Towards Maturity: An Essay on the Approaches to the Therapy of Shame in Psychological and Philosophical Counseling

Andrzej KAPUSTA

Zakład Antropologii Kulturowej, Instytut Filozofii, Wydział Filozofii i Socjologii, Uniwersytet Marii Curie-Skłodowskiej, pl. Marii Curie-Skłodowskiej 4, 20-031 Lublin, Poland , Poland

Halina RAROT

Katedra Metod i Technik Nauczania, Wydział Podstaw Techniki, Politechnika Lubelska, ul. Nadbystrzycka 38, 20-618 Lublin, Poland , Poland

Abstract

The aim of the article is to present the phenomenon of shame from the perspective of individual psychological and moral experience and in the context of socially difficult situations. The elements of the phenomenological description of the experience of shame and the selected philosophical inspirations for struggling with it will be presented. Only some forms of shame will be taken into account, that is, those that appear to be important during psychological therapy and so-called philosophical therapy (philosophical counseling). We consider appropriate ‘therapy’ options dealing with shame associated with professional failure and with social exclusion. In our analyzes we pay special attention to positive dimensions of the experience of shame.

Keywords:

shame experience, psychology and philosophy of shame, social aspects of shame