Area Agency on Aging Educational Seminar-3 CEU's 

Shame and Guilt

Wednesday, April 12, 2023

PURPOSE: Shame and Guilt are two different ways in which human beings feel bad. They usually suffer from both. Because shame and guilt are healed differ- ently, they must be treated differently. Although the therapies in which professionals are trained are well designed to heal guilt, professional education does not transmit the skills required for the identification and healing of shame. Shame often involves an involuntary response and can be triggered by the apparently trivial things. Because shame is in some way an experience of nothingness, any understanding of it must involve the shared honesty of mutual vulnerability. Participants will be deepened by the in- sights they gain into their own background and development, and therefore will be more able to detect signs of disabling shame in clients and families.

 OBJECTIVES: This is a program that deals with the etiology and development of our very humanity. Shame and guilt as separate phenomena in the human experi- ence are distinguished, thereby allowing the participant to begin to identify the specific qualities of each. Although these two experiences of feeling bad are often experienced together, the healing required for each mandates that this distinction be clear. The 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous cast a light on this distinction and this workshop is based on Ernest Kurtz’s study of the development of these princi- ples and their relationship to the phenomenon of shame.

Upon completion of this program participants will be able to:

1.  Distinguish between shame and guilt in the human condition.

2.  List specific qualities of shame that enable its identification.

3.  Describe modalities for dealing with the phenomenon of shame.

Shame and Guilt are two different ways in which human beings feel bad. Most of us usually suffer from both. Shame and guilt are healed differently, they must be recognized and dealt with very differently. The practice of working through grief and loss is inextricably tied to these phenomena and supported by this understanding.

Marcella Balin she is a well known and highly regarded educator and presenter.  She is an independent nurse entrepreneur and lecturer with over 38 years of experience.  She began her nursing career in Brooklyn, NY and spent a decade moving into the field of education.  She par- layed years of widely varied teaching experience into a career of independent teaching and presenting. Her BSN is from Wright State University in Dayton Ohio, and she brings years of ongoing professional education in human and organizational development to her workshops.  Her energetic schedule includes developing and presenting a rich variety of educational programs for professionals, teachers, corporate personnel, and private group0s.  She has worked with Health Care professionals for 38 years.  She spent many years working with ASET (Abused Substance Education Training) and educated many in this subject Area.

Views and written materials presented during this seminar are those of the individual presenter and do not necessarily represent the offical views and/or opinions of the Ohi District 5 Area Agency on Aging, Inc.