Category: Shame

• The Shame of Being Seen: Reclaiming Our Deepest Human Desire

  

  Explore the hidden shame of wanting attention through Jungian psychology and Internal Family Systems (IFS). Learn how reclaiming your desire to be seen can lead to deeper self-love, authenticity, and healing.

  Forest Benedict, LMFT

  May 10, 2025

  Codependency, CPTSD, IFS, Inspiration, LGBTQIA+, Neurodivergence, Religious trauma, Self-Connection, Sexual shame, sexuality, Shame, trauma

  attention seeking shame, authenticity, be seen, desire to be seen, IFS, IFS therapy, inner child healing, Internal Family Systems, Jungian psychology, mental health, no shame, Religious trauma, self-compassion, self-connection, self-expression, shadow work, shame, shame and trauma healing, visibility and vulnerability

• Shameless Sexuality: Life After Purity Culture Online Conference

  

  Join the Shameless Sexuality: Life After Purity Culture Online Conference (May 24–25) for a transformative weekend of healing, connection, and empowerment. Explore how purity culture harms sexuality and discover the liberating power of sexual self-discovery, community, and shame-free living.

  Forest Benedict, LMFT

  May 8, 2025

  Connection, Inspiration, LGBTQIA+, Religious trauma, Self-Connection, Sexual shame, sexuality, Shame, Therapists

  conference, erotic, exvangelical, freedom, mental health, purity culture, Religious trauma, sex, Sexual shame, sexuality

• Sex with ChatGPT: 10 Ways to Level Up Your Erotic Intelligence with AI

  

  Discover 10 powerful ways ChatGPT can help you explore desires, improve communication, and boost sexual confidence—plus expert tips on using AI to deepen your erotic intelligence and heal sexual shame.

  Forest Benedict, LMFT

  May 3, 2025

  Sexual shame, sexuality, Shame

  AI, ChatGPT, erotic intelligence, sex, Sexual shame

• Now Offering Professional Consultation for Therapists & Helping Professionals

  If you’re a therapist, coach, or mental health professional looking for support, clarity, or direction, I’m excited to share something new with you. After years of walking through the personal and professional terrain of healing, learning, and unlearning, I’ve officially opened up professional consultation offerings—and my brand-new Professional Consultation page is now live. Whether you’re navigating complex cases, burnout,…

  Forest Benedict, LMFT

  April 21, 2025

  Addiction, IFS, Inspiration, partners, Recovery, Religious trauma, Self-Connection, Sexual Addiction, Sexual shame, Shame

  burnout, consultation, healing, IFS, mental health, Religious trauma, self-compassion, self-connection, sex addiction, Sexual shame, Therapist

• I Have Risen: A Poem of Self-Resurrection

  

  This soul-stirring poem reclaims religious imagery to tell a bold story of self-resurrection, power, and personal liberation. I Have Risen is not a religious piece—it’s a declaration of freedom, authenticity, and the end of self-abandonment. A must-read for anyone rising into their truth.

  Forest Benedict, LMFT

  April 20, 2025

  Change, Codependency, Faith, Inspiration, Neurodivergence, Poetry, Religious trauma, Self-Connection, Shame

  healing, IFS, religion, Religious trauma, resurrection, save yourself, self-connection, Sexual shame, trauma

• Afraid to Set Boundaries? Why People-Pleasing Is Costing You More Than You Think

  

  Afraid to set boundaries? Discover how people-pleasing and self-silencing are trauma responses—and how healing through IFS therapy can help you reclaim your voice, set healthy limits, and live more authentically.

  Forest Benedict, LMFT

  April 18, 2025

  Anxiety, Change, Codependency, Connection, IFS, partners, Recovery, Religious trauma, self-compassion, Self-Connection, Shame, trauma

  codependency, fawning, healing, IFS, mental health, people-pleasing, recovery, Religious trauma, self-compassion, self-connection, trauma

• Black Swan, Shadow Work & Self-Reclamation: A Fierce Invitation to Embrace Your Hidden Parts

  

  What if the parts of you you’ve been taught to fear—your rage, desire, wildness—were actually the keys to your freedom? This cinematic blog explores Black Swan through a trauma-informed, IFS lens, inviting you into a powerful story of healing, shadow integration, and unapologetic self-expression.

  Forest Benedict, LMFT

  April 17, 2025

  IFS, Religious trauma, Self-Connection, Shame, trauma, writing

  authentic self, authenticity, black swan, healing, IFS, mental health, perfectionism, Religious trauma, self-connection, Sexual shame, sexuality, shadow, white swan

• A Poem for the Children Who Survived

  

  A Poem for the Children Who Survived Trauma

  Forest Benedict, LMFT

  April 16, 2025

  children, self-compassion, Self-Connection, Shame, trauma

  ACA, CPTSD, mental health, poem, Religious trauma, trauma

• What If Your Body Wasn’t a Billboard?

  

  Tired of treating your body like a performance? This post explores how cultural conditioning fuels body shame and control—and what it means to shift from external validation to internal self-worth. Learn how to honor your body as it is and reclaim your freedom.

  Forest Benedict, LMFT

  March 27, 2025

  Change, Health, Inspiration, Self-Connection, Shame

  body image, health, Religious trauma, self worth, validation

• Lust is Liberating: The Science-Backed Benefits of Embracing Desire

  

  Discover the science-backed benefits of lust and why embracing sexual desire leads to better health, deeper connections, and greater self-acceptance. Learn how lust enhances mental well-being, strengthens relationships, and promotes overall vitality—all backed by research. Break free from sexual suppression and reclaim pleasure without guilt.

  Forest Benedict, LMFT

  February 21, 2025

  Health, life after lust, pornography, Religious trauma, Self-Connection, Sexual shame, sexuality, Shame

  desire, healing, lust, mental health, Religious trauma, self-connection, Sexual shame, sexuality, suppression