Ethics: Clear Connections Through Jungian Shadow Work

We will be exploring Carl Jung’s concept of the Shadow, and how it relates to the therapeutic relationship we maintain with our massage clients. “The Shadow is that part of us we fail to see or know.” – Robert A. Johnson. Our shadows are the dark, unlit parts of our personalities that we hide from others and even ourselves. As we discover and explore our own shadow, our shadow has less control over our actions and reactions to others. This relates to Ethics because we can cast our shadow onto others around us, and see them in an unfair, negative light if we have not cleared or don’t continually work to clear our own anger, insecurites, or limiting beliefs we hold inside. We will examine the effect the shadow can have as the root cause for such ethical issues as projection, transference, counter-transference and boundary violations. We will learn and discuss the aspects of the therapeutic relationship and explore Shadow Work journaling prompts to examine our shadow as a way to become more neutral and client-focused massage therapists. The Book “Owning Your Own Shadow – Understanding the Dark Side of the Psyche” by Robert A. Johnson, will be referred to extensively for this course. Reading it beforehand is not required but, if you’re interested, it is an excellent little ge