We’ve all felt that feeling—the ache of unworthiness. Believing that we’re bad, wrong, or not enough. Feeling shut down, checked out, and alone. Flooded with embarrassment. Wanting to numb out. Wishing we could disappear.
Shame shows up differently for each of us, but it’s universal. We all feel shame from time to time. And no matter how it expresses, there’s one common ingredient: suffering.
Here are some of the behaviors we can develop as a result of unhealed shame:
Workaholism, over-achieving & controlling behavior
People-pleasing, co-dependence & boundarylessness
Judgment, blame, gossip & revenge
Taking things personally, defensiveness, comparison & impostor syndrome
Self-sabotage, procrastination, manipulation, lying & secret-keeping
Unworthiness, self-abandonment & fear of rejection
Shame is painful. It’s one of the most powerful emotional experiences we know! When we fall into shame, it spirals us downward in what can feel like an endless and inescapable cycle of torture. Shame hurts, and that hurt often drives us to treat ourselves and others badly. And somehow, the whole time, shame has us convinced we’re so “bad” at our core that we “deserve” to suffer.
Listen: you don’t deserve to be trapped in pain. Nobody does. Self-love and happiness are your birthright, and contrary to what you might have come to believe, you feeling shame doesn’t serve anything positive. In fact, your freedom, self-acceptance and joy are the greatest gifts you can offer yourself and the world!
You have the power to transform your shame. The shame you experience isn’t your fault, and it’s not a life sentence. Most of our shame is inherited from unhelpful cultural and familial norms, and false belief systems we unconsciously internalized. We can’t always control when or why we feel shame, but we can learn to compassionately work through and heal our shame when it comes up.
It’s time to release your shame and step into the truth of who you are. You get to decide the extent to which shame shapes who you are and how you live. You deserve to be radiantly self-accepting and unapologetically free. If you’re ready to lovingly transform your shame and reconnect to your wholeness, come join us on this Shame Liberation journey!
In this program, you’ll learn skills and concepts that will help you:
Identify and become mindful of the presence of shame in your life
Understand and prevent the negative consequences of shame-based living
Catch yourself in a shame spiral, and take steps to slow the spin and compassionately climb out
Respond more lovingly to yourself despite your mistakes, wounds, painful patterns and imperfections
Interrupt and shift shame-based thoughts and actions into grounded, positive beliefs and behaviors
Trace back and heal the true source of your shame in any situation
Dismantle the operating system of shame you inherited, and replace it with life-affirming paradigms
“I was tremendously impressed by the way Erin’s program was organized and presented. It is clear that Erin has practiced this work—only someone who has wrestled with these tools could lay out such a clear and helpful road map. I was very pleased with the sense of safety and support Erin cultivated in the group, and I felt uplifted by the earnest good hearts evident in my classmates. I also marveled at how adept Erin is in using her empathy and intuition to respond in coaching components; this is inspiring to witness or receive from.”
“The Shame Liberation program has truly been life-changing! I cannot thank Erin enough! The combination of her knowledge, compassion, and intuitive facilitation along with the overall accessibility of the structure and materials made for a magical experience. I felt like my work during this time just FLOWED. I felt held, seen, and heard, and was able to learn, listen, and grow—and this was all because of the beautiful container Erin created!”
PROGRAM DETAILS
The Shame Liberation Program consists of 7 lessons (2 hours each, Tuesday evenings 7-9PM Pacific) and 4 group coaching calls (90 minutes each, Thursdays 10:30AM-12PM Pacific). See below for the detailed program schedule. All sessions take place live via Zoom and participants receive recordings of each session.
In our lessons, we’ll begin by learning the inner workings of shame (did you know it’s actually an unconscious self-protection mechanism?). Then, we’ll explore how to identify your personal shame triggers and gently de-escalate yourself to come back into balance. Finally, we’ll walk through some key tools and practices to help you work through any experience of shame to find relief, clarity and greater self-acceptance.
Group coaching calls are a live venue for participants to bring their shame-based challenges, process and integrate their new tools with Erin’s live coaching, and witness and learn from one another’s experiences. Erin offers hands-on support to help participants move through tough issues, heal and find meaningful insight, and transform old patterns.
PROGRAM SCHEDULE
All dates in Pacific Time
Tuesday October 6, 7:00-9:00PM — Lesson 1: Shame 101 (What It Is & How It Works)
Tuesday October 13, 7:00-9:00PM — Lesson 2: Tracing The Hidden Roots Of Our Shame
Tuesday October 20, 7:00-9:00PM — Lesson 3: Identifying Your Shame Fingerprint
Thursday October 22, 10:30AM-12:00PM — Group Coaching Call #1
Tuesday October 27, 7:00-9:00PM — Lesson 4: Applying The Antidotes To Shame
Thursday October 29, 10:30AM-12:00PM — Group Coaching Call #2
[NO MEETINGS THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 2-6; INTEGRATION WEEK]
Tuesday November 10, 7:00-9:00PM — Lesson 5: Metabolizing Anger & Blame
Thursday November 12, 10:30AM-12:00PM — Group Coaching Call #3
Tuesday November 17, 7:00-9:00PM — Lesson 6: Pivoting Toward Self-Love
Thursday November 19, 10:30AM-12:00PM — Group Coaching Call #4
Tuesday November 24, 7:00-9:00PM – Lesson 7: Shame Resilience
PROGRAM RATES
Basic Program $599*
Seven lessons (2 hours each)
Four group coaching calls (90 minutes each)
Expanded Program $899
Seven lessons (2 hours each)
Four group coaching calls (90 minutes each)
Two private coaching sessions (1 hour each) completed within 4 months of program start date
Deep Dive Program $1,999
Seven lessons (2 hours each)
Four group coaching calls (90 minutes each)
Erin’s signature Soul Journey Coaching Program (six 1-hour private coaching sessions, custom-tailored to the intentions of the client; includes session recordings, and integration & support via email) completed within 6 months of program start date
* Discounts and scholarships available for BIPOC (Basic Program only)—let’s connect! Email erin@erinmerrihew.com to inquire.
Note: Monthly installments and alternative payment plans are available for all programs. Participants may start with the Basic Program and upgrade to the Expanded or Deep Dive Program at any point throughout the program.
“I am so grateful for the gift of Erin’s presence and teaching, her love, patience, guidance, and gentleness. What she does in every session is nothing short of inspiring, and doing this deep inner work to heal shame in community is the best gift. I look forward to more adventures in growth and transformation in the future!”