ON-DEMAND COURSE

Encounters with the Shadow

Introduction to Jungian Shadow Work

Jungian Psychology
TEACHER
James Hollis
TOPIC
Jungian
Format
4 Class Course
DURATION
4 Hrs

Payment options: Credit Card or PayPal.

In this 4-class course, master teacher James Hollis explores the shadow as a central force shaping our lives. Within Jungian psychology, the shadow is not simply the dark side, yet everything in us that is not yet conscious. It can be disowned, suppressed, or left behind in the process of becoming who we think we should be.

Across these sessions, you will learn how the shadow forms, how it expresses itself through projection and symptom, and how it quietly influences relationships, choices, and identity. Rather than trying to eliminate or transcend the shadow, this course invites a more honest and grounded approach: to recognize it, take responsibility for it, and begin a dialogue with it.

This is not a path of self-improvement, but of self-realization. By engaging the shadow, you reclaim vitality, reduce inner conflict, and step into a more authentic relationship with your life.

Encounters with the Shadow COURSE

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In this 4-class course, master teacher and Jungian Analyst James Hollis offers a grounded and psychologically precise approach to shadow work. The term is widely used today, yet often stripped of its depth. Here, you return to its source in Carl Jung, who introduced the shadow as a central aspect of the psyche.

The shadow includes everything in us that has never been conscious. It can be disowned in order to adapt, belong, or succeed. These hidden aspects do not disappear. They continue to shape our lives through reactions, relationships, symptoms, and recurring patterns. Hollis draws on decades of clinical experience to show how the shadow operates in real life, and how it can be approached with clarity and responsibility.

Across four classes, you will learn how the shadow is formed, how it appears in relationships through projection, and how it expresses itself through dreams, emotional patterns, and life difficulties. Rather than offering techniques to fix yourself, this course invites a more honest encounter with your inner and outer life.

This is a path of individuation, the conscious realization of your own being. As you begin to recognize and take responsibility for your shadow, you reduce inner conflict and open the possibility for a more authentic and grounded way of living.

Explore our Shadow Work Learning Path to discover more programs on the shadow and deepen your inner work.

This program is ideal if you want to be able to

  • Learn about transformative psychological growth, regardless of whether you are new to or experienced with Carl Jung’s approach to psychology, and theories related to the Shadow Self.
  • Find grounded and practical tools to work more consciously with your own Shadow aspects.
  • Explore the various layers and aspects of the Shadow within yourself, in groups and other individuals (whether in our private or our public lives).
  • Understand a Jungian approach to the Shadow and Shadow work from a therapist's perspective.
  • Better understand how the Shadow partly functions outside of our awareness, and how it can be destructive; but also constructive and healing.
  • Gain practical perspectives and tools to work with your own Shadow aspects.

Encounters with the Shadow Class Descriptions 

Class 1: The Formation of the Shadow

In this opening class, Hollis explores how the shadow is formed through early adaptation. As you learn to function within family and culture, you develop a persona that allows you to belong and succeed. At the same time, parts of your psyche are excluded because they do not fit that image. Hollis shows that the shadow is not a mistake, but a natural consequence of these early choices. What has been pushed aside remains active in the background, influencing your life in ways you may not yet see.

Class 2: The Shadow in Relationships

This class brings the shadow into the most immediate and emotionally charged arena of life: relationships. Hollis explores how we project disowned parts of ourselves onto others, shaping attraction, irritation, admiration, and conflict. What feels so powerful in another person often reflects something within ourselves that has not yet been acknowledged. You begin to recognize that relational patterns are not random, but meaningful expressions of the unconscious seeking to be seen.

Class 3: Symptoms, Dreams, and Recurring Patterns

In this class, Hollis focuses on how the shadow expresses itself when it is not consciously engaged. The psyche communicates through symptoms such as anxiety or depression, through dreams, and through repeating life patterns. Rather than viewing these as problems to eliminate, Hollis reframes them as messages. You begin to understand that what returns again and again is asking for attention, and that these patterns carry meaning when approached psychologically.

Class 4: Responsibility and Integration

In the final class, the focus shifts to what is required once the shadow is recognized. Hollis emphasizes psychological responsibility and the need for moral courage. It is easier to see the shadow in others than to take ownership of it within ourselves. Integration does not mean becoming perfect, but becoming more conscious of the forces that move through you. This class invites a more mature relationship to your inner life, where awareness replaces projection and responsibility replaces blame.

Course reviews

This was a great introduction to the 'Shadow'. Jung and Hollis are a formidable combination. (Alexander)

Great speaker with interesting facts and stories..a must listen. (Claire)

I am a big James Hollis fan and listening to this course made me realise everything Jung said is real today. (Jo)

Very well organized and smooth to follow. Presented with a great sense of knowledge in Jungian psychology. (Terry)

Course overview

What you will receive

*You will receive a certificate of completion, but it’s not from an official accrediting body. Please check if it will be accepted by the organization you wish to use it with.
4 videos & 4 audio recordings
Companion Guide
Auto-generated subtitles
Certificate of completion*
Available in English

ABout the teacher

James Hollis

James Hollis, Ph.D., is presently a licensed Jungian analyst in private practice in Washington, D.C. He is also a Core Faculty Member at Jung Platform since 2016, and one of the best Jungian teachers of our age.

Scholarships

We here at Jung Platform want to make these programs available to anyone. If you would love to participate yet can’t pay for the full course, then please send us an email at scholarships@jungplatform.com and describe why you feel you qualify for a scholarship, how much you can pay, and what you will do to help the Jung Platform promote this and other programs.

Encounters with the Shadow - frequent asked questions

What is the Jungian shadow?

Sometimes the shadow is thought of as being the dark side of a person. Yet, it is everything in us that has never become conscious. James Hollis defines it simply: The shadow is what I do not wish to be. It includes parts of ourselves we disown, neglect, or push away. Carl Jung put it this way: 'Wherever there is light, there is a shadow. The larger the light, the greater the shadow.'

How does the shadow actually form?

As children, we adapt to family and culture. This is necessary for survival and belonging. But adaptation has a cost. Certain traits, feelings, or impulses get labeled unacceptable. These parts do not disappear. They get pushed underground and continue to operate outside our awareness. Hollis calls this a kind of shadow government. It quietly shapes our choices even when we believe we are fully in control.

Is having a shadow the same as being a bad person?

No. The shadow is not evil by itself. In fact, Hollis points to a deeper paradox in this course. One of the biggest shadow issues is not some hidden vice. It is how often we live small, adaptive lives. Many people rarely step into the full range of their own possibilities. In that sense, shadow work is not about becoming worse. It is about becoming more whole.

How can I start recognizing my own shadow patterns?

James Hollis suggests starting with your patterns, not abstract theory. Look at behaviors that repeat, especially ones that feel counterproductive. These patterns are driven by complexes, which are clusters of unprocessed emotional history. Dreams and bodily symptoms often carry shadow material too. If something is repressed rather than expressed consciously, it tends to surface elsewhere. Asking people close to you what they find difficult about you can also reveal blind spots, if they feel safe enough to be honest.

Can I preview James Hollis’s perspective on the shadow for free before buying?

You can sign up for our Free Intro to Jungian Shadow Work teaser class to experience video segments of his teaching style. Additionally, you can read his popular deep-dive blog article, The Fearsome Creature in the Mirror. 

The Jung Platform Guarantee

We stand by our programs. If within 30 days of your purchase or the live course start, you're not satisfied, we offer a replacement or a full refund.

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