to hold on 59 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:31,760 Speaker 2: to when you're thinking about what shame is. 60 00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:34,400 Speaker 4: The feeling that we are unworthy of love and belonging. 61 00:03:34,639 --> 00:03:37,360 Speaker 2: So shame is a feeling and it gets a bad 62 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:40,840 Speaker 2: reputation because when we think of shame, when we hear shame, 63 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 2: we're just like, ooh, don't have that. 64 00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:43,000 Speaker 4: I don't want that. 65 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:47,360 Speaker 2: Like again, don't talk about it. It feels very negative. However, 66 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:51,720 Speaker 2: it can be helpful when we feel it and express 67 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:54,840 Speaker 2: it and allow ourselves to feel it because it can 68 00:03:54,880 --> 00:03:57,680 Speaker 2: connect us to others. It can be very damaging and 69 00:03:57,760 --> 00:04:01,280 Speaker 2: toxic when we hide our experiences, which is similar to 70 00:04:01,320 --> 00:04:04,240 Speaker 2: a lot of emotions. I think it's really highlighted when 71 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 2: it comes to shame, so you might be thinking it 72 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:10,800 Speaker 2: connects you to other people, Like what shame is something 73 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:13,600 Speaker 2: that usually separates me or makes me want to hide 74 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:15,320 Speaker 2: from other people right when. 75 00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:16,240 Speaker 4: We are avoiding it. 76 00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:21,960 Speaker 2: But shame connects us to our humility, which is another 77 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:23,320 Speaker 2: way to say to our humanness. 78 00:04:23,839 --> 00:04:25,680 Speaker 4: It shows us and tells us that. 79 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:29,120 Speaker 2: We are not perfect people and we actually need help, 80 00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:33,320 Speaker 2: and that help might involve other people or a higher 81 00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:36,120 Speaker 2: power or something like that. This is not a bad thing, 82 00:04:36,279 --> 00:04:38,040 Speaker 2: like that idea is not a bad thing. That we're 83 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:41,760 Speaker 2: imperfect and that we need help. This actually is what 84 00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:44,840 Speaker 2: allows us to connect with other people like it just said, 85 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:47,479 Speaker 2: connect to a higher power, connect to the truth of 86 00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:50,080 Speaker 2: who we are. When we allow ourselves to acknowledge that 87 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:53,599 Speaker 2: we are limited, it tells us you cannot do this 88 00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:56,520 Speaker 2: on your own, and it allows us to not be 89 00:04:56,680 --> 00:05:00,000 Speaker 2: alone when we lean into that reality and an open 90 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:00,880 Speaker 2: up to other people. 91 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:01,120 Speaker 1: With that. 92 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:06,400 Speaker 2: Now, shame does not feel very good, right, It's not gladness, 93 00:05:06,440 --> 00:05:10,960 Speaker 2: it's not joy, it's very uncomfortable, it's icky, it's prickly, 94 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:13,880 Speaker 2: and again that's one of the reasons we want to 95 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:17,720 Speaker 2: like stay away from it. We are a society of humans, 96 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:20,640 Speaker 2: of people that want to pretend that we are not humans, 97 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:24,760 Speaker 2: because to be human it's to be imperfect. Yet we 98 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:27,719 Speaker 2: think about how our world is set up, especially going 99 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 2: off of what we kind of talked about last week 100 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:33,719 Speaker 2: on couch Talks, we are very heavily I mean now 101 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:36,200 Speaker 2: it's social media, but before it was just the media. 102 00:05:36,279 --> 00:05:39,800 Speaker 2: But we are very heavily influenced by social media, and 103 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:42,240 Speaker 2: our world runs heavily on a lot of the stuff 104 00:05:42,279 --> 00:05:44,960 Speaker 2: that we see on there. And if you think about 105 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:49,039 Speaker 2: social media and how that works, it's very fake a 106 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:57,520 Speaker 2: lot of times. And there's no shortage of ways to edit, fine, tune, shift, smooth, like, 107 00:05:57,839 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 2: just change what you look like, what you sound like, 108 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:05,280 Speaker 2: how things happened. There's a lot of ability to just 109 00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:08,840 Speaker 2: fake reality on social media in a way that makes 110 00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:12,440 Speaker 2: us look like we are looking at reality. And so 111 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:16,440 Speaker 2: we are just constantly surrounded by the avoidance of our 112 00:06:16,520 --> 00:06:20,159 Speaker 2: humanness and if I don't see other people being human, 113 00:06:20,240 --> 00:06:22,400 Speaker 2: then I'm going to look at my human parts and 114 00:06:22,440 --> 00:06:24,800 Speaker 2: be like, ooh, this might be wrong or bad or 115 00:06:25,240 --> 00:06:28,360 Speaker 2: I shouldn't show people this. So backing up a little 116 00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:30,680 Speaker 2: bit to how like shame doesn't feel good like a 117 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:33,320 Speaker 2: lot of other emotions, and when something doesn't feel good, 118 00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:35,680 Speaker 2: we tend to want to ignore it, we want to 119 00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:39,920 Speaker 2: turn from it. And that's actually where shame takes a turn. 120 00:06:40,520 --> 00:06:43,039 Speaker 2: It moves from something that can actually remind us that 121 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:46,080 Speaker 2: we're human and we can connect to other people and 122 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:49,520 Speaker 2: allow us to be compassionate and to have empathy, to 123 00:06:50,480 --> 00:06:53,440 Speaker 2: a place where it's going to disconnect from us from 124 00:06:53,440 --> 00:06:55,400 Speaker 2: other people, and it's going to show us that we 125 00:06:55,600 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 2: are not worthy, like Brene says, a belonging of connect 126 00:07:00,960 --> 00:07:03,800 Speaker 2: it becomes something that I have to keep to myself. 127 00:07:04,600 --> 00:07:10,360 Speaker 2: And this feeling becomes very toxic when the knowledge me 128 00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:17,440 Speaker 2: knowing and understanding my imperfection tells me that being imperfect 129 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:22,800 Speaker 2: means I am going to lose the ability to be loved, 130 00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:27,080 Speaker 2: to be connected to others, to belong, and to have 131 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:31,040 Speaker 2: worth as the human that I am. In very simple terms, 132 00:07:31,080 --> 00:07:34,640 Speaker 2: you end up projecting yourself. There's self rejection, and we 133 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:38,160 Speaker 2: end up telling ourselves to hide, hide what's authentic, hide 134 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:42,160 Speaker 2: what is real, and we show up with more manufactured 135 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:45,480 Speaker 2: versions of ourselves and our stories, and even if we 136 00:07:45,520 --> 00:07:47,920 Speaker 2: are loved for those versions, we're never going to feel 137 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:52,360 Speaker 2: true belonging this and connection because again those are manufactured versions. 138 00:07:53,240 --> 00:07:55,680 Speaker 2: Something that I hear a lot and I get it 139 00:07:55,720 --> 00:07:58,960 Speaker 2: because it can be confusing, is that shame sounds and 140 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:03,360 Speaker 2: can feel very similar to the feeling of guilt, and 141 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:07,240 Speaker 2: there is a big difference between the two feelings. So 142 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:12,720 Speaker 2: when we experience guilt, it is about our behavior I 143 00:08:12,760 --> 00:08:16,920 Speaker 2: did something wrong, versus shame sends the message I am wrong. 144 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:19,320 Speaker 4: Guilt helps us stay in. 145 00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:23,920 Speaker 2: Line with our morals and our values, and shame sends 146 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:27,880 Speaker 2: us messages about who we are, our identity, and it 147 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:31,080 Speaker 2: can threaten our belief about our worth. So where shame 148 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:34,400 Speaker 2: might say I am a mean person, guilt would say 149 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:37,400 Speaker 2: I did something mean. And it's also really important to 150 00:08:37,400 --> 00:08:40,080 Speaker 2: remember here that you can experience more than one feeling 151 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:43,280 Speaker 2: at a time, so you could experience both guilt and 152 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:46,720 Speaker 2: shame together. Maybe you feel guilt about a behavior and 153 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:49,960 Speaker 2: then you carry that into shame about what that behavior 154 00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:52,439 Speaker 2: says about you as a human. So instead of saying 155 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:55,400 Speaker 2: I'm flawed and I messed up, the shame comes in 156 00:08:55,440 --> 00:08:57,040 Speaker 2: with the guilt I messed up. I wish you to 157 00:08:57,200 --> 00:08:59,440 Speaker 2: do this that fit in with my character and my values. 158 00:09:00,320 --> 00:09:02,520 Speaker 2: I am flawed and I don't deserve love and belonging 159 00:09:02,559 --> 00:09:04,880 Speaker 2: because I made this mistake, Because this mistake is now 160 00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:08,200 Speaker 2: defining characteristic of who I am. Where a behavior just 161 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:11,320 Speaker 2: gets to be a behavior, it doesn't then encompass the 162 00:09:11,320 --> 00:09:12,000 Speaker 2: wholeness of me. 163 00:09:12,760 --> 00:09:14,920 Speaker 4: So this can feel really confusing and heavy. 164 00:09:15,080 --> 00:09:17,760 Speaker 2: And I'm going to give you a couple of things 165 00:09:17,800 --> 00:09:20,160 Speaker 2: that I want you to remember about shame that will 166 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:23,120 Speaker 2: be very helpful when it feels like you're kind of 167 00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:25,600 Speaker 2: like in the woods with all of this and defining 168 00:09:25,600 --> 00:09:28,480 Speaker 2: it and talking about So here are four things to 169 00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:30,080 Speaker 2: remember about shame. 170 00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:38,480 Speaker 4: Here are four things to. 171 00:09:38,520 --> 00:09:43,160 Speaker 2: Remember about shame. One, the less we talk about shame, 172 00:09:43,480 --> 00:09:48,240 Speaker 2: the more shame we will have. Two, Shame feeds off 173 00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:52,240 Speaker 2: of secrecy, silence, and judgment. You can see how those 174 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:55,800 Speaker 2: go hand in hand. So shame feeds off of secrecy, silence, 175 00:09:55,800 --> 00:09:57,960 Speaker 2: and judgment. So the less we talk about it, the 176 00:09:57,960 --> 00:10:02,480 Speaker 2: more we're going to have. The toxic shame lives and 177 00:10:02,520 --> 00:10:06,600 Speaker 2: depends and thrives on buying into the belief that you 178 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:11,120 Speaker 2: are alone in what you're experiencing, that this is about 179 00:10:11,280 --> 00:10:16,360 Speaker 2: you individually and not your humanity. And then for shame 180 00:10:16,559 --> 00:10:20,720 Speaker 2: cannot survive when empathy enters the room, that is the 181 00:10:20,760 --> 00:10:24,360 Speaker 2: healing agent. And I really really want to drive home 182 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:29,360 Speaker 2: this part about secrecy and silence, because, like I said, 183 00:10:29,360 --> 00:10:33,559 Speaker 2: shame is similar to other emotions, and with other emotions, 184 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:35,720 Speaker 2: if we don't want to feel, we can do a 185 00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:39,240 Speaker 2: really good job of convincing ourselves that the more we 186 00:10:39,280 --> 00:10:42,040 Speaker 2: ignore something, the easier it will be to deal with it, 187 00:10:43,040 --> 00:10:45,480 Speaker 2: or you won't have to deal with it at all. However, 188 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:51,080 Speaker 2: avoidance of our stuff, our experiences, our problems, all of 189 00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:57,160 Speaker 2: that actually perpetuates the thing that we are avoiding, rather 190 00:10:57,200 --> 00:11:01,880 Speaker 2: than dissolves it. The avoidance of something that, let's say, 191 00:11:01,920 --> 00:11:04,920 Speaker 2: makes us anxious, it's going to end up making us 192 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:07,720 Speaker 2: more anxious about that thing. The avoidance of the thing, 193 00:11:07,840 --> 00:11:10,800 Speaker 2: not the thing the anxiety, isn't going to make us anxious. 194 00:11:10,880 --> 00:11:15,640 Speaker 2: The avoidance of the anxiety and hiding our shame creates 195 00:11:15,720 --> 00:11:19,040 Speaker 2: more space for us to feel shame about our shame. 196 00:11:19,679 --> 00:11:24,960 Speaker 2: Refusing to acknowledge reality turns our pain from pain into suffering. 197 00:11:25,679 --> 00:11:29,360 Speaker 2: And typically we don't want to feel pain, but feeling 198 00:11:29,440 --> 00:11:34,960 Speaker 2: pain does not have to include suffering. Now, yesterday I 199 00:11:35,679 --> 00:11:40,960 Speaker 2: somewhat impulsively put out this question box on Instagram that 200 00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:44,440 Speaker 2: just basically said that I had been talking about shame 201 00:11:44,480 --> 00:11:47,079 Speaker 2: a lot with my clients lately at the beginning of 202 00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:50,480 Speaker 2: the year, and I put on there that it's really 203 00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:54,480 Speaker 2: hard to remember that secrecy is what our shame feeds 204 00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:57,760 Speaker 2: off of, and it's really easy to remember that. 205 00:11:57,880 --> 00:11:59,640 Speaker 4: Talking about our shame is uncomfortable. 206 00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:02,960 Speaker 2: Kind of like play a game with ourselves, and we 207 00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:06,199 Speaker 2: put it in the forefront of our minds that shame 208 00:12:06,320 --> 00:12:09,360 Speaker 2: is uncomfortable, and then we kind of, like, you know, 209 00:12:09,520 --> 00:12:14,640 Speaker 2: conveniently forget that talking about shame is is the healing agent, 210 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:19,200 Speaker 2: and secrecy actually it makes shame worse. And so kind 211 00:12:19,200 --> 00:12:22,680 Speaker 2: of as a little practice of releasing some of the 212 00:12:22,720 --> 00:12:26,920 Speaker 2: shame or releasing some of the secrecy, I put out a 213 00:12:26,960 --> 00:12:30,520 Speaker 2: little question box where people could share their secrets anonymously. 214 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:34,840 Speaker 2: And I've seen kind of this stuff done before on 215 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:38,680 Speaker 2: social media and different things, where people are able to 216 00:12:39,520 --> 00:12:43,480 Speaker 2: just you know, unearth their secrets that might be making 217 00:12:43,480 --> 00:12:48,080 Speaker 2: them sick, causing them to have an extensive amount of 218 00:12:48,080 --> 00:12:50,640 Speaker 2: shame that is unnecessary. 219 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:51,160 Speaker 4: That's holding them captive. 220 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:55,240 Speaker 2: And I thought it might be something that we could 221 00:12:55,240 --> 00:12:59,320 Speaker 2: do in our little community on the internet. And after 222 00:12:59,360 --> 00:13:01,160 Speaker 2: I put that out, oh, and I posted a couple 223 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:04,920 Speaker 2: of the things that people wrote anonymously. Obviously, I had 224 00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:10,559 Speaker 2: a old colleague and friend message me and say, oh, 225 00:13:10,640 --> 00:13:13,640 Speaker 2: this reminds me of the secret ceremony that we did 226 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:15,760 Speaker 2: at the place that we used to work at together. 227 00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:19,199 Speaker 2: And what we would do is we would have clients 228 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:23,160 Speaker 2: share some of their secrets around like a bonfire together. 229 00:13:23,480 --> 00:13:27,760 Speaker 2: It would be one of our group therapy experiential therapies 230 00:13:27,880 --> 00:13:30,800 Speaker 2: of the month. We did it pretty often in rotation. 231 00:13:31,400 --> 00:13:33,160 Speaker 2: I kind of forgot that we did this until she 232 00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:36,319 Speaker 2: said this. And what would happen is we would sit 233 00:13:36,360 --> 00:13:40,040 Speaker 2: around this bonfire and we would have the clients write 234 00:13:40,280 --> 00:13:43,160 Speaker 2: on pieces of paper just the secret safe in holding 235 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:46,880 Speaker 2: the things that they have been not allowing themselves to 236 00:13:47,240 --> 00:13:51,319 Speaker 2: acknowledge or share with others because they told. 237 00:13:51,080 --> 00:13:54,319 Speaker 1: Them that they're bad or wrong or people wouldn't love them. 238 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:57,360 Speaker 2: If this was just any secrets that felt really threatening 239 00:13:57,400 --> 00:14:01,720 Speaker 2: to them, Now again we didn't force anybody to do this, 240 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:04,440 Speaker 2: so it was whatever they were really comfortable with sharing 241 00:14:04,480 --> 00:14:07,000 Speaker 2: at that moment. If a client was new and didn't 242 00:14:07,040 --> 00:14:09,360 Speaker 2: know a lot of the other clients yet, they might 243 00:14:09,440 --> 00:14:12,679 Speaker 2: not share to the extent that a client that had 244 00:14:12,679 --> 00:14:14,960 Speaker 2: been there for a couple months might share, and they 245 00:14:14,960 --> 00:14:17,040 Speaker 2: would have a chance to do that again later, so 246 00:14:17,120 --> 00:14:19,360 Speaker 2: that it sound like they would miss out. But essentially 247 00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:21,120 Speaker 2: what would happen is people would write down their secrets 248 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:23,680 Speaker 2: on this piece of paper and then one by one, 249 00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:26,320 Speaker 2: whenever somebody was ready, they would go up to the 250 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:28,800 Speaker 2: fire and they would share their secret. 251 00:14:29,400 --> 00:14:32,360 Speaker 1: They would put the paper in the fire, and then they. 252 00:14:32,280 --> 00:14:33,280 Speaker 4: Would go sit back down. 253 00:14:33,960 --> 00:14:38,280 Speaker 2: And what would happen is, obviously the fire burns these 254 00:14:38,320 --> 00:14:41,640 Speaker 2: secrets and turns this paper into ashes. And it was 255 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:48,360 Speaker 2: a symbolic ceremony that encouraged hope through this idea of 256 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:52,600 Speaker 2: the phoenix or something new, something beautiful, new life kind 257 00:14:52,640 --> 00:14:56,920 Speaker 2: of rising out of the ashes of something that wasn't 258 00:14:57,080 --> 00:15:02,200 Speaker 2: very desirable, right, And we wouldn't process each secret, We 259 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:06,240 Speaker 2: didn't make comments about the secrets. We just sat there 260 00:15:06,280 --> 00:15:10,280 Speaker 2: as a group of people sharing and it was again 261 00:15:10,360 --> 00:15:13,880 Speaker 2: what each person was comfortable sharing. And it seems like 262 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:18,240 Speaker 2: such a basic thing that we did even like describing it. 263 00:15:18,320 --> 00:15:20,880 Speaker 2: I'm like, this doesn't sound very like salacious or anything 264 00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:22,960 Speaker 2: like that, and it wasn't. It was very basic. We 265 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:25,280 Speaker 2: were just a group of humans who were holding space 266 00:15:25,320 --> 00:15:28,880 Speaker 2: for each other and allowing each other to share things 267 00:15:29,400 --> 00:15:31,960 Speaker 2: that had been really scary and hard for them to share. 268 00:15:32,120 --> 00:15:34,400 Speaker 2: And then we just sat with them. We didn't try 269 00:15:34,400 --> 00:15:37,440 Speaker 2: to make them feel better. We didn't again make comments 270 00:15:37,520 --> 00:15:39,440 Speaker 2: or process or we didn't do any of that. We 271 00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:43,000 Speaker 2: just let people share and let ourselves sit with the 272 00:15:43,400 --> 00:15:46,440 Speaker 2: gravity of what each person was bringing to the table. 273 00:15:47,280 --> 00:15:53,440 Speaker 2: And the transformation during those ceremonies was incredible. And as 274 00:15:53,440 --> 00:15:56,560 Speaker 2: a therapist, I was, especially in the beginning of the ceremonies, 275 00:15:56,720 --> 00:16:00,960 Speaker 2: so in awe of how just speaking something elicited so 276 00:16:01,120 --> 00:16:05,560 Speaker 2: much transformation. And you know, we're taught and we want 277 00:16:05,560 --> 00:16:08,440 Speaker 2: to do like all these fancy techniques and so all 278 00:16:08,520 --> 00:16:14,360 Speaker 2: these fancy words and things and help people through different modalities, 279 00:16:14,440 --> 00:16:18,000 Speaker 2: and this sectivity and this thing and all this was 280 00:16:18,480 --> 00:16:21,400 Speaker 2: the healing agent. Here was just not being alone in 281 00:16:21,400 --> 00:16:25,840 Speaker 2: our stuff and acknowledging that this whole group, everybody has stuff, 282 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:29,880 Speaker 2: and that is actually something that connects us more than 283 00:16:30,040 --> 00:16:33,000 Speaker 2: separates us. I don't know the science. I don't know 284 00:16:33,040 --> 00:16:35,800 Speaker 2: the ins and outs. I don't know the brain chemistry 285 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:38,440 Speaker 2: of how all this works. But what I do know 286 00:16:38,920 --> 00:16:42,320 Speaker 2: is I have seen time and time again how even 287 00:16:42,360 --> 00:16:45,400 Speaker 2: just writing something down on a piece of paper and 288 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:48,640 Speaker 2: getting it out of just living in your body can 289 00:16:48,720 --> 00:16:53,720 Speaker 2: create real change and real compassion and self compassion and 290 00:16:54,160 --> 00:16:58,360 Speaker 2: release so much ickiness and real like toxic shame out 291 00:16:58,400 --> 00:17:01,680 Speaker 2: of our body. And going back to the question box 292 00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:04,200 Speaker 2: I put up, I started getting answers really quickly when 293 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:06,880 Speaker 2: I put that question box up. And I was honestly 294 00:17:07,040 --> 00:17:10,000 Speaker 2: very overwhelmed at first, because I didn't expect people to 295 00:17:10,240 --> 00:17:14,560 Speaker 2: be so open and also so ready to share, and 296 00:17:14,680 --> 00:17:17,560 Speaker 2: I didn't expect so many people to do that. I 297 00:17:17,640 --> 00:17:19,960 Speaker 2: might get a couple things, and I might be I 298 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:23,240 Speaker 2: don't know, and I don't want to judge people's secrets, 299 00:17:23,240 --> 00:17:25,640 Speaker 2: but I just didn't expect the gravity I think of 300 00:17:26,160 --> 00:17:30,280 Speaker 2: what people were ready to show up and get off 301 00:17:30,359 --> 00:17:33,480 Speaker 2: their chest. And I said, I was overwhelmed. It was 302 00:17:33,520 --> 00:17:37,440 Speaker 2: a very kind of good overwhelmed because what I noticed 303 00:17:37,760 --> 00:17:39,680 Speaker 2: as I started sharing them and I was getting more 304 00:17:39,720 --> 00:17:42,479 Speaker 2: come in I didn't share all of them to my page, 305 00:17:43,040 --> 00:17:45,640 Speaker 2: but as I did start to share them, so many 306 00:17:45,720 --> 00:17:47,880 Speaker 2: of the secrets were very similar. 307 00:17:48,440 --> 00:17:51,320 Speaker 4: And through that I want to call it kind of 308 00:17:51,320 --> 00:17:51,880 Speaker 4: an experiment. 309 00:17:51,920 --> 00:17:53,400 Speaker 2: I think I'm going to continue to do it as 310 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:56,880 Speaker 2: a series because it felt so cathartic for so many people, 311 00:17:56,880 --> 00:17:59,080 Speaker 2: where it seemed as it as though it was. But 312 00:17:59,160 --> 00:18:04,040 Speaker 2: two things that experiment shown me is that one, people 313 00:18:04,160 --> 00:18:08,400 Speaker 2: want to share their stories. People want to share their truth. However, 314 00:18:08,560 --> 00:18:10,879 Speaker 2: we just might be really scared to do that, or 315 00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:13,320 Speaker 2: we don't know how, or maybe we don't feel or 316 00:18:13,400 --> 00:18:16,320 Speaker 2: know or don't experience a place where that feels safe. 317 00:18:16,880 --> 00:18:20,040 Speaker 2: And then two, we are way more similar than different, 318 00:18:20,640 --> 00:18:23,920 Speaker 2: and we are not alone. And you guys listening out 319 00:18:23,920 --> 00:18:27,360 Speaker 2: there are not alone. And the more you share, the 320 00:18:27,359 --> 00:18:30,800 Speaker 2: more we can allow ourselves to connect to the humanity 321 00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:35,960 Speaker 2: and receive the empathy and compassion from other people. You know, 322 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:40,280 Speaker 2: we really rob ourselves of the ability to receive others 323 00:18:40,440 --> 00:18:44,840 Speaker 2: love and care and compassion when we hide ourselves from people. 324 00:18:45,200 --> 00:18:46,800 Speaker 2: And I think that's one of those things where I 325 00:18:46,840 --> 00:18:50,760 Speaker 2: was talking about, when we create these manufactured versions of 326 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:52,800 Speaker 2: ourselves that we want people to show up, or that 327 00:18:52,840 --> 00:18:54,800 Speaker 2: we feel like people want us to show up with 328 00:18:55,240 --> 00:18:57,760 Speaker 2: because we shouldn't show up with our real stuff. We 329 00:18:57,840 --> 00:19:00,560 Speaker 2: get this manufactured love that doesn't feel totally all authentic. 330 00:19:00,720 --> 00:19:02,840 Speaker 2: But when we show up with our real selves with 331 00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:05,560 Speaker 2: all of our stuff and somebody's like, yeah, I see 332 00:19:05,560 --> 00:19:10,600 Speaker 2: you and I love you still, that is very powerful. 333 00:19:11,160 --> 00:19:12,880 Speaker 2: This kind of goes along with what I talked about 334 00:19:12,920 --> 00:19:15,560 Speaker 2: last week on the Monday episode, how the messages we 335 00:19:15,600 --> 00:19:19,720 Speaker 2: develop end up turning into the message we developed as 336 00:19:19,720 --> 00:19:21,680 Speaker 2: we grow up about how to survive and what's right 337 00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:24,560 Speaker 2: and what's good turn into these rules that we live by. 338 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:29,200 Speaker 2: And I do want to say that there are certain 339 00:19:29,280 --> 00:19:30,960 Speaker 2: rules that you might have lived by and things that 340 00:19:30,960 --> 00:19:33,399 Speaker 2: you didn't share with certain people for a reason. And 341 00:19:34,320 --> 00:19:37,679 Speaker 2: while I'm driving home this idea that it's helpful to 342 00:19:37,720 --> 00:19:40,959 Speaker 2: release our secrets and that our secrets actually keep us 343 00:19:40,960 --> 00:19:45,240 Speaker 2: more sick than safe. Our secrets aren't for everybody. They 344 00:19:45,240 --> 00:19:48,120 Speaker 2: are for us to share with safe people and people 345 00:19:48,160 --> 00:19:50,960 Speaker 2: who have the ability to show us empathy and also 346 00:19:51,080 --> 00:19:52,920 Speaker 2: sit in there humanists too. 347 00:19:53,119 --> 00:19:57,320 Speaker 4: So what also is so interesting. 348 00:19:56,920 --> 00:20:00,520 Speaker 2: To note here as we're talking about this is while 349 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:04,920 Speaker 2: secrets can keep us emotionally and mentally sick, and they 350 00:20:04,960 --> 00:20:08,159 Speaker 2: can really damage our sense of self and how we 351 00:20:08,240 --> 00:20:13,919 Speaker 2: view ourselves. Secrets can also have really serious physical repercussions 352 00:20:13,960 --> 00:20:19,920 Speaker 2: on us and keeping secrets, like holding secrets, and this 353 00:20:20,040 --> 00:20:23,199 Speaker 2: is really any secret what I'm really talking about, and 354 00:20:23,240 --> 00:20:25,920 Speaker 2: a lot of this stuff is the stuff about ourselves, 355 00:20:25,960 --> 00:20:29,240 Speaker 2: like our own stories that we tell ourselves are not 356 00:20:29,600 --> 00:20:32,480 Speaker 2: for other people to know or hear, or if I 357 00:20:32,560 --> 00:20:36,760 Speaker 2: share this they will think blank. But really, when I'm 358 00:20:36,760 --> 00:20:39,600 Speaker 2: talking about some of how secrets can really damage our 359 00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:43,000 Speaker 2: physical health as well, this is kind of any kind 360 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:45,520 Speaker 2: of secret, right can be something else's secret, It can 361 00:20:45,840 --> 00:20:48,720 Speaker 2: any kind of secret, and it's because it puts our 362 00:20:48,760 --> 00:20:53,320 Speaker 2: brain in this very awkward, compromised position where our brains 363 00:20:53,359 --> 00:20:56,600 Speaker 2: are actually wired to tell the truth. And I'm going 364 00:20:56,680 --> 00:21:07,560 Speaker 2: to explain this in a very simple base terms. So 365 00:21:07,920 --> 00:21:10,880 Speaker 2: our brains are wired to tell the truth. And when 366 00:21:10,920 --> 00:21:14,159 Speaker 2: we go against those natural wirings, like the wirings that 367 00:21:14,200 --> 00:21:17,680 Speaker 2: we're actually born with, not the wirings that we might 368 00:21:17,760 --> 00:21:21,399 Speaker 2: have shifted based on our experiences and what we have 369 00:21:21,440 --> 00:21:23,600 Speaker 2: seen in the world, but like the natural way our 370 00:21:23,640 --> 00:21:25,960 Speaker 2: brain was set up to work is to tell the truth. 371 00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:30,000 Speaker 2: And when we go against those natural wirings. What happens 372 00:21:30,080 --> 00:21:32,640 Speaker 2: is our brain just gets stressed because it takes work 373 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:35,400 Speaker 2: and it takes effort to go against those natural wirings. 374 00:21:36,119 --> 00:21:39,800 Speaker 2: And so what happens when our brain gets stressed, not 375 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:42,320 Speaker 2: just like us as a human, but like parts of 376 00:21:42,359 --> 00:21:45,640 Speaker 2: your brain. What happens when that gets stressed, Well, think 377 00:21:45,680 --> 00:21:47,840 Speaker 2: about what happens with other organs in our bodies. 378 00:21:47,840 --> 00:21:48,800 Speaker 4: When they get stressed. 379 00:21:49,480 --> 00:21:53,160 Speaker 2: It makes them have to work harder, and it makes 380 00:21:53,200 --> 00:21:57,199 Speaker 2: the work harder, it makes the function more difficult to 381 00:21:57,720 --> 00:22:00,879 Speaker 2: put out. And so what happens in our brain is 382 00:22:01,280 --> 00:22:05,840 Speaker 2: we end up producing more cortisol, which is also known 383 00:22:05,840 --> 00:22:09,800 Speaker 2: as the stress hormone. And higher levels of cortisol are 384 00:22:09,880 --> 00:22:13,639 Speaker 2: known to impact our memory. It's known to impact our 385 00:22:13,680 --> 00:22:19,080 Speaker 2: blood pressure, metabolism, our immune system, our gi track. They 386 00:22:19,080 --> 00:22:22,560 Speaker 2: can lead to issues with blood pressure and all different 387 00:22:22,640 --> 00:22:25,000 Speaker 2: kinds of things when we have an excess of this 388 00:22:25,440 --> 00:22:30,040 Speaker 2: stress hormone in our body, and that can also affect 389 00:22:30,359 --> 00:22:35,240 Speaker 2: our sleep. And what we know about sleep is our 390 00:22:35,320 --> 00:22:38,359 Speaker 2: sleep and our quality of sleep affects so much, including 391 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:43,640 Speaker 2: on a very basic level, our mood, our irritability, our memory, 392 00:22:43,680 --> 00:22:47,080 Speaker 2: or our ability to remember and to withhold and to 393 00:22:47,280 --> 00:22:51,520 Speaker 2: hold on to and understand information, and that is going 394 00:22:51,560 --> 00:22:55,399 Speaker 2: to impact our overall functioning day to day on a 395 00:22:55,480 --> 00:22:59,560 Speaker 2: long scale. You can just think about how the consistency 396 00:22:59,600 --> 00:23:03,480 Speaker 2: of that would kind of build and build and build. 397 00:23:03,640 --> 00:23:06,000 Speaker 2: And Okay, if I have one day where I'm a 398 00:23:06,000 --> 00:23:09,320 Speaker 2: little irritable and I can't remember things, I'm just I 399 00:23:09,440 --> 00:23:11,480 Speaker 2: have a little bit more stress in my body, and 400 00:23:11,520 --> 00:23:14,360 Speaker 2: that's happening for a day. Imagine if that's something that's 401 00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:18,080 Speaker 2: happening day after day after day that is going to 402 00:23:18,160 --> 00:23:22,359 Speaker 2: end up leading to these long term, more chronic issues 403 00:23:22,520 --> 00:23:25,840 Speaker 2: with our health. Like I said, that is talking about 404 00:23:25,960 --> 00:23:29,280 Speaker 2: all kinds of secrets, and you can probably assume that 405 00:23:29,640 --> 00:23:33,800 Speaker 2: different kinds of secrets will essentially affect us on different 406 00:23:33,920 --> 00:23:37,359 Speaker 2: levels and differently. For example, the bigger the secret that 407 00:23:37,440 --> 00:23:39,880 Speaker 2: you're holding, the bigger the scale of this is all 408 00:23:39,880 --> 00:23:43,800 Speaker 2: going to happen on And there are secrets that might 409 00:23:43,840 --> 00:23:47,840 Speaker 2: not have a measurable impact, like this like a surprise 410 00:23:47,920 --> 00:23:50,280 Speaker 2: party where you actually it feels. 411 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:51,040 Speaker 1: Good to hold this secret. 412 00:23:51,040 --> 00:23:53,160 Speaker 4: It just like is a little bit difficult, and. 413 00:23:53,119 --> 00:23:54,960 Speaker 2: You just hold it for this period of time and 414 00:23:55,000 --> 00:23:57,200 Speaker 2: then there's this release in this excitement. 415 00:23:57,720 --> 00:23:59,800 Speaker 1: And also there are secrets that you. 416 00:24:00,359 --> 00:24:04,160 Speaker 2: Because they're sacred, right, and they are important for you, 417 00:24:04,359 --> 00:24:08,600 Speaker 2: and they are it's more of a privacy than a 418 00:24:08,760 --> 00:24:12,040 Speaker 2: I'm scared to share this, right, And I think with 419 00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:14,720 Speaker 2: that it's really important to remember there's a big difference 420 00:24:14,760 --> 00:24:18,760 Speaker 2: between secrecy and privacy, and differentiating between the. 421 00:24:18,760 --> 00:24:21,400 Speaker 1: Two is very valuable. Right. 422 00:24:21,880 --> 00:24:26,960 Speaker 2: Secrecy oftentimes feels icky, and again it goes against that 423 00:24:27,119 --> 00:24:29,280 Speaker 2: like wiring for us to tell the truth, it usually 424 00:24:29,320 --> 00:24:30,080 Speaker 2: goes against. 425 00:24:29,840 --> 00:24:32,480 Speaker 1: A lot of our morality and our value system. 426 00:24:32,560 --> 00:24:34,600 Speaker 2: And there's a part of it in there that that 427 00:24:34,680 --> 00:24:36,840 Speaker 2: is sending us the message that I am again, I'm 428 00:24:36,880 --> 00:24:40,000 Speaker 2: keeping this a secret because when it's about me, because 429 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:42,760 Speaker 2: if I share this then something bad will happen. 430 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:46,240 Speaker 1: And if people know this, then this will be true. 431 00:24:46,520 --> 00:24:49,240 Speaker 2: But just by sharing, having that in your head, you've 432 00:24:49,280 --> 00:24:52,280 Speaker 2: already decided that this is true about me. Again, it's 433 00:24:52,280 --> 00:24:55,439 Speaker 2: that self rejection, right, You're already rejecting yourself by not 434 00:24:55,520 --> 00:24:58,359 Speaker 2: allowing people to see you and love you. Still, I 435 00:24:58,440 --> 00:25:01,719 Speaker 2: did want to put that little caveat there where secrecy 436 00:25:02,359 --> 00:25:06,080 Speaker 2: is different than privacy, and I want us to continue 437 00:25:06,080 --> 00:25:10,520 Speaker 2: to allow ourselves to have privacy, because again, certain things 438 00:25:10,520 --> 00:25:13,919 Speaker 2: aren't for everybody, and certain parts of our story that 439 00:25:14,080 --> 00:25:17,639 Speaker 2: aren't secrets, that are not meant for everybody. 440 00:25:17,680 --> 00:25:21,080 Speaker 1: I talk about this a lot, where like to heal. 441 00:25:20,880 --> 00:25:23,520 Speaker 2: And process our trauma, we don't have to tell the 442 00:25:23,560 --> 00:25:25,399 Speaker 2: whole world about it. I mean, we can if we 443 00:25:25,440 --> 00:25:28,760 Speaker 2: want to, but it is helpful to share it with somebody. 444 00:25:29,520 --> 00:25:33,360 Speaker 2: And when we don't allow ourselves to share it with anybody, 445 00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:37,920 Speaker 2: it becomes almost like this poison we're holding within our bodies, 446 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:42,360 Speaker 2: where we're self rejecting ourselves. We're saying, if somebody sees this, 447 00:25:42,560 --> 00:25:47,480 Speaker 2: if somebody knows this about me, then I will lose relationships, 448 00:25:47,560 --> 00:25:51,200 Speaker 2: I will lose my value, I will lose my place 449 00:25:51,240 --> 00:25:55,880 Speaker 2: in this world. I will lose I mean resources, when 450 00:25:56,520 --> 00:26:01,560 Speaker 2: oftentimes sharing those parts of ourselves with somebody might bring 451 00:26:01,680 --> 00:26:06,359 Speaker 2: us more than take away. So I've mentioned and I 452 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:09,399 Speaker 2: feel like I've said it a couple times throughout this episode, 453 00:26:09,560 --> 00:26:13,160 Speaker 2: but there is a common phrase that is said within 454 00:26:13,200 --> 00:26:16,440 Speaker 2: a lot of the recovery community, and I've heard it 455 00:26:16,760 --> 00:26:20,400 Speaker 2: and used it throughout my work as a therapist, and that. 456 00:26:20,280 --> 00:26:22,000 Speaker 4: Phrases secrets keep us sick. 457 00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:26,239 Speaker 2: And what I really hope by talking about this and 458 00:26:26,240 --> 00:26:28,960 Speaker 2: maybe continuing the series of the just like Get this 459 00:26:29,040 --> 00:26:32,399 Speaker 2: off my Chest on Instagram. We can allow ourselves to 460 00:26:32,880 --> 00:26:36,320 Speaker 2: really know that to be true. We can actually stand 461 00:26:36,320 --> 00:26:38,520 Speaker 2: in the light of that that secrets do keep us 462 00:26:38,560 --> 00:26:43,080 Speaker 2: sick and truth keeps me connected. Truth allows me to 463 00:26:43,119 --> 00:26:48,199 Speaker 2: have compassion, and my story gets to involve empathy. And 464 00:26:48,280 --> 00:26:52,640 Speaker 2: So whether you wait for another one of the get 465 00:26:52,680 --> 00:26:55,439 Speaker 2: Us off your Chest series we do on Instagram, or 466 00:26:55,600 --> 00:26:57,800 Speaker 2: you just decide today, I'm going to write this down 467 00:26:57,800 --> 00:26:59,800 Speaker 2: on a piece of paper. I'm going to write this 468 00:26:59,800 --> 00:27:02,280 Speaker 2: thing down that I'm not ready to share with anybody, 469 00:27:02,720 --> 00:27:04,679 Speaker 2: but I don't want it to just live within my body. 470 00:27:04,720 --> 00:27:07,320 Speaker 2: I'm going to put it on paper. I'm really challenging 471 00:27:07,359 --> 00:27:09,280 Speaker 2: you guys to do that and see what it feels like. 472 00:27:09,480 --> 00:27:12,760 Speaker 2: And maybe you create a little secret ceremony for yourself 473 00:27:12,800 --> 00:27:15,720 Speaker 2: where you get to burn it. And a lot of 474 00:27:15,760 --> 00:27:19,360 Speaker 2: our clients would then collect the ashes and keep them 475 00:27:19,400 --> 00:27:23,320 Speaker 2: as just like a keepsake or a memory. At one 476 00:27:23,359 --> 00:27:26,360 Speaker 2: person made some jewelry with their ashes where they got 477 00:27:26,400 --> 00:27:29,160 Speaker 2: to carry around this thing that used to be a secret, 478 00:27:29,160 --> 00:27:32,360 Speaker 2: but now they know actually connects them and makes them 479 00:27:32,359 --> 00:27:35,119 Speaker 2: more human than anything else and does not get to 480 00:27:35,160 --> 00:27:39,159 Speaker 2: define their character or their worth. So I really just 481 00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:41,159 Speaker 2: want to put that out there as something that you 482 00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:44,080 Speaker 2: guys might also encourage yourselves to do. If you're struggling 483 00:27:44,080 --> 00:27:47,320 Speaker 2: with something that feels taboo for you to share with 484 00:27:47,359 --> 00:27:50,400 Speaker 2: the world and do it in your own time. Right, 485 00:27:50,440 --> 00:27:52,320 Speaker 2: you don't have to do this today. You might need 486 00:27:52,359 --> 00:27:54,320 Speaker 2: to sit on it for a while because this might 487 00:27:54,359 --> 00:27:58,000 Speaker 2: be something that you've held for years, or. 488 00:27:58,119 --> 00:27:59,960 Speaker 4: I mean even just like holding something for day. 489 00:28:00,880 --> 00:28:04,520 Speaker 2: Allow yourself to take the time and space to prepare 490 00:28:04,560 --> 00:28:07,760 Speaker 2: yourself to do something like that. But I do want 491 00:28:07,760 --> 00:28:10,359 Speaker 2: you to know that that option is there for you, 492 00:28:11,040 --> 00:28:14,200 Speaker 2: and it's okay if people know the truth of who 493 00:28:14,240 --> 00:28:17,520 Speaker 2: you are, because the truth of who you are isn't 494 00:28:17,560 --> 00:28:20,560 Speaker 2: just one thing, it's a lot of things. This is 495 00:28:20,600 --> 00:28:22,800 Speaker 2: off topic, but it makes me think of how when 496 00:28:22,800 --> 00:28:27,399 Speaker 2: I'm talking about dating with some clients, and specifically like 497 00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:30,399 Speaker 2: during things that don't work out, whether they're just like 498 00:28:30,440 --> 00:28:31,320 Speaker 2: a couple dates. 499 00:28:31,080 --> 00:28:33,440 Speaker 1: And the guy didn't or the girl didn't call. 500 00:28:33,240 --> 00:28:36,879 Speaker 2: Me back, or there's a breakup, and usually people go 501 00:28:36,960 --> 00:28:39,520 Speaker 2: through this phase of well, if I wouldn't have done this, 502 00:28:39,760 --> 00:28:41,640 Speaker 2: or if I didn't do that, and I'm like, uh 503 00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:44,680 Speaker 2: uh no, those are all stories, those are false, those 504 00:28:44,720 --> 00:28:48,760 Speaker 2: are holding you hostage to acknowledge that this actually isn't 505 00:28:48,800 --> 00:28:52,280 Speaker 2: something about you not being good enough or you being 506 00:28:52,320 --> 00:28:56,120 Speaker 2: wrong or you not being worthy, because when somebody is 507 00:28:56,160 --> 00:28:59,480 Speaker 2: for us, when somebody is a match for us and 508 00:29:00,080 --> 00:29:02,680 Speaker 2: we really want to be with somebody, we don't see 509 00:29:02,680 --> 00:29:05,880 Speaker 2: one thing they do, like I don't know, you lost 510 00:29:05,920 --> 00:29:10,040 Speaker 2: your temper once, or you said something one time that 511 00:29:10,080 --> 00:29:13,640 Speaker 2: I didn't like, or you made a comment that hurt 512 00:29:13,640 --> 00:29:16,240 Speaker 2: my feelings, or I mean, I feel like those are 513 00:29:16,280 --> 00:29:18,440 Speaker 2: all kind of the same, but like you get what 514 00:29:18,480 --> 00:29:22,600 Speaker 2: I'm saying, Like one thing doesn't happen, you wear a 515 00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:27,080 Speaker 2: weird outfit or something like that, and I'm like, ugh, okay, no, 516 00:29:27,680 --> 00:29:29,920 Speaker 2: not for me, it's not going to work because this 517 00:29:30,120 --> 00:29:33,000 Speaker 2: one thing doesn't define the truth of who they are. 518 00:29:33,360 --> 00:29:36,320 Speaker 2: The truth of who somebody is is so. 519 00:29:36,400 --> 00:29:37,120 Speaker 4: Much more than that. 520 00:29:37,520 --> 00:29:43,320 Speaker 2: And it's about consistency versus the perfection of something, because 521 00:29:43,360 --> 00:29:46,200 Speaker 2: the perfection of something does not exist when we're talking 522 00:29:46,200 --> 00:29:49,920 Speaker 2: about human beings and relationships. And so when that happens, 523 00:29:50,600 --> 00:29:52,680 Speaker 2: we're trying to give ourselves the illusion of control that 524 00:29:52,920 --> 00:29:56,160 Speaker 2: I could have had control about around this situation. The 525 00:29:56,200 --> 00:29:58,720 Speaker 2: reality is that that just like wasn't the relationship for you, 526 00:29:58,760 --> 00:30:01,320 Speaker 2: and that wasn't the person for you, and that's hard 527 00:30:01,320 --> 00:30:04,720 Speaker 2: to sit with, but it's not because this one thing 528 00:30:04,800 --> 00:30:08,360 Speaker 2: you did ruined you. And I want people to know 529 00:30:08,360 --> 00:30:11,880 Speaker 2: that about their secrets, like there's not one thing about 530 00:30:11,920 --> 00:30:15,240 Speaker 2: you that ruins you, because there are so many parts 531 00:30:15,280 --> 00:30:17,400 Speaker 2: of you that can be true. 532 00:30:17,240 --> 00:30:18,040 Speaker 1: At the same time. 533 00:30:18,200 --> 00:30:22,800 Speaker 2: And none of us all of those truths. None of 534 00:30:22,880 --> 00:30:27,200 Speaker 2: us have truths that we are super super super super 535 00:30:27,200 --> 00:30:29,040 Speaker 2: proud of and want to shout to the rooftops. None 536 00:30:29,080 --> 00:30:32,040 Speaker 2: of us have all of those And I just wish 537 00:30:32,120 --> 00:30:34,240 Speaker 2: we talked about that more. Kind of feel like a 538 00:30:34,240 --> 00:30:37,360 Speaker 2: broken record and kind of feel kind of like cliche 539 00:30:37,400 --> 00:30:39,440 Speaker 2: when I say stuff like that, but I really wish 540 00:30:39,480 --> 00:30:43,280 Speaker 2: that we did. I can think of so many examples 541 00:30:43,320 --> 00:30:47,600 Speaker 2: and experiences in my life where if the people around 542 00:30:47,640 --> 00:30:51,680 Speaker 2: me were actually showing up as real and true and 543 00:30:52,440 --> 00:30:56,120 Speaker 2: bringing honesty to the table, like I would have also 544 00:30:56,160 --> 00:30:58,640 Speaker 2: brought my honesty right with a collective effort. We're all 545 00:30:58,640 --> 00:31:01,640 Speaker 2: being quiet, but I would have alleviated so much of 546 00:31:01,640 --> 00:31:05,600 Speaker 2: the messaging and allowed me to feel more with people 547 00:31:05,920 --> 00:31:09,440 Speaker 2: and more connected to people than different and separated. And 548 00:31:10,560 --> 00:31:14,320 Speaker 2: this goes from like big things to like really really 549 00:31:14,560 --> 00:31:16,400 Speaker 2: I mean small, but it felt big at the time. 550 00:31:16,480 --> 00:31:19,600 Speaker 2: Like I just remember I had really bad acne as 551 00:31:19,640 --> 00:31:21,880 Speaker 2: a kid, like in high school, and I went on 552 00:31:21,880 --> 00:31:24,240 Speaker 2: acutating it. Actually did it twice. I did it in 553 00:31:24,320 --> 00:31:26,680 Speaker 2: high school, and I think I did it right after 554 00:31:26,720 --> 00:31:30,080 Speaker 2: college or maybe in college. But like even just thinking 555 00:31:30,080 --> 00:31:32,760 Speaker 2: about how I spent so much time like looking for 556 00:31:32,800 --> 00:31:36,880 Speaker 2: the right makeup to like cover my acne, or not 557 00:31:36,920 --> 00:31:40,479 Speaker 2: wanting to like wash my face before soccer practice or 558 00:31:40,560 --> 00:31:44,320 Speaker 2: stuff like that, which made my acne worse because I 559 00:31:44,400 --> 00:31:47,240 Speaker 2: had this illusion that like to be good and beautiful 560 00:31:47,280 --> 00:31:49,720 Speaker 2: and okay and ford to be worthy of belonging to 561 00:31:49,800 --> 00:31:51,959 Speaker 2: a friend group or whatever, I had to look a 562 00:31:51,960 --> 00:31:55,120 Speaker 2: certain way when like, oh my gosh, so many of 563 00:31:55,200 --> 00:31:58,400 Speaker 2: us struggled with that, and I had nothing to do 564 00:31:58,480 --> 00:32:01,880 Speaker 2: with our value and worth right, And if there were 565 00:32:01,960 --> 00:32:04,800 Speaker 2: more people in the world showing up with a ZiT 566 00:32:04,920 --> 00:32:09,560 Speaker 2: on their face and and perfect skin, then I would 567 00:32:09,600 --> 00:32:12,400 Speaker 2: actually be able to feel more connected than separate and 568 00:32:12,480 --> 00:32:15,120 Speaker 2: different and unworthy in a lot of these spaces. And 569 00:32:15,200 --> 00:32:18,920 Speaker 2: again that might feel like a really small potatoes example, 570 00:32:19,520 --> 00:32:22,440 Speaker 2: but it's also I mean that bleeds into so many 571 00:32:22,480 --> 00:32:25,400 Speaker 2: of the like beauty standards that we struggle with. And 572 00:32:25,440 --> 00:32:28,880 Speaker 2: I did a couple episodes with an esthetician Hannah Ellis 573 00:32:28,920 --> 00:32:32,760 Speaker 2: about just the illusion of perfect skin and how like 574 00:32:33,320 --> 00:32:37,520 Speaker 2: there's so many smoothing filters on social media, where like 575 00:32:37,640 --> 00:32:40,240 Speaker 2: I get really confused because I'm like, is I can't 576 00:32:40,240 --> 00:32:40,760 Speaker 2: even tell. 577 00:32:40,600 --> 00:32:41,400 Speaker 4: What's real and what's not. 578 00:32:42,040 --> 00:32:45,240 Speaker 2: And what I've had to do because I created this 579 00:32:45,520 --> 00:32:48,200 Speaker 2: shaming process of myself is when I would use these 580 00:32:48,240 --> 00:32:50,880 Speaker 2: filters because I told myself I looked better and people 581 00:32:50,880 --> 00:32:53,200 Speaker 2: would like me more if I use these filters, right. 582 00:32:53,120 --> 00:32:55,960 Speaker 4: Like why am I? Like, why am I gonna. 583 00:32:55,720 --> 00:32:56,440 Speaker 1: Put this filter on? 584 00:32:56,960 --> 00:32:59,560 Speaker 2: Is it because it like matches the other pictures in 585 00:32:59,600 --> 00:33:01,560 Speaker 2: my phone and it looks nice and da da da? 586 00:33:01,680 --> 00:33:04,000 Speaker 2: Or Am I using this because I want somebody to see 587 00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:05,560 Speaker 2: this and think something about me? 588 00:33:06,160 --> 00:33:08,520 Speaker 1: Right? That's not my point. 589 00:33:08,520 --> 00:33:09,680 Speaker 4: But my point is like I. 590 00:33:09,600 --> 00:33:13,760 Speaker 2: Had to stop using filters on social media because I 591 00:33:13,760 --> 00:33:15,480 Speaker 2: would go back and look at old stuff and be 592 00:33:15,560 --> 00:33:18,840 Speaker 2: like what happened to me? Like, gosh, I don't look 593 00:33:18,880 --> 00:33:20,640 Speaker 2: like that anymore. And it's because I never looked like that, 594 00:33:21,040 --> 00:33:23,480 Speaker 2: and I would feel so bad about myself and then 595 00:33:23,480 --> 00:33:24,800 Speaker 2: I'm like, wait a second, I never looked like that 596 00:33:25,120 --> 00:33:27,160 Speaker 2: I never looked like that, and I did not feel 597 00:33:27,320 --> 00:33:29,880 Speaker 2: bad about myself when I didn't look like that in 598 00:33:29,920 --> 00:33:33,800 Speaker 2: the real mirror until I saw what I was supposed 599 00:33:33,840 --> 00:33:36,560 Speaker 2: to in quotes look like with these filters. 600 00:33:36,680 --> 00:33:39,680 Speaker 1: And so I think that this right here is just me. 601 00:33:39,720 --> 00:33:42,360 Speaker 2: Giving examples of like, if we were all showing up 602 00:33:42,400 --> 00:33:46,040 Speaker 2: with our humanness and some of these secrets that we 603 00:33:46,160 --> 00:33:49,440 Speaker 2: hold that we try to avoid, then we would feel 604 00:33:49,480 --> 00:33:52,800 Speaker 2: better about ourselves, would feel better about the world the 605 00:33:52,800 --> 00:33:53,760 Speaker 2: people around us. 606 00:33:54,520 --> 00:33:55,920 Speaker 4: But somebody's got to do it first. 607 00:33:55,960 --> 00:33:58,600 Speaker 2: I think that's the other thing is I was saying, like, 608 00:33:59,040 --> 00:34:01,080 Speaker 2: I'm not sharing my stuff, I'm putting the filter on 609 00:34:01,120 --> 00:34:02,720 Speaker 2: because these other people are putting these filters on, and 610 00:34:02,720 --> 00:34:04,800 Speaker 2: I don't want to be the first one. And we've 611 00:34:04,800 --> 00:34:07,200 Speaker 2: got to step into our braveness at some point, and 612 00:34:07,280 --> 00:34:10,640 Speaker 2: our courage really is what that is. Like, ripple effects 613 00:34:10,680 --> 00:34:14,080 Speaker 2: will happen, maybe slowly, but they'll happen. We've already seen 614 00:34:14,120 --> 00:34:17,080 Speaker 2: a lot of that happen on social media. And I 615 00:34:17,160 --> 00:34:21,000 Speaker 2: mentioned earlier the secrets that people were sending to me 616 00:34:21,080 --> 00:34:24,960 Speaker 2: on Instagram. There were so many that were similar. Rarely 617 00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:27,000 Speaker 2: did I get one that was like, oh, this isn't 618 00:34:27,000 --> 00:34:30,319 Speaker 2: a category of its own, Like next time, maybe I'll 619 00:34:30,360 --> 00:34:31,960 Speaker 2: like read some of them, but you can also go 620 00:34:32,000 --> 00:34:34,719 Speaker 2: to my Instagram and look at them as well. I'll 621 00:34:34,960 --> 00:34:38,120 Speaker 2: make a highlight of them so you can see them 622 00:34:38,239 --> 00:34:40,759 Speaker 2: and it can help you feel less alone in that 623 00:34:40,800 --> 00:34:42,799 Speaker 2: as well, because again, the whole point of this is 624 00:34:42,880 --> 00:34:43,759 Speaker 2: we're not alone. 625 00:34:43,800 --> 00:34:47,640 Speaker 1: We actually are together. We just don't know it right now, 626 00:34:48,239 --> 00:34:51,240 Speaker 1: and I really want to encourage us to allow us 627 00:34:51,640 --> 00:34:55,280 Speaker 1: to know it. So that's all I got today. 628 00:34:56,080 --> 00:34:58,919 Speaker 2: My challenge of my encouragement is to if you're holding 629 00:34:58,960 --> 00:35:01,680 Speaker 2: onto a secret, maybe about just taking that first step 630 00:35:01,719 --> 00:35:03,600 Speaker 2: and writing it down and see what that feels like, 631 00:35:04,280 --> 00:35:08,319 Speaker 2: and allow yourself to release yourself from some of these 632 00:35:08,400 --> 00:35:11,920 Speaker 2: chains we're putting on on ourselves so that we can 633 00:35:11,960 --> 00:35:15,800 Speaker 2: create deeper and more meaningful, compassionate, loving relationships with the 634 00:35:15,840 --> 00:35:17,160 Speaker 2: people all around us. 635 00:35:17,680 --> 00:35:20,439 Speaker 1: If you have any comments, questions, feedback, you can send 636 00:35:20,480 --> 00:35:22,960 Speaker 1: that to me Catherine at you Need Therapy podcast. 637 00:35:23,480 --> 00:35:26,160 Speaker 2: You can follow us at you Need Therapy Podcasts on 638 00:35:26,239 --> 00:35:30,479 Speaker 2: Instagram and at cat dot defata. And until Wednesday when 639 00:35:30,840 --> 00:35:33,160 Speaker 2: I come out with couch Talks, I hope you 640 00:35:33,160 --> 00:35:35,399 Speaker 1: Guys have the day you need to have