As more people have found the courage to break through shame and speak about woundedness in their lives, we are now subjected to a mean-spirited cultural response, where all talk of woundedness is mocked. The belittling of anyone's attempt to name a context within which they were wounded, were made a victim, is a form of shaming. It is psychological terrorism. Shaming breaks our hearts. All individuals who are genuinely seeking well-being within a healing context realize that it is important to that process not to make being a victim a stance of pride or a location from which to simply blame others. We need to speak our shame and our pain courageously in order to recover. Addressing woundedness is not about blaming others; however, it does allow individuals who have been, and are, hurt to insist on accountability and responsibility both from themselves and from those who were the agents of their suffering as well as those who bore witness. Constructive confrontation aids our healing.Bell Hooks
About This Quote
In the field of psychology, there are many definitions of shame. One of the most common describes shame as a negative experience that occurs when a person feels that they have done something to "deserve" a specific feeling, such as shame. But in order to be able to heal from shame, we must take responsibility for the negative feelings we have or may have experienced. When we have been victimized or have been hurt by someone else, it is imperative that we take responsibility for our thoughts and feelings. In order not to be tortured by them, we must confront our own reality and work through our feelings about it.
Source: All About Love: New Visions
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