Uncovering Shame in Groups

Abstract

The central role shame plays in the development of analytic groups has been neglected in the past. This article addresses the impact on groups of unconscious shame. It draws on existing literature from both group analytic and psychoanalytic traditions, which highlights how the inability to feel shame can disrupt relationships. It then explores clinical examples to demonstrate how unconscious shame can inhibit group communication. The article identifies ‘the shaming other’, a communication process that is unconsciously adopted in the group as a means of trying to avoid facing shame. It suggests that when shame is integrated within the group and becomes conscious, the communication pattern changes, both strengthening the connections between group members and their attachment to the group.