Ep. 105: 10 Mistakes Coaches make with Shadow Work (and why they’re harmful)

In this solo episode of Shadow Work, WTF?, Caitlin is pulling back the curtain on one of the biggest topics in the coaching industry: shadow work. With the rise of shadow work in recent years, there’s been a flood of coaches incorporating it into their practices—but without the proper tools, training, and responsibility, it can do more harm than good.

Caitlin takes you behind the scenes to explore the real responsibility of working with someone’s shadows—beyond the trendy journaling prompts or quick manifestation hacks. She unpacks how shadow work touches on deep survival patterns, shame, and trauma, and why it requires a whole new level of care and integrity in the coaching space.

This episode is for you if:

- You’re curious about integrating shadow work into your coaching but want to do it responsibly.
- You’ve done shadow work with a coach before but didn’t feel like it got you the results you were looking for.
- You want to know why some shadow work practices are causing harm to clients—and what needs to change.

What we’ll cover:

- Why shadow work isn’t a “hack” or a vibe—it’s trauma work that requires responsibility.
- The hidden dangers of “trendy” shadow work and how it can re-traumatise clients.
- How the coaching space can raise its standards to create safer, more transformational environments for clients.

If you’re ready to challenge surface-level approaches to shadow work, raise the standard in the coaching space, and create transformational results for your clients, this episode is a must-listen.

Resources Mentioned:

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