Abstract

Shame is the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love and belonging (Brown, 2012, p.41). It can be classified as toxic shame, which occurs when shame exceeds healthy boundaries to engender self-hatred, despair, and worthlessness (Bradshaw, 2005; Brown, 2012); and healthy shame, which teaches us about our limits (Bradshaw, 2005, p.18). This paper will describe the nuance between the two and provide the historical and psychological depiction of shame at large. A drama therapeutic framework on the matter will also be established.