I Deserve Respect – Finding and Healing Shame in Personal Relationships

Part of the Hazelden Classics for Clients Collection
Authors: Ronald Potter-Efron and Patricia Potter-Efron

Relationships can be built around respect and trust. This pamphlet offers us solutions if we are in a shame-based relationship.  Included is information about becoming aware of how we are shamed and may be shaming others, connecting our shaming behaviors with our internal shame and self-hatred, and confronting shaming behavior directed at us.

Excerpt:
“Shame is corrosive.  It eats away at a person’s dignity, pride, and self-respect.  Unfortunately, many individuals become embroiled in shame-based relationships that feature daily episodes of humiliation.  Shaming relationships are dehumanizing. Each of us deserves to be treated with respect, no matter what the nature of our association with another person.  Others equally deserve our respect.  Any relationship that centers around shame dishonors its participants.“