shadow work
/ˈʃædoʊ wɜːrk/
CommonThe practice of examining the parts of yourself you have suppressed, denied, or are ashamed of.
Originates in Jungian psychology but has been absorbed into TikTok spirituality and wellness culture. Can be genuinely transformative work or surface-level journaling with the right aesthetic.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Asked myself why I always sabotage things when they are going well. That was two hours of shadow work. | Deep self-examination of a destructive pattern. | x, 2024 |
| 02 | Shadow work is not cute journaling prompts. You will cry. You might hate yourself for a bit. Worth it. | Pushing back on sanitized portrayals of shadow work. | tiktok, 2023 |
| 03 | Realized I judge people who are loud because I was told to be quiet as a kid. Shadow work gets dark. | A childhood message is driving judgment of others as adults. | instagram, 2024 |
| 04 | The traits I hate most in other people are always mirror images of what I deny in myself. That is literally the whole point of shadow work. | Projection as a gateway to shadow work. | reddit, 2024 |
Use it when
- Someone is confronting their own suppressed emotions, fears, or negative patterns.
- Someone is doing deep reflective work on parts of themselves they usually avoid.
- Someone is examining why they keep repeating harmful behaviors.
Do not use it when
- You just mean journaling or general self-reflection.Use “journaling” instead.
- You mean meditation or mindfulness without the self-examination component.Use “meditation” instead.
Variations and related forms
Shadow work vs inner child
shadow work
Shadow work is about confronting all suppressed or denied parts of yourself, not just the young or wounded ones.
VS
inner-child
Inner child work focuses specifically on childhood wounds and unmet needs.
Origin and context
Rooted in Carl Jung's concept of the 'shadow' , the unconscious parts of the personality the conscious ego rejects. Entered TikTok and Instagram wellness culture in the early 2020s, often stripped of its Jungian depth.
- First seen
- 1930s
- Confidence
- high
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/shadow-workUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0