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Professional Diploma in Working with Shame, Guilt & the Hidden Shadow Self (Live-Online)- ICPS College

 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON ENROLMENT & SECURING YOUR PLACE

 

  • Course Status: Fully Accredited

  • Course Cost: €645

  • Deposit Due Now: 50%

  • Payment Now to Secure Your Place: €322.50

 

 

Delivery: Live-Online (Lecturer-Led)

Credits: 60 CPD Credits

Format: Live-Online Lecturer-Led Modules via Zoom

Duration:1 Class per Week (3 Hours) Over 10 Weeks

Online Live Attendance: 30 Hours

Self-Directed Learning: 30 Hours

Course Open To: Practitioners, Students & All Members of the Public with an Interest & Speciality Area of Practice

Assessment: Written Assignment and/or Viva Voce Assessment

Award:Accredited Professional Diploma

 

Course Accreditation

 

 

Course Description

 

This professional diploma provides comprehensive, trauma-informed training for practitioners who wish to develop deeper clinical competence in understanding and working with shame, self-criticism, hidden self-states and disowned aspects of identity.

 

The programme explores shame as a powerful psychological, relational, embodied and social experience that can shape identity, behaviour, attachment, intimacy, self-worth and the therapeutic relationship. Learners will examine the difference between shame, guilt, embarrassment and humiliation, while developing a clinically sensitive understanding of how shame may emerge through trauma, early relational experience, cultural norms, social exclusion, perfectionism, secrecy, avoidance and self-attack.

 

A central feature of the course is the exploration of the hidden shadow self as a reflective and psychologically informed concept, particularly in relation to disowned traits, split-off affect and aspects of the self that may become hidden through chronic shame. This is approached in a non-diagnostic and clinically careful way, supporting practitioners to think about how clients may distance themselves from aggression, desire, vulnerability, dependency, envy, need, anger, tenderness or other parts of experience that have become associated with shame.

 

The course integrates psychological theory, trauma-informed practice, neurobiology, somatic awareness, relational approaches, cognitive and narrative methods, reflective shadow work and clinical skills development. Learners will consider how shame is held in the nervous system, expressed through bodily collapse or withdrawal, maintained through inner critic structures, and repeated within relational patterns and self-sabotaging behaviours.

 

The programme draws on contemporary evidence-informed models of shame, attachment and identity formation to deepen clinical understanding of how disowned aspects of self develop and are maintained over time. Practical application is central throughout the course. Learners will engage with case material, reflective exercises, roleplay, journaling, formulation work and applied clinical techniques that support shame-sensitive therapeutic practice. The programme also addresses therapist shame, countertransference, ethical boundaries, practitioner resilience and the importance of supervision when working with deep shame, self-hatred, vulnerability and hidden aspects of the self.

 

This programme is open to practitioners, students and members of the public who wish to deepen their understanding of shame, guilt and hidden aspects of identity. Practitioners already working in counselling, psychotherapy, healthcare, education, coaching, or social care will find the course strengthens their existing clinical skill set and provides a structured, evidence-informed framework for shame-sensitive practice. Students who are building toward a career in counselling or psychotherapy will benefit from a solid theoretical and practical foundation that complements their ongoing studies. Members of the public who have a personal interest in this area of study, or are considering a future career in counselling and psychotherapy, are equally welcome to enrol.

 

 

Course Highlights

 

  • Comprehensive training in shame-informed counselling, psychotherapy and reflective clinical practice.

  • Strong focus on trauma-informed approaches to shame, self-criticism and hidden self-states.

  • Exploration of the hidden shadow self as a reflective, psychologically informed concept.

  • Clinical understanding of shame, guilt, humiliation, embarrassment and self-attack.

  • Focus on nervous system regulation, somatic awareness and embodied shame responses.

  • Practical tools for working with shame spirals, inner critic structures and self-sabotage.

  • Applied cognitive, narrative, somatic and relational approaches.

  • Exploration of shame in attachment, intimacy, boundaries, culture and collective identity.

  • Guidance on therapist shame, countertransference, ethical boundaries and reflective practice.

  • Interactive group work, journaling, roleplay, skills development and clinical integration.

  • Suitable for practitioners seeking to formalise existing shame-related experience within a structured academic framework.

  • Accessible to students building toward a career in counselling, psychotherapy or allied helping professions.

  • Open to members of the public with a personal interest in shame, guilt and identity.

  • Supportive learning environment designed to accommodate learners at different stages of their personal and professional development.

  • Clear progression pathway for members of the public seeking further training in counselling and psychotherapy.

  • Opportunities for practitioners to expand their professional toolkit with structured, evidence-informed shame-sensitive skills.

  • Flexible, live-online delivery designed to suit practitioners, students and members of the public balancing work, study and personal commitments.

  • Designed for counsellors, psychotherapists, coaches, trainees and helping professionals.

  • Welcoming and inclusive approach that values lived experience alongside academic and professional learning.

  • Rigorous, academically robust approach that values reflective depth alongside applied clinical skill.

 

 

Learning Outcomes

 

On completion of this programme, learners will be able to:

  • Define shame and distinguish it from guilt, embarrassment and humiliation.

  • Understand shame as a social, relational, psychological and survival-based emotion.

  • Recognise the impact of shame on identity, behaviour, relationships, attachment and self-worth.

  • Understand the neurobiology of shame, including collapse, freeze, hiding, shrinking and nervous system dysregulation.

  • Identify shame-based thinking, behavioural patterns, avoidance, perfectionism, people-pleasing and self-sabotage.

  • Conduct shame-sensitive assessments and develop trauma-informed case formulations.

  • Understand the hidden shadow self as a reflective concept involving disowned aspects of experience.

  • Apply cognitive and narrative approaches to support clients in naming, reframing and reconstructing shame-based self-beliefs.

  • Use somatic and relational approaches to support regulation, grounding, co-regulation and safe vulnerability.

  • Explore shame in relationships, attachment, intimacy, boundaries, culture and collective identity.

  • Work sensitively with deep shame, self-hatred, self-rejection and inner critic structures.

  • Recognise countertransference, therapist shame and ethical considerations in shame-informed practice.

  • Develop reflective practice, resilience and supervision awareness when working with shame and hidden self-states.

  • Practitioners will be able to integrate shame-informed, evidence-based approaches into their existing professional practice.

  • Students will be able to build a solid theoretical and practical foundation for further study in counselling and psychotherapy.

  • Members of the public will be able to develop a clearer understanding of shame, guilt and hidden aspects of identity.

  • All learners will be able to identify appropriate next steps for further training or professional development in counselling and psychotherapy.

  • All learners will be able to apply core listening and reflective skills in personal, community or professional contexts.

  • All learners will be able to recognise when to seek professional support or signpost others to it.

  • All learners will be able to reflect on their own experiences of shame and hidden identity in a safe, structured and supported learning environment.

 

 

Additional Information

 

This programme provides a broad professional foundation in shame-informed counselling, psychotherapy and reflective clinical practice. It is not a full specialist training in trauma processing, somatic therapy or any single psychotherapeutic model.

 

The hidden shadow self is explored as a reflective and educational concept rather than as a diagnostic category. Learners are encouraged to apply the material ethically and sensitively within their own scope of competence.

 

The course is suitable for counsellors, psychotherapists, trainees, coaches, mental health practitioners, social care practitioners, educators and other helping professionals who wish to develop greater confidence in working with shame, self-criticism, vulnerability and hidden aspects of identity.

 

Learners are encouraged to use this diploma as part of their continuing professional development and to seek appropriate supervision, further specialist training and referral pathways when working with trauma, severe shame states, self-hatred, risk, dissociation or complex clinical presentations.

 

Learners should understand that shame work requires particular sensitivity, and that the client's safety, consent, pace and lived experience must remain central throughout. Trauma-informed, person-centred listening can enrich assessment and support when held alongside evidence-informed practice and clear professional boundaries.

 

Teaching is delivered live online and includes lecturer-led input, case discussions, reflective exercises, roleplay, journaling, skills practice, and applied integration. Learners are expected to actively engage with the live sessions, Moodle LMS materials, self-directed reading, reflective tasks and assessment preparation. The programme supports students in developing not only academic knowledge but also professional judgement, ethical reasoning, self-awareness and the capacity to work sensitively with shame and hidden aspects of identity.

 

The course may support continuing professional development for counsellors, psychotherapists, trainees, coaches, social care workers, healthcare professionals, educators, psychologists, supervisors, community workers and allied professionals. Students should consult the lecturer, course leader, or academic registry officer if they require clarification regarding accreditation, assessment, attendance, professional pathway requirements, suitability, scope of practice, or progression.

 

This programme welcomes practitioners, students and members of the public alike. Practitioners already working within counselling, psychotherapy, healthcare, education, coaching or social care are encouraged to use the course to consolidate and extend their existing knowledge of shame-sensitive practice. Students working toward a qualification in counselling or psychotherapy will find the course a valuable foundation that complements their broader studies. Members of the public, including those with a personal interest in this area of study, are warmly encouraged to enrol.

 

The College recognises that learners come to this subject from diverse personal and professional backgrounds, and the course is designed to be accessible and meaningful regardless of prior experience. Reflective exercises, case discussion and skills practice are structured to support learners at all levels, while maintaining the academic rigour expected of a Level 8/9 CPD programme. Learners are encouraged to engage honestly and thoughtfully with the material, and to seek appropriate support, supervision or further training where relevant to their personal circumstances or professional development goals.

 

 

Module 1 – Understanding Shame: Foundations & Functions

 

  • Defining shame and distinguishing it from guilt, embarrassment and humiliation

  • Shame as a social, relational and survival emotion

  • Adaptive and maladaptive functions of shame

  • Primary and secondary shame: clinical meanings and presentations

  • The evolutionary and relational function of shame

  • How shame shapes identity, behaviour and relationships

  • The hidden shadow self: a reflective introduction

  • Skills practice in values exploration and shame-versus-guilt experiential sorting.

  • Reflective task: personal history with shame

 

Module 2 – The Neurobiology of Shame & Emotional Dysregulation

 

  • Brain and nervous system responses linked to shame

  • Physiological shame reactions, including collapse, freeze, hiding and shrinking

  • The body's role in storing shame-based memories

  • Shame and the nervous system: dorsal vagal shutdown and dysregulation

  • Somatic markers, posture and shame-based body language

  • Shame spirals, rumination and inner critic activation

  • Skills practice in somatic shame-mapping

  • Skills practice in grounding techniques for shame activation

 

Module 3 – Assessment & Case Formulation: Identifying Shame Patterns

 

  • Identifying shame-based thinking, behaviour and relational patterns

  • Conducting shame-sensitive assessments

  • Creating trauma-informed case formulations involving shame

  • Behavioural signs of shame: avoidance, perfectionism and people-pleasing

  • Attachment wounds and developmental shame

  • Shame scripts, self-beliefs and internalised narratives

  • Integrating shame into formulation frameworks

  • Skills practice in shame-sensitive interviewing

  • Skills practice in building a formulation for a shame-driven case

 

Module 4 – The Hidden Shadow Self: Disowned Traits & Projection

 

  • Understanding the hidden shadow self as a reflective concept

  • Denial and projection in the formation of hidden self-states

  • Recognising shadow dynamics in clients

  • Defence patterns and avoidance in relation to disowned experience

  • Splitting, idealisation and devaluation

  • Projection as a defence against shame

  • Shadow traits: aggression, envy, fragility, desire and vulnerability

  • Skills practice in shadow journaling and identifying hidden traits

  • Skills practice in a projection mapping exercise

 

Module 5 – Cognitive & Narrative Approaches to Shame

 

  • Identifying shame-based cognitive distortions

  • Supporting clients to rewrite shame narratives

  • Introducing healthier self-talk and self-perception

  • Common distorted beliefs: unlovability, brokenness, defectiveness and failure

  • Naming shame rather than suppressing it

  • Narrative reconstruction methods

  • Working with the inner critic

  • Skills practice in a narrative rewriting workshop

  • Skills practice in group reframing exercises

  • Formative assignment: 1,000-word essay on how shame creates a hidden shadow self

 

Module 6 – Somatic & Relational Approaches to Healing Shame

 

  • Using somatic practices to regulate shame states

  • Understanding relational repair and co-regulation

  • Deepening client capacity for safe vulnerability

  • Shame in the body: contraction, collapse, withdrawal and shrinking

  • Gentle exposure and titration

  • Corrective emotional experiences

  • Relational attunement and therapeutic presence

  • Skills practice in grounding and expansion techniques

  • Skills practice in relational mirroring and safe-embodiment exercises

 

Module 7 – Shame in Relationships: Attachment, Boundaries & Intimacy

 

  • Shame's impact on intimacy, communication and attachment

  • Supporting clients with shame-driven relational patterns

  • Boundary-setting in the context of shame

  • Attachment shame: abandonment, rejection and fear of exposure

  • Shame in romantic and family relationships

  • People-pleasing, avoidance, anger and shutdown

  • Boundary distortions caused by shame

  • Skills practice in a boundary roleplay

  • Skills practice in a relationship mapping activity

 

Module 8 – The Social, Cultural & Collective Dimensions of Shame

 

  • Cultural roots of shame and identity formation

  • Social norms shaping shame expression

  • Adapting interventions to diverse worldviews

  • Shame in collectivist and individualist cultures

  • Social shame: stigma, honour, reputation and exclusion

  • Gendered shame and identity-based shame

  • Community norms and internalised narratives

  • Skills practice in a cultural shame case analysis

  • Skills practice in a multicultural shame sensitivity discussion

 

Module 9 – Working with Deep Shame, Self-Hatred & the Inner Critic

 

  • Supporting clients through severe shame states

  • Moving from self-rejection toward self-acceptance

  • Understanding the roots of self-hatred and self-sabotage

  • Severe shame loops: worthlessness, hopelessness, invisibility and despair

  • The origins and functions of the inner critic

  • Self-compassion, boundaries and emotional regulation

  • Healthy and unhealthy responsibility

  • Skills practice in inner critic and inner protector dialogues

  • Skills practice in compassion-focused exercises

  • Skills practice in mapping the shame spiral

 

Module 10 – Ethics, Integration & Practitioner Shadow Work

 

  • Ethical responsibilities in shame-informed work

  • Recognising countertransference and therapist shame

  • Developing long-term well-being and practitioner resilience

  • Shame triggers in therapists

  • Ethical boundaries when exploring vulnerability

  • Confidentiality, pacing and client safety

  • Integrating shadow work into professional practice

  • Course synthesis and future professional pathways

  • The therapeutic relationship, self-disclosure and the position of the practitioner

  • Skills practice in supervision-style group reflection

  • Skills practice in therapist shadow journaling and personalised resilience planning

  • Formal skills assessment: applied practice and reflective integration

  • Summative assignment: 3,000-word essay on how shame creates a hidden shadow self

 

 

Zoom Delivery

 

All live online classes for this programme are delivered through ICPS College's Secure Enterprise Zoom platform. This enterprise-level system has been selected to ensure a safe, stable and professional learning environment for all students. The platform supports encrypted video communication, secure waiting rooms and controlled access, ensuring that only registered students and approved lecturers can join live sessions. Breakout rooms are used for small-group discussion, case-based learning and skills practice, allowing students to engage closely with peers under the lecturer's guidance. Recordings of formal lectures are stored securely and made available to registered students through the College's learning systems to support review and revision. ICPS College is committed to maintaining the highest standards of data protection, confidentiality and student safety across all live online delivery, and technical support is available to students who require assistance accessing or using the platform throughout the course.

 

In addition to live lecture delivery, the Secure Enterprise Zoom platform enables the College to accurately manage attendance records, supporting compliance with the programme's attendance requirements. Screen sharing, digital whiteboards and interactive polling features are available to lecturers to enhance engagement and support varied learning styles during live sessions. Given the sensitive nature of this course, additional safeguards are in place to protect student privacy and wellbeing, including guidance on the appropriate use of cameras, chat functions, and virtual backgrounds. The platform is regularly updated in line with the latest security protocols to protect against unauthorised access and to safeguard personal data in accordance with relevant data protection legislation. Students are provided with clear guidance on how to access and use the platform before the course begins, and technical assistance remains available throughout the programme. ICPS College views secure, reliable technology as an essential foundation for effective, respectful and professional live online learning.

 

 

Moodle LMS

 

ICPS College uses the Moodle Learning Management System (LMS) to support and structure every student's learning journey. Each student is provided with secure, personalised access to the Moodle platform, where they can access module materials, lecture notes, reading lists, reflective tasks and supplementary resources throughout the programme. The Moodle LMS also hosts recorded lecture content, revision materials and, where applicable, password-encrypted documents designed to protect academic content and preserve College branding. Students can track their own progress through the course, access assessment guidelines and submission portals, and communicate with lecturers and academic staff through structured, monitored channels. The platform is designed to be user-friendly and accessible, supporting students with varying levels of digital confidence. ICPS College continually reviews and updates its Moodle LMS resources to ensure that content remains current, relevant and aligned with best practice in shame-informed practice. Technical guidance and support are available to all students to ensure smooth access to the system. The Moodle LMS forms an integral part of the blended learning approach at ICPS College, complementing live online delivery and supporting self-directed learning, reflective practice and successful completion of the programme.

 

In addition to hosting learning materials, the Moodle LMS enables lecturers to provide timely feedback, share announcements, and communicate important programme updates. Students can access a structured overview of each module, allowing them to plan their self-directed learning alongside live online attendance. The system supports multimedia content, including video, audio and downloadable documents, catering to a range of learning preferences. Discussion forums may be used to facilitate peer engagement and reflective dialogue outside of live sessions, further supporting the development of professional and academic skills. Data held within the Moodle LMS is managed securely and in accordance with data protection requirements, ensuring student confidentiality is maintained at all times. The College regularly reviews the platform to ensure it remains user-friendly, accessible and fit for purpose. Students experiencing any difficulty accessing or navigating the Moodle LMS are encouraged to contact the academic registry office, which can provide guidance, technical support and any necessary accommodations.

 

 

Lecture Recording

 

Live online lectures for this programme are recorded only with the informed consent of all participants attending the session. No lecture will be recorded unless every student and lecturer present has agreed to the recording. If any participant does not consent, alternative arrangements will be made to ensure they are not recorded while still enabling them to engage with the live session fully. Recordings that do proceed with full consent are used solely for legitimate academic purposes, including student revision and review of course content. Consent may be withdrawn at any time, and students are encouraged to raise any concerns regarding recording directly with their lecturer or the academic registry office.

 

 

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