So You Did the Shadow Work… Now What? What Integration Actually Looks Like (and Why It Matters)
- Kassi Sherman
- May 27
- 3 min read
Shadow Work Isn’t the End. It’s the Beginning.
Someone recently asked me:
“Once you’ve unpacked your shadows… how do you put them away for good?”
Here’s the truth:
You don’t.
Because shadow work isn’t about stuffing things back into the box—it’s about learning to carry them differently.
Healing isn’t about erasing your past or becoming someone new.
It’s about becoming more you—with awareness, intention, and choice.
This is the part where real transformation begins.
What Integration Actually Means
We often think of healing as a finish line.
But integration isn’t an arrival—it’s a way of moving through the world.
Integration = Awareness + Conscious Action
Shadow work isn’t just about uncovering the wound.
It’s about what you do with that awareness once the dust settles.
It looks like:
Recognizing your triggers without spiraling
Choosing different patterns, even when it’s hard
Speaking to yourself with compassion instead of shame
Responding to familiar situations with new clarity
Healing isn’t about never struggling again.
It’s about knowing yourself deeply enough to move through struggle with grace.
Signs You’re Integrating Your Shadow
Not sure if the work is landing?
Here’s what integration can look like in everyday life:
You recognize your old patterns before they take over
You still get triggered, but you no longer collapse inside the reaction
You let yourself feel—without guilt, shame, or urgency to fix
You reflect on your past self with compassion, not judgment
You notice when you’re self-abandoning—and pause to come home
You’re not deleting your past.
You’re reclaiming your power from it.
How to Integrate Shadow Work (Without Losing Momentum)
1. Reflect on What You’ve Learned
Integration starts with self-honesty.
Ask:
What did this shadow teach me?
How has my perspective shifted since uncovering this part of me?
What did I used to believe—and what feels true now?
2. Make Conscious Choices
Once you see the pattern, you get to choose differently.
Ask:
What would it look like to show up from my healed self today?
What choice aligns with who I’m becoming—not who I was?
Even the smallest decisions—how you speak to yourself, how you respond to discomfort—matter.
3. Anchor It Into Daily Life
Healing doesn’t happen in one big breakthrough. It happens in how you live.
It’s in:
How you self-soothe when anxiety flares
How you set boundaries with love
How you show up differently in relationships
How you pause instead of perform, notice instead of numb
This is the work turning into something real.
The Shadow Doesn’t Disappear (And That’s Okay)
Your shadow doesn’t vanish.
It softens. It integrates. It stops running the show.
It means you’ll trust yourself when it happens.
The parts of you that once felt scary or overwhelming?
They become parts you understand—and even hold with love.
You’re no longer afraid of your patterns.
You know how to meet them with clarity, breath, and choice.
You’re not starting over.
You’re stepping forward.
Journal Prompts for Shadow Integration
If you’re unsure where you are in the process, reflect on this:
• What pattern have I become more aware of recently?
• How am I choosing differently—even in small ways?
• What part of me used to feel “unlovable” that I now meet with softness?
You don’t need big epiphanies to be healing.
You just need presence.
Final Thoughts: This Is Healing in Action
You don’t need to “put it all away for good.”
You just need to meet your shadows with enough love that they no longer control you.
You are not your wounds.
You are not your old patterns.
You are not your pain.
But how you move now—that’s where your power lives.
Every small decision to pause, to choose differently, to meet yourself with compassion—that’s healing in action.
You’re not falling back. You’re moving forward.
One brave, imperfect step at a time.
And babe? You’ve got this.
Want More Support?
If you’re craving structure, reflection, and a gentle place to start, my Beginner’s Guide to Shadow Work is just $7 and includes rituals, journal prompts, and step-by-step support.➝ Grab your guide here
Keep Going
➝ Coming Soon: [How to Know If You’re Avoiding Integration]
➝ Coming Soon: [What “Regression” Actually Means During Healing]
➝ Coming Soon: [How to Show Up When You Know Better (But Still Struggle)]
Follow me on TikTok @broomandborage
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