Book dossier

Shame and the Origins of Self-Esteem

by Mario Jacoby

Shame manifests itself in many ways. We may have feelings of inferiority, humiliation, shyness or embarrassment. It also makes us fearful of entering into shameful situations. In particular, we are ashamed at our public nakedness. Shame and the Origins of Self-Esteem explores how a lack of self-esteem is the root cause of a susceptibility to shame. Drawing heavily on modern infant research, Mario Jacoby shows how our feelings of self-worth are rooted in our childhood experiences and environment. Shame is also an archetypal phenomenon. We see it in Adam and Eve's expulsion from the Garden of Eden and the Jungian interpretation of the Persona, the 'soul mask'. Discussing these different shame themes, Mario Jacoby illustrates his book with many examples from Jungian practice. Shame and the Origins of Self-Esteem is the first book interpreting shame from a Jungian perspective. It will be of interest to all analysts and psychotherapists, both in practice and training. In addition, it will be helpful reading for all those for whom feelings of shame and lack of self-esteem are a problem.