Katt: Shame at work
Katt was having a serious problem at work that had been plaguing her for years. Every time she made a perfectly reasonable mistake, shame kicked in. Very often, it snowballed into defensiveness and despair, causing her more hardship than the original mistake and often damaging her relationship with her boss.
The worst thing about this pattern is that it was affecting her ability to move ahead in her career. She had been wanting to move up by seeking employment at another company, but the insecurities around this issue were keeping her from feeling confident in her job search. This shame around making mistakes was keeping Katt stuck in a dead-end job.
In the space of three sessions over the telephone, over a single weekend, we mapped and liberated a full set of nine feelings. The results were astonishing, and a great example of what is possible in the Tangible Minds work.
Immediately below is an overview of all the feelings we mapped on the left, with the liberated feelings on the right. Click any feeling name or image to go to a detail page for that feeling-state.
Also, see examples for Kyle: Stage Fright and Sara: Inability to Trust, (and see the menu on the right sidebar).
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Exploration
Katt's situation can be summed up in her statement, "I always have the same response to doing something wrong." On July 31, we talked about this pattern for about an hour. My job in this conversation was simply to listen well, to help Katt identify specific feeling states that were part of the pattern. These are some of my notes.
- The feeling accompanying doing something wrong is shame.
- She had to look her boss in the eye and tell her about the mistake she made, which had the consequence of delaying receipt of a sizeable payment. Katt's thoughts were, "Trust in me is shaken." This snowballs into, "I'm not going to be able to get ahead; they'll give me less responsibility; I'm not the prized employee any more."
- This is a problem because "I shut down." It looks like I'm taking it out on them. It's me punishing myself by withdrawing, disconnecting, like cutting off the life force. They wonder why I'm taking it out on them. It damages my relationships with key people.
- The withdrawal triggers sadness/depression about myself, feeling sorry for myself. Then I get angry – "What did I do wrong anyway? Why can't I just climb out of this?"
- I realize there's something in there for me to look at; I take the time to sit and listen and feel better about what I learned and what's important. The feeling of this is essence, something of my essence in looking at this.
- I want more respect from my boss, more of a commitment to the creative process of finding solutions, a commitment to learning. That's the kind of boss I am, I want that from my own boss. When I don't get that, I feel extreme frustration.
- Shame leads to "what I value in myself has no place here." I disconnect.
- Not believing in myself leads to despair.
- Also fear, "how can I expect them to believe in me if I don't?"
These notes gave us eight feeling states to start with. I was confident we would clarify their relationships better, and most likely uncover at least one more key feeling, by getting started with the mapping.
Mapping
Below is a full list of the feelings Katt mapped in our first day of work. Click any image or title for a detail page. Or go back to Katt's Overview Page to see before/after images.
Essence
Warm, thin liquid with a medium, strong vibration. "I shouldn't have to do anything. I want to be recognized."
Tight, elastic rubber, contracting around my heart. "I am afraid. I am judgmental with others."
A heavy, fluttering, pink blanket. "I can't change."
Cold, hard, deep purple, like a cluster of crystals. "I am wrong, and I can't help myself."
Foggy, cool, gently drifting. A whisper, "I am worthless and invisible."
My feet are stuck in mud oozing up my legs; a long, loud scream. "I am stuck. I can't move."
Cold pepples packed in my hands, scrunching . "I don't have any choice; I don't need you in my life – I have my own agenda."
Swirling gaseous cylinder like a shield all around my body. "I can't connect with you. Keeps people out; keeps me in."
Hot vapor, evaporating, pushing in and pushing out. "I have no connection to you. I have to protect myself."
Essence
Documented 7/31/05
- 1st Impression: Kind of a loving feeling; being love.
- Location: My heart.
- Substance: Thin liquid.
- Temp: Warm.
- Color: Yellow-green.
- Movement: Vibration – medium speed, strong.
- Sound: Soothing voice, "Aaahh."
- Misc: This is the "being" part. I want to be recognized.
Fear
Documented 7/31/05
- 1st Impression: None.
- Location: Around my heart. Like a glove fit, constricting, one-half inch thick.
- Substance: Like rubber. Tight elastic quality.
- Temp: Cool.
- Color: Dark brown.
- Movement: Contracting.
- Sound: "No" – a repeated word, angry tone.
- Misc: None.
Safety
Documented 8/1/05
- 1st Impression: None.
- Location: Around my heart – bigger space, not constricting, one-half inch thick.
- Substance: More pliable – almost like silicone breast implants.
- Temp: 80 to 82 degrees.
- Color: Gold – shining, shimmering, glittering.
- Movement: Pulsating in and out; like a jellyfish swimming; like kneading a muscle; gently kneading the heart.
- Sound: "It's OK" in a soft voice.
- Misc: None.
Sadness
Documented 7/31/05
- 1st Impression: None.
- Location: On my shoulders – all the way out to my wrists, three inches thick.
- Substance: Like a big blanket, heavy.
- Temp: Neutral temp.
- Color: Pink.
- Movement: A fluttering, and a weight.
- Sound/Voice: "I feel heavy, weighted down." Groaning, complaining.
- Misc: None.
Shame
Documented 7/31/05
- 1st Impression: None.
- Location: Between shoulder blades in the back, size of a fist.
- Substance: Solid, hard, rough texture, like a cluster of crystals.
- Temp: Cold.
- Color: Deep, deep purple.
- Movement: Pretty locked in there – no movement.
- Sound/Voice: The sound of a snake hissing
- Misc: None.
Despair
Documented 7/31/05
- 1st Impression: None.
- Location: Head, behind eyes, throughout the top of my head.
- Substance: Foggy.
- Temp: Body temp.
- Color: Gray.
- Movement: Ever-so-slight, wavy, drifting movement; very gentle. No force or pressure.
- Sound/Voice: A whisper, "I am worthless. I am invisible."
- Misc: None.
Extreme frustration
Documented 7/31/05
- 1st Impression: None.
- Location: From shin to feet, surrounding my legs, one inch thick.
- Substance: Mud.
- Temp: Cool.
- Color: Mustard yellow.
- Movement: It's kind of stuck; also oozing. My feet are stuck but the goop is oozing up.
- Sound/Voice: A long, loud scream.
- Misc: None.
Anger
Documented 7/31/05
- 1st Impression: None.
- Location: Hands.
- Substance: Multiple smooth stones, really packed in there.
- Temp: Cold.
- Color: Midnight blue.
- Movement: None. They scrunch up against one another.
- Sound/Voice: A violent tone, hateful, crunchy, "I can't." Not allowed to be free to make my own choices.
- Misc: None.
Shut down
Documented 7/31/05
- 1st Impression: None.
- Location: A shield all around my body, like a cylinder; six inches thick, a foot away from me; an arm's length above my head, down to the ground.
- Substance: A gas.
- Temp: A little above body temp.
- Color: Transparent – if you reached out to touch it, it would have an irridescent rainbow in that place.
- Movement: Swirling like a dust devil, counterclockwise looking from top; also flowing upward.
- Sound/Voice: "Go away." Stern.
- Misc: Keeps people out, and keeps me in.
Disconnecting
Documented 7/31/05
- 1st Impression: None.
- Location: Skin sensation – "topical." Three feet out; in just under surface of skin, paper thin.
- Substance: A gas – an evaporative feeling, like steam off water – a vapor.
- Temp: Hot, boiling.
- Color: Red.
- Movement: It's rather still, but a tension causes a certain stillness; tension is both pushing in and pushing out.
- Sound/Voice: No words; sound like a hum, like a steady motor sound.
- Misc: None.
Liberation
Katt moved all nine feelings over two shorter sessions on our second day of work. Below is a summary of what each feeling became. Click any image or title for a detail page. Or go back to Katt's Overview Page to see before/after images.
Rays of cool, white light radiating from my center. "I can be confident in myself and stay true to my essence."
Shimmering, porous skin; lets light in but keeps dust bunnies out; like a sense organ. "I have the means to perceive the truth."
Giant, feathery wings; a whooshing sound. "I have clarity of purpose; using the quality of perspective to bring about healing."
A nice cool breeze, pouring down from above my head. "I want interaction – more of this 'we're on the same page' kind of experience."
Puffy, light clouds supporting me. "My spirit is lifted."
Warm liquid circulating like my bloodstream. "I renewed and constantly learning and changing."
Infinite energy everywhere, star essence concentrating in my hands. "I recognize my place in the world; I know what and how I'm contributing."
Gentle mist of renewing raindrops falling around me. "I am adventurous; I can try new things."
Rotating light beacon shining on me; a sense of advertising. "Here I am. I want to help." (Taps into creative impulse of Truth; driven by Young at heart.)
Leadership
Documented 8/1/05
- 1st Impression: Wants to be light.
- Location: Throughout my body; extends out six feet; center is heart; no form to the center. It's like beams.
- Substance: Light.
- Temp: Cool.
- Color: White.
- Movement: Radiating outward – rays extending out.
- Sound: "I am here." "I am now." My voice, with a tone of authority and confidence.
- Misc: None.
- I am present and aware of my own intentions, purpose, specific goals.
- I can be confident in myself and stay true to my essence.
- I have intentions.
- I am who I am no matter if someone recognizes me. I don't need others to recognize me to confirm my sense of being.
- I want to stay on my path of light.
- This is where my leadership qualities come out. The sense of working together as a team, building a supportive community environment.
Before Liberation,
this feeling was
"Essence"
Summary of all states after liberation.
Overview of all states before and after liberation.
Boundless
Documented 8/1/05
- 1st Impression: None.
- Location: A layer of skin, whole body, microscopic thickness.
- Substance: Porous material; like a filter – certain qualities can move through, and others not. Light moves through, but "big dust bunnies" do not. Has no weight.
- Temp: Body temp.
- Color: Gold, shimmering.
- Movement: None.
- Sound: "I hear you; I see you; I am aware of you."
- Misc: It's like a sense organ – a sixth sense; gives certain signals in certain influences. For example, for something potentially damaging coming in, the filter only lets the light in.
Visionary healing
Documented 8/1/05
- 1st Impression: None.
- Location: Bigger – like big, giant wings from my shoulders, extended out and all the way down almost to the floor.
- Substance: Feathers, feathery.
- Temp: Neutral temp.
- Color: Orange, bright.
- Movement: No movement.
- Sound: "Whooshing" sound.
- Misc: A healing quality that comes through the mind – using the quality of perspective to bring about healing.
Joy
Documented 8/1/05
- 1st Impression: None.
- Location: Complete full torso and outside; vapor outside is infinite.
- Substance: Inside the torso is liquid – like bubbling water, like a creek. Outside the torso is like vapor.
- Temp: Body temp.
- Color: Blue water, colorless vapor.
- Movement: Flowing from right to left, moving through me; different quality inside my torso.
- Sound/Voice: "Hallelujah!" A single voice, my own; joyful, higher octave.
- Misc: A healing quality that comes through the mind – using the quality of perspective to bring about healing.
Peace
Documented 8/1/05
- 1st Impression: None.
- Location: Underneath my body, supporting me. "Like my little magic carpet." Five feet thick, extends six feet around.
- Substance: Like clouds; puffy, light.
- Temp: A little cool.
- Color: Violet.
- Movement: Floating movement.
- Sound/Voice: "You are supported." "My spirit is lifted." Angelic tone.
- Misc: None.
Birth
Documented 8/1/05
- 1st Impression: A quality of adaptation.
- Location: Throughout my body.
- Substance: Liquid – melting.
- Temp: A little cooler than body temp at first; melting, becoming warm.
- Color: Turquoise; deep blue.
- Movement: Circulating, like my bloodstream/circulatory system.
- Sound/Voice: "I am renewed and constantly changing."
- Misc: The gift of growth or learning, like a seed poking up out of the earth. This is about how I am in relation to life, taking in the new and having life be all about learning.
Truth
Documented 8/1/05

- 1st Impression: None.
- Location: Infinite energy everywhere; intermittently there's a concentration of it in my hands, when there's a need to tap into it.
- Substance: Like flames – palm-size balls of fire. They come into being like a falling star, out of star essence: an energy in the form of light.
- Temp: The energy is cool, but when it becomes fire it becomes hot.
- Color: The fire is red; the energy is all colors, irridescent.
- Movement: The fire is like having a hot potato: catch it/let it go; bouncing, like juggling. The energy is moving but you can't perceive it because it's moving so slowly.
- Sound/Voice: Fire: "I got it!" Energy: "I always know."
- Misc: It's like inspiration – I tap into it when I need to get going, be creative. Creativity as a means. "Inspiration" is all around – it's a matter of taking it in, juggling it for a while, releasing it, taking in whatever came into me. Also becomes "play" in the sense that, you have to participate; there's some element of the unexpected, but inspiration is very much about being spontaneous. "The creative impulse."
Young at heart
Documented 8/1/05
- 1st Impression: None.
- Location: Falling from six feet above me, down to the ground, a radius of six feet around me.
- Substance: Raindrops, tiny, you can hardly feel them.
- Temp: 70 degrees.
- Color: A light green tint.
- Movement: Falling like rain, consistently, steadily all around me.
- Sound/Voice: "Yippee!" Childlike voice tone, innocent.
- Misc: Renewing, youthful.
Showing up with wisdom
Documented 8/1/05
- 1st Impression: None.
- Location: Separate from my body; "on" = at my feet, shining on me; three beams, at least two on me at any time.
- Substance: Solid; there's an on/off switch. "On" = a light. "Off" = in between the lights – base is solid.
- Temp: "Off" = no temp. "On" = warm.
- Color: Silver. "Off" = no glow, black. "On" = glowing silver.
- Movement: "On" = like a beacon, rotating.
- Sound/Voice: "Here I am!" There's a sense of "advertising."
- Misc: I have the ability to turn this on/off.
Integration
A week after our work, I spoke with Katt. She shared that she had been feeling:
- A lot clearer.
- More decisive.
- More confident.
She said, "All this waffling – I'm done with it!" Already she had moved forward with her dream of getting a spa management job, and felt very good about a phone interview she had with a new spa opening in Miami. "I didn't waste any time," she said, "and it feels really, really, really good!"
Recently I checked in with her again, a year and a half later. The job in Miami didn't work out because hurricane Katrina delayed out the spa's opening plans indefinitely. However, she stayed on track, and is now Operations Director at one of the premier spa destination resorts in the nation. She has a staff of 125, including 90 direct reports, and has an excellent relationship with her boss. In every way, this is her dream job.
I reminded her of the Leadership feeling we mapped, with its theme of following her own light. She said, "That's awesome. I am so on that trip I can't tell you. That's really what my work is all about; it's what I'm dealing with every single day. I'm really excited."
The changes didn't stop at work, either. "I'm doing the same thing in my personal life," going through a re-visioning of her relationship and appreciating the process. "I'm just really going after what I want in my life."