Shadow Work Solutions

10/01/2026

Shadow Self Leadership is about learning to lead yourself before leading others.

It recognises that every leader carries unseen thoughts, emotions, fears, and habits—the Shadow Self—that quietly influence decisions, reactions and relationships at work and in life.

When the Shadow Self is unrecognised, it can show up as stress, over-control, people-pleasing, defensiveness, burnout or conflict with others.

This affects not only leaders, but also teams, organisations, families and communities. Leadership is never just personal; our inner world shapes the emotional climate around us.

Shadow Self Leadership takes a psychospiritual approach, meaning it brings together emotional awareness, meaning, and inner values.

In simple terms, it helps people understand what is happening inside them—mind, emotions, and sense of purpose—so they can act with greater clarity and integrity.

By using stories, images and reflection, people learn to recognise their hidden patterns without blame or shame.

Learning about Shadow Self Leadership matters because conscious leadership creates healthier relationships, better decisions, and more grounded authority.

When people lead from inner awareness rather than unconscious reactions, they build trust, resilience and workplaces—and lives—that feel more authentic and balanced.

08/01/2026

Happy New Year everyone! If you've ever wondered what's the difference between SIT Shadow Work and regular shadow work, here's a few...

29/12/2025

“The Christmas tree is the world-tree … and as the alchemical symbolism clearly shows, it is also a symbol of the process of self-realization.” — Carl Jung on the symbolic meaning of the Christmas tree
This reflects Jung’s depth-psychological view of Christmas symbolism — not just a holiday custom but a transformation symbol tied to inner growth and individuation.

23/12/2025

Stories and dreams carry powerful symbols and universal patterns called archetypes. Engaging with them helps us see hidden parts of ourselves—our fears, desires and strengths.

By exploring these symbols, we gain self-awareness, clarity, and a deeper sense of wholeness. Jung reminds us that our inner life can be understood and healed through the stories we tell and the dreams we remember.

18/12/2025

When you've pushed through the uncomfortableness of facing your own shadow (the unconscious parts of yourself that you've squashed down for years), here's what you can expect! 🙂

16/12/2025

Jung spoke about the shadow as a key to possibility, highlighting a core idea of his psychology: what we deny or hide within ourselves often holds our greatest potential for growth.

The shadow includes parts of us we have pushed out of awareness—emotions, impulses, needs, talents, or traits that once felt unacceptable or unsafe. While it can contain difficult qualities such as anger, fear, or envy, it also holds positive qualities like confidence, creativity, assertiveness, and vitality that were never fully allowed to develop.

Jung believed that ignoring the shadow keeps us trapped in unconscious patterns, repeating the same behaviours and struggles. When we turn toward it with awareness, we reclaim energy and choice. This is why the shadow “holds the key”: integrating it opens new possibilities for self-understanding, emotional freedom, and authentic living.

For Jung, the shadow is not something to get rid of, but something to recognise and integrate. Once brought into awareness, it becomes a source of insight, strength, and transformation—unlocking doors that were previously closed simply because we could not see them.

14/12/2025

When Carl Jung said that "the shadow is a power for good as well as evil", he was challenging the idea that the shadow is something negative that should be eliminated. Instead, he understood the shadow as a "vital source of psychological energy, creativity, and moral development"— if it is recognised and integrated rather than denied.

Here is what Jung meant, explained simply.

The Shadow Is Not Good or Bad — It Is Unlived Life

For Jung, the shadow contains all the parts of ourselves that we have pushed out of conscious awareness because they were unacceptable, discouraged, feared or misunderstood. This can include:

* Anger
* Desire
* Assertiveness
* Vulnerability
* Creativity
* Power
* Grief
* Ambition

Some of these qualities appear “dark” or socially unacceptable, but many are neutral or even life-giving. in this way, the shadow often holds our unlived potential.

Jung said:

"The shadow is a moral problem that challenges the whole ego-personality.”

This means the shadow confronts us with who we really are, not just who we want to believe we are.

In Simple Terms

When Jung said the shadow is a power for good as well as evil, he meant:

Unconscious shadow = destructive behaviour
Conscious shadow = strength, creativity, and wholeness

The shadow only becomes dangerous when it is denied.

Why This Matters

Shadow work is not about becoming “better” or “more positive.” It is about becoming more whole.

As Jung understood it, psychological health does not come from perfection, but from integration—the ability to hold light and dark, strength and vulnerability, morality and instinct, within one conscious personality.

The shadow, once integrated, becomes not an enemy, but a powerful ally in living an authentic and meaningful life.

14/12/2025

Carl Jung's phrase, "Synchronicity is an ever-present reality for those who have eyes to see," refers to his concept of synchronicity: meaningful coincidences not linked by cause and effect, but by shared meaning. It reveals a deeper connection between the inner psyche and outer world. This article on LinkedIn explains how to understand the universe's underlying patterns, a skill requiring inner vision, not just physical sight.

Carl Jung wrote, “Man cannot live without myth.” By this, he did not mean fantasy or falsehood, but meaning.

08/12/2025

Exciting news! Frog and Scorpion in the Dark Room* is now published!
This compact, powerful book explores the addictive shadow self through rich storytelling and practical insights. Grounded in Jungian psychology and supported by academic and clinical approaches to shadow work, it forms part of the Story Image Therapy (SIT) method—pronounced “sit,” as in taking a moment to pause, reflect, and engage with a symbolic story or image.
https://www.amazon.com.au/Frog-Scorpion.../dp/0987592793

06/12/2025

Coming Soon! Frog and Scorpion in the Dark Room will shortly be live on Amazon! :)

After a series of explosive family conflicts, the Shadows that characters Jack, Emily, Ace and Milly have kept buried erupt with a force that threatens to tear them apart. Jack’s intensity spirals into obsession, Emily’s people-pleasing becomes quiet self-betrayal, Ace escapes into risky thrills, and Milly hides behind masks of perfection. Each behaviour feeds the Dark Room, growing stronger every time they try to outrun the truth.

To survive, they must face the parts of themselves they fear most—and discover that the Shadow Self isn’t the enemy… unless they (and the reader in turn) refuse to look at it.

A gripping, symbolic journey into emotional dependency, family wounds, and the power of conscious change, Frog and Scorpion in the Dark Room reveals what happens when a family steps into the darkness together… and learns how to walk out again.

Perfect for readers of mythic storytelling, Jungian psychology, and transformational fiction.

01/12/2025

The saying, "All that happens is as familiar as roses in spring" is attributed to the Stoic philosopher, Marcus Aurelius. It means that everything that happens in life e.g., war, disease, famine happens as predictably as roses blooming in summer and fruit in summer

27/11/2025

Coming soon! The Shadow Self program (formerly called the SIT Program) by Clinical and Transpersonal psychologist, Dr Toula Gordillo will soon be available on her website www.drtoulagordillo.com

The Shadow Self Program

This program expands on the foundations of Story Image Therapy (SIT®) and SIT Shadow Work™ to offer a transformative pathway for both women and men. The program consists of two complementary courses—Shadow Self Leadership and Shadow Self Mastery—each tailored to the unique ways individuals navigate inner patterns, personal history and life roles.

Shadow Self Leadership

Women as Psychospiritual Leaders through Story Image Therapy
Embrace the Unseen: Unlock Inner Balance

Shadow Self Leadership invites women to explore their inner world with clarity, intuition and compassion. Using symbolic imagery, therapeutic storytelling and SIT-based psychospiritual practices, this course supports women to recognise unconscious patterns, strengthen emotional awareness and lead with authenticity across all areas of life—relationships, family dynamics, work, community and personal meaning.
Trial participants often report feeling more aligned, grounded and empowered, with greater confidence in decision-making and boundary-setting.

Shadow Self Mastery

Men as Psychospiritual Leaders through SIT Shadow Work
Embrace the Unseen: Find Your True North

Shadow Self Mastery supports men to understand and work through the deeper emotional, generational and behavioural patterns that shape their lives. Through SIT Shadow Work™, reflective practices and symbolic exploration, men learn to 'manage' their inner landscape with integrity, steadiness and purpose.
Trial participants frequently describe improvements in emotional clarity, communication, relationships, stress management and a renewed sense of direction—both personally and professionally.

How the Courses Work Together

While each course is tailored to different learning styles and psychological tendencies, both share a common goal: helping individuals face and integrate the unseen aspects of themselves—the Shadow Self.

Shadow Self Leadership focuses on empowering women to lead their lives with psychospiritual insight and emotional intelligence.
Shadow Self Mastery guides men to navigate their inner world with purpose, resilience and soulful awareness.

Together, the courses form a unified program that strengthens self-awareness, emotional balance and meaningful personal change. Whether undertaken individually or as complementary pathways for couples, teams or communities, the Shadow Self Program supports participants to live with greater authenticity, connection and inner coherence—from the inside out.