How to Dissolve Shadow Parts

Explore where shadow parts come from and how to see them.

Photo credit: iStock

By Tchiki Davis

Key points

• If we repress, ignore, or disown parts of ourselves at any developmental stage, they become invisible to us.
• If we don’t see and reclaim these shadow parts, they can grow as we move through subsequent stages.
• Integrating shadow parts generally requires a lot of courage and the support of a coach, guide, or therapist.

One of the biggest threats on the path to well-being may be the development of shadow parts. If we repress, ignore, or disown parts of ourselves at any developmental stage, they become invisible to us. We call these parts that are not in our awareness “shadow parts.” These shadow parts are blind spots that drive unhealthy beliefs, thoughts, emotions, etc., which contribute to ill-being (e.g., Schwartz & Sweezy, 2019).

Shadow parts that are developed in one developmental stage can cast shadows across all subsequent stages (resulting in multi-stage blind spots). This prevents us from being aware of entire parts of ourselves. As we move through developmental stages, these blind spots grow bigger, potentially creating greater ill-being (i.e., mental health issues).