100+ Deep Shadow Work Prompts To Accept Yourself And Move Forward

Have you ever reacted to a situation or a seemingly innocuous comment and wondered why you got so worked up? You’re not the only one. According to research by Carl Jung, what’s happening here is likely a response from your repressed shadow self. 

To begin understanding the deep inner workings of how you show up in the world, many people go through the healing process of shadow work and find it transformational!

In this article, we’ll look at what shadow work is, its benefits, and 100+ shadow work question prompts you can use to get started.

Important Note: While we try to do our best at Science of People to provide practical advice, please note that no content found on this website should be considered professional advice. If you are struggling with your mental health, it is always best to consult a doctor or licensed therapist with any questions or concerns.. For a good resource for therapists, you can check out Mental Health America’s helpful list.

What is Shadow Work?

Shadow work consists of reflecting on your subconscious’s repressed beliefs and perceptions and pushing through the resistance to work through the issues holding you back from better mental health and integrated life.

According to renowned psychologist Carl Jung, your shadow, otherwise known as your subconscious self, influences how you operate in the world and, in some cases, leaves you unaware of the deeper motives behind your actions or how you project yourself. Therefore, by facing your shadows, you gain power over them.

“It is often tragic to see how blatantly a man bungles his own life and the lives of others yet remains totally incapable of seeing how much the whole tragedy originates in himself and how he continually feeds it and keeps it going.” — Carl Jung, Psyche and Symbol: A Selection from the Writings of C.G. Jung

Why Do Shadow Work?

As you begin to understand your subconscious ego through shadow work, you can better overcome addictions and understand the root cause of your relational issues, among other things.

The common purposes for shadow work are:

• Exploring and understanding your past traumas
• Identifying and overcoming your limiting beliefs
• Examining patterns of behavior in your relationships

For example, let’s say you notice that you’re triggered when someone says something seemingly harmless, like, “Wow. What a bold outfit.” Maybe you start to feel your blood pressure go up and your body temperature rise, but you may not even understand the root of why this is happening.

By going through the process of deep shadow work, you may discover that your reaction could stem from growing up and being shamed for being bold, loud, and talkative. As a result, you have since felt inferior when others point out the part of you that you have tried to subconsciously hide or reject about yourself due to shame.

Once you’re able to identify how your shadow self is projecting itself into the world, you can surface the shame you feel about parts of your subconscious identity and go through the process of healing.

Shadow work has great benefits, especially when you know how to set goals with your shadow work. Learn how to set better goals with this helpful resource!

[Personality Cheat Sheet]

What Are The Benefits of Shadow Work?

The benefits of going through the process of shadow work in psychotherapy influence your brain in such a way that it can enhance your mental well-being. Studies show that self-reflection practices can lead to significant improvements in psychological functioning.

Some of the benefits include:

• Increased self-awareness and authenticity
• Improved emotional intelligence
• Self-acceptance and compassion
• Healthier relationships
• Reduced stress and anxiety
• Increased confidence
• Greater creativity
• Clarity around goals

Shadow Work and Emotional Intelligence

Shadow work prompts are particularly powerful for developing emotional intelligence, a crucial skill for personal and professional success. Research^{1https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0191886914001998?via%3Dihub} indicates that people with higher emotional intelligence experience:

• Better relationship satisfaction
• Improved mental health
• Greater workplace performance
• More effective leadership abilities

When you engage with shadow work journaling prompts, you develop greater awareness of your emotional triggers and patterns. This awareness is the foundation of emotional intelligence.

For example, if you notice that you become defensive whenever receiving feedback, shadow work might reveal childhood experiences where criticism was followed by withdrawal of love or approval. Understanding this connection allows you to:

1. Recognize when you’re being triggered (self-awareness)
2. Pause before reacting (self-regulation)
3. Consider the other person’s perspective (empathy)
4. Communicate your feelings effectively (social skills)

What Are Shadow Work Prompts?

Shadow work prompts are questions that help you tap into the emotions, beliefs, perceptions, and sometimes dark thoughts that are repressed within your subconscious. The purpose of these questions is to help you start the process of healing and living a fully integrated life.

Use shadow work question prompts like the ones you’ll discover below in journaling, creative expression (art, music, dance, etc.), the context of a safe relationship, or with a professional therapist.

Shadow work is a powerful tool for personal growth and transformation, but it’s not necessarily easy. However, the benefits far outweigh the difficulty and include a greater sense of well-being and life satisfaction. Before you get started, please remember to be patient and gentle with yourself!

100+ Shadow Work Prompts

Below is a list of 100+ shadow work question prompts to help you process the feelings of your subconscious in various areas of your life, including your workplace, childhood, past traumas, spirituality, and relationships.

Shadow Work Prompts for Beginners

Beginner shadow work prompts are great for when you first start out because they help you slowly get into self-reflection if it’s not something you’re used to yet.

1. What are the values you were brought up with?
2. What things do you notice trigger your body to tense up?
3. How do your friends and family describe you?
4. What do you wish your friends and family knew about you?
5. What’s something you’re often embarrassed to admit to others?
6. What are the things you wish you were better at?
7. If you were to write a memoir about your life, what would the chapter titles be?
8. What are the three most important relationships in your life, and how have they influenced your beliefs about who you are?
9. What kind of people do you attract around you?
10. If you could share a secret about yourself with the world and remain anonymous, what would you share?
11. Where were you, and what were you doing the last time you felt truly at peace?
12. What kind of things about yourself make you feel “less than” others?

Shadow Work Process Guide for Beginners

For maximum benefit, follow this structured approach with your shadow work prompts:

1. Prepare your space: Create a quiet, comfortable environment free from distractions
2. Choose 2-3 prompts: Select questions that resonate with your current growth areas
3. Center yourself: Take several deep breaths to ground your energy
4. Reflect deeply: Spend 5-10 minutes contemplating each prompt
5. Notice bodily sensations: Pay attention to physical reactions as they’re often messengers from your shadow
6. Express freely: Write, draw, or otherwise express what emerges without judgment
7. Review your insights: Look back at your expression and note patterns or revelations
8. Close mindfully: Take a few moments to meditate or express gratitude for your willingness to explore

Pro Tip for Beginners: Start with just 5-minute journaling sessions. Choose one prompt, set a timer, and write continuously without editing. This builds the shadow work muscle without overwhelming yourself.

Shadow Work Prompts Around Your Career or the Workplace

Career and workplace prompts help you think through some of the things that might be triggering you or keeping you from having greater satisfaction in your work.

13. How do people describe you at work?
14. What is something people often get wrong about you at work?
15. What do you wish people knew about you at work?
16. What would you do differently if you could start your career over again?
17. What kind of responsibilities drain you at work?
18. What kind of work requests trigger you negatively? Why do you think that is?
19. What do you wish you could change about your workplace or career?
20. Do you wish people treated you differently at work? How so?
21. What expectations feel hard to live up to at work?
22. What kind of advice do people come to you for? Why do you think that is?
23. What expectations feel easy to live up to but don’t feel authentic to who you are?
24. What skill do you think you might have a knack for but don’t try or talk about because you’re afraid of failing?

Action Step: After journaling about workplace triggers, identify one concrete boundary you can establish this week to protect your energy and authenticity at work.

To keep exploring your work style and intrinsic motivations, check out our article: The 6 Work Styles and How to Find Yours (Using Science!).

Shadow Work Prompts for Spirituality

Spirituality prompts help you reflect on the beliefs, values, and ideas you may be consciously or subconsciously aware of, helping you uncover what is holding you back or causing you pain.

25. When you think about what God’s voice or a higher power might sound like, what do you imagine? What does this voice say about you?
26. What does it mean to be good? Where do your beliefs about goodness come from?
27. What does it mean to be evil? Where do your beliefs about evilness come from?
28. What about your belief system feels hard to trust? Why do you think that is?
29. What do your spiritual beliefs say about who you are?
30. If you were to question your beliefs, what do you fear others might think about you?
31. If you have an inner voice, what does it sound like? Is it kind? Critical? Loving? What does it say about you?
32. When bad things happen, what does it say about you? What about when good things happen?
33. What or who has the most influence on your life? Are you OK with this influence?
34. What gives you the most purpose in life? How can you do more of that?
35. What makes you feel valued?

Pro Tip: When exploring spiritual shadow work, try speaking your answers aloud as if in conversation with your higher self. This vocal expression often reveals nuances that silent reflection might miss.

Shadow Work Prompts for Trauma

Prompts for trauma are especially helpful for those seeking healing from their past. These shadow work prompts for trauma should be approached with extra care, ideally with professional support.

36. What does it feel like when someone oversteps your boundaries? What do you do?
37. How do you wish others would show up for you?
38. What makes you feel alone?
39. What makes you stay in relationships that aren’t good for you?
40. When was the last time you felt less than? What happened?
41. What triggers bring out the worst in you? Why?
42. When you put on a mask to show others a specific version of yourself, what part of you are you trying to hide?
43. Have you ever broken a promise to yourself? What happened? How did it feel?
44. What’s one thing you wish you could change about your past?
45. Are there certain emotions you feel more comfortable with? Why do you think that is?
46. What’s an idea or story that you cling to when you feel like giving up? What does it say about who you are?

Important Safety Note: Trauma work can trigger intense reactions. Always have self-care strategies ready—like calling a trusted friend, practicing grounding exercises, or contacting a crisis helpline if needed.

Shadow Work Prompts for Inner-Child Healing

Inner child shadow work prompts help you deep dive into your past and how your childhood self may be projecting into your present-day reality. These shadow work prompts for healing inner child wounds can be particularly transformative.

47. What core memory from your childhood makes you angry?
48. What core memory from your childhood makes you feel shame?
49. How did your parent or guardian encourage or discourage you growing up?
50. What words did others use to describe you growing up?
51. What did you wish people understood about you growing up?
52. If you could go back to your elementary-school-aged self, what advice would you give?
53. What do you wish you could change about how you grew up?
54. What were you most insecure about growing up?
55. What was your biggest fear growing up?
56. What’s something you rarely talk about that happened to you as a child?
57. What did your parents or guardians ask of you growing up?

Action Step for Inner Child Healing: After journaling with these prompts, find a photo of yourself as a child. Speak directly to that photo, offering the understanding, protection, or validation your younger self needed but didn’t receive.

Shadow Work Prompts for Relationships

Shadow work prompts for relationships help you discover the nuances in how you show up with others and how experiences from your past may be triggered in your present-day relationships.

58. Name a time when you felt rejected. What happened?
59. What does being vulnerable in a relationship look like to you?
60. When you’re vulnerable with someone, how does it feel? Is it safe? Is it hard? Why?
61. When was the last time you felt jealous? What did you fear might happen? Why?
62. When was the last time you felt resentful for something someone else had? What does your resentment reveal about what you need or want?
63. What makes you feel defensive? What are you trying to protect?
64. What do you hate most that others do in a relationship? Why?
65. What is one thing you hope your partner never finds out about you? What might happen if they knew?
66. When was the last time you forgave someone? Was it hard? Why or why not?
67. What does my partner get annoyed with me about? What does or doesn’t it say about me?
68. What do you want your partner to believe and know about you?

Relationship Pattern Exercise: After journaling about relationships, create a relationship map identifying at least three recurring patterns in your connections with others. For each pattern, note:

• The trigger that activates it
• The emotional response it creates
• The shadow aspect it might reveal
• One small step toward changing this pattern

Shadow Work Prompts for Self-Love

Prompts for self-love offer you an opportunity for healing and discovery of who you are and who you want to become.

69. What’s something you always wished you could do but haven’t done because you’re afraid?
70. How do you self-sabotage the things you want in life?
71. What do you wish you could forgive yourself for? What makes it hard?
72. If you were to talk to yourself as if you were a child, what would change about the words you would use? Are they kind? Why or why not?
73. What has hurt you the most from your past? What do you wish you had now to heal from that pain?
74. When was the last time you received compassion? What did that feel like? What does it say about you?
75. If you fully accepted yourself for who you are, what kinds of things could you stop doing today?
76. What kind of things do you notice you do to conform to others around you? If you stopped conforming, what would this say about you?
77. If you said no to something you normally feel obligated to do, what does that free you up to do instead?
78. What do you believe is true about you? What is not true? What do your beliefs say about who you are?
79. How do you respond when someone expresses support? Do you reject or accept it? What does your response say about who you are?

Self-Love Integration Practice: Create a permission slip for yourself based on your shadow work insights. Write down 3-5 things you now give yourself permission to feel, do, or be. Keep this permission slip somewhere visible as a daily reminder.

Shadow Work Prompts for Deep Work

Deep shadow work prompts go more profound than most other prompts and are best reflected on in a safe space. Be patient and graceful with yourself as you process potential feelings of shame or regret, and know that the process is part of your healing journey.

80. What have you done that makes you feel most like a failure?
81. What do you think others would think if the one thing you feel most shameful about were shared in every ad on YouTube?
82. What destructive patterns do you notice you repeat? Why do you think you repeat them?
83. What is the meaning of success to you? Where do you think that comes from?
84. What does your family mean to you? How have they impacted your life?
85. What do you have a hard time saying no to that you wish you could let go?
86. Who in your life takes up the most emotional energy? Why do you think that is?
87. What habits do you feel guilty or shameful about? Why?
88. What kind of behaviors in others make you the angriest? Why? What does it say about you?
89. When was the last time you felt betrayed by someone? What happened? What do you wish they knew about you?
90. If you found out you would die today, what would you regret not doing in your life?

Pro Tip for Deep Work: For these intense prompts, consider setting a specific time boundary (like 30 minutes) for your exploration. When time is up, consciously “close the container” with a ritual like washing your hands, changing your clothes, or stepping outside briefly.

Shadow Work Prompts for Healing

Prompts for healing help you explore the areas of your life you need to forgive or learn to love yourself again.

91. How do you self-sabotage the things you want in life? What do you wish you’d do instead?
92. How do you respond when someone is angry with you? What does their anger say about you?
93. What makes you feel unworthy of love and belonging? Where does this come from?
94. If you could write a letter to the person(s) who hurt you the most, what would you say?
95. What do you feel you must do to be worthy of love? Why?
96. What part of your personality or personhood do you find most challenging to accept? Why?
97. When was the last time you realized you were wrong about something? How did it make you feel? What did you do about it?
98. Do you trust yourself? Why or why not?
99. When was the last time you stood up for yourself? What were you defending and why?
100. What kind of things do you do to numb your feelings? What are you trying to avoid?
101. When you’re alone, what does your self-talk most commonly sound like? What kinds of things do you say to yourself, and why?

Healing Integration Practice: After working with healing prompts, create a personal healing mantra—a short, powerful phrase that counters your most common negative self-belief. Repeat this mantra daily, especially when triggered.

The Shadow Work Prompts Guide: Choose Your Path

Different prompts serve different healing purposes. Use this table to find the right shadow work prompts for your current journey:

Category	Purpose	Best For	Emotional Intensity
Beginner prompts	Self-discovery	Those new to shadow work	Low to moderate
Career prompts	Professional growth	Workplace challenges	Moderate
Spirituality prompts	Meaning-making	Existential questions	Moderate to high
Trauma prompts	Processing difficult experiences	Healing past wounds	High
Inner child prompts	Healing childhood wounds	Addressing core wounds	High
Relationship prompts	Improving connections	Relationship patterns	Moderate to high
Self-love prompts	Building self-compassion	Self-criticism issues	Moderate
Deep work prompts	Profound transformation	Advanced practitioners	Very high
Healing prompts	Integration	All shadow work	Varies

Starting Point Recommendation: If you’re new to shadow work, stick with beginner prompts for 2-3 weeks before gradually exploring other categories.

Creative Shadow Work Practices

While journaling with shadow work prompts is traditional, creative expression can unlock deeper insights. Research shows that creative activities can engage wide-ranging parts of the brain, potentially allowing for you to access subconscious material that journaling alone might miss!

Here are five creative approaches to working with shadow work journal prompts:

1. Visual Mapping

Create a mind map for a shadow work prompt. Place the question in the center and draw branches for each association that arises. Use colors to represent different emotions that emerge.

Example: For the prompt “What makes you feel defensive?”, you might create a central bubble with branches for different situations, people, and underlying emotions, using red for anger, blue for sadness, etc.

2. Sound and Music Exploration

Are you into music? Try to create a playlist that represents your journey with a particular shadow work prompt. Choose songs that express the emotions, memories, or insights that emerge.

I like Spotify for choosing songs—you can also use YouTube or even AI.

Example: For inner child healing, create a “soundtrack of childhood” with songs from your youth that trigger significant memories or emotions.

3. Movement Dialogue

Use physical movement to embody different parts of yourself that emerge during shadow work. Allow your body to express what words cannot.

Example: For the prompt “What part of yourself do you hide from others?”, move as that hidden part would move if given complete freedom of expression. You can also try a form of laughter yoga to release energy:

4. Symbolic Art Creation

Create a visual representation of your shadow aspect using any art medium. Don’t focus on artistic skill—just allow the shadow to express itself through color, shape, and form.

Example: For working with relationship patterns, create a collage representing your “relationship blueprint” using magazine cutouts, photographs, and symbolic objects.

5. Voice Work

Record yourself speaking your responses to shadow prompts, then listen back with compassionate awareness. Notice tone, pauses, and emotional shifts in your voice.

Example: For prompts about self-criticism, record your inner critic’s voice, then create a second recording with a compassionate response.

Pro Tip: Don’t worry about artistic skill or talent when engaging in creative shadow work processes. The idea is that you’re trying to bypass your logical mind to access deeper truths. The less you judge or control the process, the more powerful your insights will be.

5 Tips to Integrate Shadow Work Into Your Life

1. Identify and Work with Resistance

Shadow work is not easy. Because it involves facing some dark parts of your past and inner psyche, it’s important to remember that resistance is normal and being kind to yourself is critical. Here are a couple of things to pay attention to in your shadow work process:

• Pay attention to your triggers. As you process memories, you may be triggered by feelings of shame. Note the things that trigger you and bring up feelings in your body.
• Pay attention to the feelings in your body. Are you tense? Is your heart rate high? These are sensations that tell you something about your emotions.
• Take deep breaths as you process painful memories. Some of the feelings that surface may be difficult. Be sure to breathe and speak to yourself with compassion.
• Take note of thought patterns and habits that repeat themselves. As you journal through the shadow work prompts, you may notice common themes.

2. Create a Safe and Supportive Space for Shadow Work

Since the process of doing shadow work can be very difficult, especially for those who have experienced trauma, it’s essential to do this work in a safe and supportive space.

Many people find safety in doing this work by themselves with a journal. However, if you struggle with negative self-talk, this may not actually be “safe” at all. Instead, the best thing you can do is to go through this process with a safe friend, professional counselor, or therapist.

Pro Tip: Create a dedicated physical space for your shadow work practice. This might be a corner of your home with meaningful objects, comfortable seating, and privacy. Having a designated space helps your mind recognize when it’s time to engage with shadow material.

3. Express Yourself Creatively

As already discussed, shadow work prompts do not need to be confined to a journal. In fact, many people find these prompts helpful to express themselves creatively in other ways. Are you an artist? Musician? Dancer? Poet? None of the above but still like to be creative?

Use these prompts to paint, write a song, choreograph, or write creatively to express the feelings of your inner psyche. You may find the process therapeutic as you seek to express your repressed shadow self.

You can also check out our guide for ideas on how to get creative: 38 Amazing Ways to Be Creative (Even if You’re Not!)

Creative Shadow Work Checklist:

• ☐ Create a shadow work playlist expressing emotions you typically suppress
• ☐ Draw or paint your inner child at different ages
• ☐ Write a dialogue between your conscious self and your shadow
• ☐ Create a photo series representing different aspects of your shadow
• ☐ Choreograph a movement sequence expressing a shadow emotion

Pro Tip: Some therapists are certified in art therapy, and they can also be helpful in this area!

4. Track Progress and Growth

Tracking your progress as you heal can help you recognize your growth over time. To do this, consider tracking your moods, emotions, and reactions to different situations throughout the week with a daily mood tracker. There are several templates available for free and for sale online.

The progress trackers that may be most beneficial will help you identify:

• General mood or emotion on a given day
• Emotions felt throughout the day
• Physical factors that may have contributed to your mood like sleep, food, etc.
• What happened
• What worked and didn’t work today
• Thoughts and reflections

As you go through the shadow work healing process, notice how your moods and general outlook changes over time and celebrate your progress!

5. Practice Consistent but Gentle Pacing

Shadow integration happens gradually. Research shows that trying to process too much shadow material at once can overwhelm the nervous system and actually impede progress.

Consider these pacing suggestions:

• Begin with 1-2 shadow work prompts per week
• Schedule specific shadow work sessions (rather than doing it spontaneously)
• Balance challenging prompts with self-compassion practices
• Take integration breaks between intense shadow work periods
• Notice when you need to step back and focus on stabilization

Pro Tip: Alternate between exploration and integration. For example, work with prompts for two weeks, then spend a week focusing solely on self-care and processing insights before beginning again.

Wisdom from Shadow Work Practitioners

These quotes from respected shadow work teachers offer guidance and inspiration for your journey:

“The shadow is not a problem to be solved or an enemy to be conquered, but a fertile field to be cultivated. When we dig our hands into its rich soil, we will discover the potent seeds of the people we most desire to be.” — Debbie Ford, The Shadow Effect 

“One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.” — Carl Jung

“Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.” — Carl Jung

“To own one’s own shadow is to reach a holy place—an inner center—not attainable in any other way. To fail this is to fail one’s own sainthood and to miss the purpose of life.” — Robert A. Johnson, Owning Your Own Shadow

Recommended Resources for Shadow Work

If you’re looking to deepen your shadow work practice, these books offer valuable insights and guidance:

1. Meeting the Shadow: The Hidden Power of the Dark Side of Human Nature edited by Connie Zweig and Jeremiah Abrams — A comprehensive collection of essays on understanding and working with the shadow.
2. The Dark Side of the Light Chasers by Debbie Ford — Practical exercises for reclaiming the disowned parts of ourselves.
3. Owning Your Own Shadow by Robert A. Johnson — A concise, accessible introduction to Jungian shadow concepts.
4. Romancing the Shadow by Connie Zweig and Steve Wolf — Explores how shadow dynamics play out in relationships.
5. Aion: Researches into the Phenomenology of the Self by Carl Jung — Jung’s original academic exploration of the shadow concept. This is a more challenging, dense text straight from the source, recommended for those ready to dive deep into Jung’s theoretical framework rather than beginning shadow workers.
6. Psyche and Symbol: A Selection from the Writings of C.G. Jung — A carefully curated collection of Jung’s writings that provides accessible entry points to his ideas about symbols, archetypes, and the unconscious. 

Pro Tip: While reading these books, keep your journal handy. When a passage resonates deeply or triggers a strong reaction, pause and explore that response with a relevant shadow work prompt.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Shadow Work Prompts

Embracing Your Shadow Self

In summary, take note of these tips to integrate shadow work into your daily practice:

• Work with resistance. Take it slow, breathe, and notice your triggers.
• Create a safe space. Shadow work can be painful. Consider seeking a therapist.
• Express yourself creatively. You’re not confined to a journal. Try art, music, or dancing!
• Track progress. Use a daily mood tracker and celebrate your progress over time.
• Be patient with yourself. Shadow integration is a journey, not a destination.

For more ideas on becoming your best self at work, check out our article How to Do What You Love: Use Science to Be Happy at Work.