Praise for "The Soul of Shame"

—David Williams, general superintendent, Evangelical Friends Church

"It took me a month of foraging before my heart finally yielded the courage I needed to open this book on shame. After all, I've spent most of my life trying to flee from shame, crouching pathetically as its shadows drew near, surrendering helplessly to its merciless story of who I am. Why in the world would I now—on purpose!—turn and face the central menace of my entire life? Why would any of us? Here's why: because God loves us. And because God loves us, he follows us in our fleeing, finds us in our shadows and fashions for us a new story—the true story—of ourselves, a story in which we are not finally hated and cast away, but loved and welcomed in. This is what Curt Thompson taught me in this book. Yes, I opened it with fear of the darkness. But with each chapter, I felt like someone had opened a new window in my soul, taming my fears with new shafts of warm light. I read it with hope. I marked it with tears. I finished it with gratitude. And I commend it to anyone burdened by shame with something like pleading: Come out from hiding; it is not shame but Love that you will find!"

—Gregory Thompson, senior pastor, Trinity Church, Charlottesville, VA, executive director, New City Commons

"In The Soul of Shame, Dr. Curt Thompson reveals how the repressed origins of fear lead to feelings of vulnerability that direct human behavior, often unconsciously. He illustrates how experiences, often from childhood, are transformed into seeds of shame that shape human behavior for a lifetime, influence decision-making and form the stimulus for unconscious responses in our day-to-day personal and professional lives for decades. This is an important read for many audiences seeking advanced insight into human behavior: individuals on a journey toward self-discovery, parents striving to lay a strong foundation for emotional health and maturity in their children, as well as business leaders seeking to provide the safety needed to achieve breakthrough innovation in the workplace."

—Janey Price Nodeen, president, Burke Consortium, Inc.

"Of the multiple manifestations of the brokenness within the human condition, none is more insidious and yet dominant than shame. In The Soul of Shame, Curt Thompson has provided an important contribution to the conversation about this difficult topic. In it he guides the reader into an awareness of shame's neurobiological, relational and spiritual underpinnings, revealing its darker purpose, which is to undermine the story of beauty and goodness that God desires us to live. But Thompson does not leave us there. Indeed, he invites us into paths of healing and creativity, opening our minds to the possibilities of renewal not merely for our souls but for our families, churches, schools and businesses. If you are looking for hope in the face of shame, this is a life-breathing place to start."

—Jeffrey M. Schwartz, author of You Are Not Your Brain and Brain Lock

"This is a psychiatrist's version of The Screwtape Letters, exposing the most insidious, destructive tool used against humanity since creation. Never has a book so clearly revealed to me that our struggle is not against flesh and blood. Using his background in interpersonal neurobiology, Dr. Thompson shines a bright light of love on the domains of darkness in the layers of our minds to expose and expel the power of shame. This is a life-changing book."

—Nicole Johnson, dramatist with Women of Faith, author of Fresh Brewed Life

"There may be 'no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,' but many of us don't behave that way. Read this excellent guide for unearthing the things in your own life that are preventing you from being set free."

—Rob Moll, editor at large, Christianity Today, author of What Your Body Knows About God

"I've been waiting for Curt's book for fifteen years. As a pastor, professor and clinician, I see shame's devastation firsthand, particularly in the destructive coping mechanisms that accompany it. Curt doesn't offer quick fixes but instead provides a biblically wise, scientifically sound vision for a life lived in God's grand story, a story that renarrates our shame stories and enables us to experience healing and engage in mission. I'll be recommending this book often!"

—Chuck DeGroat, associate professor of pastoral care and counseling, Western Theological Seminary, cofounder and senior fellow, Newbigin House of Studies