The central idea

We all feel shame at times. But for some people, traumatic experiences impose deep shame that prevents personal growth and leads to disruptive behaviours. The power of shame over us largely depends on it being hidden and unacknowledged. 

This conference will give participants insights into the dynamics of shame from multiple perspectives. You will learn about:

Shame, guilt, and trauma  |  Shame and parenting  |  Shame and religion  |  Shame resilience  |  Shame and punishment  |  Be-friending shame

Three-day professional workshop

After the one-day symposium, the following three days will give professionals working in counselling, law enforcement, correctional services, restorative justice, chaplaincy, education, and human trafficking an in-depth experience of how to help people process their shame. 

This interactive workshop, limited to 30 participants, will be led by Sandra Barefoot and Ruth Chitty, who will bring their extensive experience of working with shame in the context of offenders and prison offices in the UK. The shape of their work and evidence of its success can be found at The Forgiveness Project.