You’ve seen the posts. Heard the term. Maybe even said it: “I'm doing my shadow work.”
But what is the shadow, really?

In this two-part dive, Lora and Jeff wade into the fog of the human psyche to explore the parts of ourselves we’ve disowned — the messy, the shameful, but also the powerful and luminous. From family dynamics and cultural programming to unexpected gold hiding in the dark, this conversation shines a gentle light on what we avoid... and how reclaiming it might just free us.

And yes — we open with an eerie, vintage-radio-style story. Because of course we do.

In this episode, we explore:

- The importance of ratings and reviews for podcast growth.

- Understanding the shadow self is crucial for personal development.

- Disowned parts of ourselves can include both negative and positive traits.

- Cultural context influences how we perceive and engage with shadow work.

- Patterns in our behavior can reveal disowned traits.

- Integrating traits is more beneficial than eliminating them.

- Personal stories can illuminate our shadow work journey.

- Projection of our shadows onto others is a common behavior.

- Macro and micro perspectives help us understand societal shadows.

- Compassion towards our shadows fosters self-acceptance.

Connect with So What Who Cares

Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mail.sowhatwhocares@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@sowhatwhocarespodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@sowhatwhocarespodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠So What Who Cares Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@sowhatwhocarespodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Find Lora McCarville at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.loramccarville.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Chapters

00:00 Navigating the Open Sea of Self-Discovery

00:43 The Importance of Ratings and Reviews

03:23 Understanding the Shadow Within

09:03 The Cultural Context of Shadow Work

10:48 Patterns and Disowned Aspects

16:43 Macro and Micro Shadows in Society

21:45 The Golden Shadow: Embracing Our Full Selves

27:59 Compassion for Our Shadows

#sowhatwhocarespodcast #sowhatwhocares #loramccarville #jeffkalasky #shadowwork #jungianpsychology #selfdiscovery #healingjourney #podcastconversation #mentalhealthpodcast #personaldevelopment #spiritualgrowth #integration #compassionateawareness #subconsciousmind #innerwork #systemichealing #reclaimyourpower #therapytools #nervoussystemhealing #ayahuascaretreat #podcastcommunity #selfawarenessjourney #shadowintegration

Welcome back to part two of our deep dive into the unconscious mind.

In this episode, Lora and Jeff explore the practical and personal terrain of working with unconscious material—how it shows up, how to notice it, and how to begin integrating it. From symbolic dreams and family patterns to inherited beliefs, cultural systems, and unexpected triggers (like a butter dish), they unpack how the unseen forces within us shape everything from our values to our reactions.

Lora brings a trauma-informed, curiosity-first approach to engaging with the unconscious, including tools from hypnotherapy, mindfulness, and active imagination. Jeff brings thoughtful questions and his own experience of trying to untangle personal truth from inherited programming.

In This Episode

• How dreams speak the language of the unconscious

• Tools for exploring symbolic material safely

• What it means to be "resourced" before digging deeper

• Why integration is messy, non-linear, and sometimes surprising

• The difference between healing and becoming more you

• How inherited emotional blueprints shape choices and self-image

• Why ego resists change—and how to stay curious anyway

• Individual healing as a path to collective transformation

  Connect with So What Who Cares

  Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mail.sowhatwhocares@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@sowhatwhocarespodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@sowhatwhocarespodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠So What Who Cares Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@sowhatwhocarespodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  
  

  Find Lora McCarville at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.loramccarville.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  Chapters:

• [00:00] Welcome Back + The Language of Dreams

• [04:15] Symbols, Safety, and Facing the Shark

• [08:30] Shadow Work, Golden Shadow & the Fear of Knowing

• [12:40] Ego Resistance + The Butter Dish Story

• [18:15] Integration as “Steady Jerks” Over Time

• [23:30] Quick vs. Slow Healing Modalities

• [28:00] Unconscious Beliefs and the Cost of Avoidance

• [32:10] Parenting, Programming, and Generational Patterns

• [36:45] Collective Unconscious + Family Politics

• [41:00] Death Penalty Story + Belonging vs. Belief

• [47:30] Journaling, Somatic Awareness, and Active Imagination

• [50:30] Final Thoughts + Staying Curious

  
  

  
  

• #sowhatwhocarespodcast #loramccarville #jeffkalasky #theicebergepisode #unconsciousintegration #shadowwork #jungianpsychology #generationalhealing #dreamsymbols #mindbodyconnection #traumainformedhealing #healingjourney #selfinquiry #innerchildwork #liminalspaces #nervoussystemsupport #emotionalpatterns #familydynamics #consciousparenting #collectiveunconscious #innerwork #curiosityoverjudgment #personalgrowth #spiritualdevelopment #steadyjerks