Shadow Work in Coaching

The term shadow conjures up a variety of connotations. For some, J.M. Barrie’s much-beloved Peter Pan comes to mind; for others, the shadow is synonymous with sin, implying that it must be conquered.  Photographers, in contrast, see both the challenges and advantages of the shadow: unwanted shadows can ruin portraits and landscapes alike, but with the right camera settings, the contrast between light and darkness can be illuminating. 

According to C.J. Jung, each of us has a shadow — the part of ourselves we have ignored, repressed, or denied. Robert A. Johnson explains that our shadow is what “we fail to see or know…the refused and unacceptable characteristics [that] collect in the dark corners of our personality” (4). Left unattended, this shadow is like an enormous bag we drag behind us, filled with unresolved conflicts, resentments, misunderstandings, forgotten dreams, and unconscious projections. Jung sometimes used the image of an iceberg to describe this shadow: the tip of the iceberg represents our conscious self; anything below the water line is unseen and, if ignored, can cause havoc. Now, some claim that shadow work belongs in therapy; however, whenever coaching moves in the direction of awareness, it invariably involves a confrontation with the shadow. Moreover, integrating the shadow has the potential to transform us as powerfully as a medieval alchemist could transform base metals into gold! In fact, “to own one’s shadow is to reach a holy place — an inner center — not attainable in any other way” (17).

The stakes are high when it comes to shadow work. What is true for individuals is also true for teams, organizations, societies, and even nations. Events from centuries ago fester in the collective unconscious, and then explode — antisemitism in Nazi Germany, for example, or racism in the United States, or the global legacy of slavery.  Unless a group confronts its shadow, the consequences can be catastrophic for future generations.

A skilled coach can facilitate individual clients or teams’ exploration of their shadows and help them see the benefits of integrating all they have ignored or repressed. By recognizing their shadows, clients can live more consciously and intentionally. In this way, they become more adept at owning shadowy aspects of themselves that may hinder forward movement. As a result, they can choose how they grow rather than repeat patterns that trap them in endless cycles of negativity. Coaches must also be engaged in their own shadow work, for without self-awareness, we would be incapable of guiding others.

ICF Core Competency 7: Evokes Awareness defines this approach as Facilitating client insight and learning by using tools and techniques such as powerful questioning, silence, metaphor, or analogy. At its best, coaching leads to a mind shift, a change in perspective. It is not about maintaining the status quo but about diving deeper, gaining clarity, understanding oneself, becoming more authentic, and encountering Truth. This coach approach involves full attention on the part of the coach listening for deeper levels of meaning, inviting the client to pause and reflect, exploring imagery, and asking powerful questions. For example, if the client seems obsessed with rescuing colleagues or direct reports, the coach might ask why playing the savior or enabler is so important. That one question might help the client recognize previous unhealthy patterns while exploring habit-changing strategies. Such an approach does not focus on the past but, rather, examines the negative fallout from the shadow, why it would be desirable to shift behaviors or perspectives, and how incorporating new learning might be transformational for the client. Instead of playing the savior the client learns to combine authentic caring with reasonable expectations and measures of accountability.

Another coach approach to the shadow is to work with dreams. By asking simple questions such as, “What is the title of your dream?” and “Who is the antagonist in your dream?” coaches can help clients identify repeated patterns, recurring themes, and the repressed aspects of themselves that need to be integrated. Through dream work, clients become aware of the unconscious motivations and attitudes that block them from fulfilling their deepest desires. The action steps that organically emerge from this work are related to the question, “What does this dream want of you?”

The shadow also manifests in the form of projections. By helping clients examine emotionally charged encounters or the triggers that sabotage them both personally and professionally, coaches can help them see in themselves the very qualities they cannot tolerate in others. A seemingly insignificant question like “What a X reminds you of yourself?” can lead to heightened self-awareness and an end to denial, scapegoating, and other pejorative behaviors.

Shadow work is not a topic that typically appears in coaching literature; however, it is a powerful way of opening clients — and coaches — to unimagined possibilities, enabling them to move toward a new understanding of themselves and of our world.  As a result, they will have a greater capacity to create meaning and become more self-aware as they embark on their own unique, heroic, and authentic life journeys. 

Works Cited

Johnson, Robert A. Owning Your Own Shadow. New York: HarperCollins, 1993.