The Science: Why Shame Is Different
Shame is not the same as guilt. Guilt says "I did something bad." Shame says "I am bad." This distinction matters because shame attacks your core identity, creating a pervasive sense of unworthiness that can affect every area of your life.
Research by Brene Brown shows that shame thrives in secrecy, silence, and judgment. The antidote is empathy, connection, and bringing it into the light. Tapping provides a safe way to do exactly this—acknowledging shame while simultaneously calming the nervous system response that keeps it locked in place.
Why Shame Gets Stuck in the Body
Shame activates a unique physiological response—the desire to hide, shrink, or disappear. This is why people describe wanting to "crawl into a hole." The posture of shame (hunched shoulders, averted eyes) actually reinforces the feeling. Tapping while speaking about shame breaks this cycle by keeping the body engaged rather than collapsed.
Real Results of Releasing Shame
Amy
"I just want to say thank you for helping me give a voice to the shame I felt today, over some poor choices I had made. I feel so much lighter, freer having done this Tapping with Jessica. It was really powerful."
Kathleen
"I've never dealt with my shame because I never thought I had any. But after doing this because of being sexually abused as a child, I feel much better. I would love to have even more ways to heal."
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(First recognition of hidden shame)
Loved the part that shame thrives in silence, secrecy, judgment and darkness. Never thought of it that way and it's a HUGE shift. Thank you for giving it light!
Leigh, app user
Zelda
"It relaxed me enough to feel my shame and let it go."
Eileen
"I liked the language and I didn't realize how much I needed to hear this and needed this. Would love to see a series on shame and additional ways to keep feeling with compassion and heal."
Lina
"I wasn't sure if I should do this Tapping, but tried anyway. My original score was an 8, and by the end of it, a 4. I felt so much more like myself, lighter."
Sources of Shame
Shame can attach to almost any aspect of life:
- Body shame: How you look, your weight, aging
- Financial shame: Debt, poverty, not "being successful"
- Trauma shame: Feeling responsible for abuse or assault
- Relationship shame: Divorce, being single, family dysfunction
- Identity shame: Who you are vs. who you "should" be
- Secret shame: Things you've never told anyone
Whatever the source, the process is the same: bring it into the light with compassion, and the shame begins to dissolve.
The Courage to Begin
Working with shame requires courage because shame's defense mechanism is to stay hidden. Just deciding to tap on shame is already a breakthrough—you're choosing to look at something that desperately wants to stay in the dark.
Remember: shame is universal. Every person carries some. You're not broken for having it. You're human for feeling it. And Tapping can help you release it.
Ready to Release Shame?
Join 47,500+ people who've used this session to bring shame into the light.