Facing the Ambivalence of Shame Issues: Exploring the Use of Motivational Techniques to Enhance Shame Resilience and Provoke Behaviour Change

Abstract

Shame is among the most intense and painful affects. It has been extensively defined from very different viewpoints: psychology, social sciences, clinical sociology and neurosciences. It has been looked at through the lenses of philosophy and drama from Ovid through Shakespeare, Jean Rhys, Jean Paul Sartre and numerous other authors. Nevertheless, there is no extensive literature about shame therapies and there are few established therapeutic approaches. Often studies related to shame are done with an accent on what causes shame rather than how to change one’s behaviour from shame to shame resilient. This chapter examines the use of motivational interviewing techniques in coaching when faced with clearly identified shame issues, and the ambivalence resulting from the acknowledgment. Results of a qualitative and hermeneutic approach through coaching sessions, with three clients and self-observation show that this ambivalence can be alleviated by use of motivational techniques instead of or in concert with other therapeutic approaches. The key finding is that once a client has fully identified his shame issue, it is important to acknowledge it, without continuing to explore its causes but consider it as a starting point to enhance resilience and provoke behaviour change using motivational interviewing.