Have you ever gone through something horrible that left you feeling broken, defective, unlovable, worthless, or that you’re a terrible person? Shame is a heavy burden that many of us struggle with in our journey towards healing from abuse. Shame is not just a fleeting feeling of embarrassment; it's a deep-seated and pervasive belief that we are fundamentally flawed or unworthy of love and acceptance. It’s the sense that I don’t measure up and can never measure up, and it brings a sense of hopelessness. Shame is where we feel like we need to hide because we don’t want others to find out our deep inadequacy.