The Soul of Shame - by Curt Thompson (Hardcover)

About the Book

Whether we realize it or not, shame affects every aspect of our lives. But God is telling a different story. Curt Thompson unpacks the soul of shame, revealing its ubiquitous nature and neurobiological roots while providing the theological and practical tools necessary to dismantle shame. Embrace healing and wholeness as you find freedom from the negative messages that bind you.

Book Synopsis

Over 100,000 Copies Sold!

The Gospel Coalition Top Books; Outreach Resource of the Year

Uncovering the Root of All Shame

We're all infected with a spiritual disease. Its name is shame.

Whether we realize it or not, shame affects every aspect of our personal lives and vocational endeavors. It seeks to destroy our identity in Christ, replacing it with a damaged version of ourselves that results in unhealed pain and brokenness. But God is telling a different story for your life.

Psychiatrist Curt Thompson unpacks the soul of shame, revealing its ubiquitous nature and neurobiological roots. He also provides the theological and practical tools necessary to dismantle shame, based on years of researching its damaging effects and counseling people to overcome those wounds.

Thompson's expertise and compassion will help you

• Identify your own pains and struggles.
• Find freedom from lifelong negative messages that bind you.
• Embrace healing and wholeness.
• Discover and defeat shame's hidden agenda in your life.

Don't wait to begin your journey toward healing and renewal. Break free from the grip of shame and rewrite the story of your life as you learn to undo the damage shame has caused. Get your copy of The Soul of Shame today and start transforming your life from the inside out.

Review Quotes

"The Soul of Shame provides an in-depth examination of shame and how it affects every aspect of our lives. It is an incredible resource for every pastor who provides pastoral care and counseling. We readily recognize the effects of sin upon the physical body but fail to recognize its impact on the brain that cause neurological changes in the brain which then affects our emotions and thinking. The Soul of Shame will empower pastors and counselors to see that shame is a root issue to most challenges we face in our fallen world. It's a must-read if one wants to be serious about caring pastorally for the Lord's people."

--Brad Hoefs, Outreach Magazine's Resources of the Year, March/April 2016

"Fans of Brene Brown's work will find in The Soul Of Shame an intelligent, complementary (but not identical) companion to their reading. This book would also be helpful to pastors, spiritual directors, and anyone who finds themselves longing to understand why they do the things they don't want to do--and how to move toward joy instead. . . . 'Every minute of every day we choose between shame and love, ' Thompson writes. It takes intention to combat shame, but, as he reminds us, it is not a battle we fight alone. Our God fights for and with us."

--Michelle Van Loon, Patheos, November 5, 2015

"Though shame often exerts hidden, destructive power over us, The Soul of Shame invites us to find freedom with each other and in God's story of love for us. Curt Thompson weaves together experience, insightful stories, science and Scripture to invite us into a story of healing and flourishing together. This excellent book will help to guide my thoughts and relationships for a long time."

--Kent Annan, author of After Shock and Following Jesus Through the Eye of the Needle

"We need to talk about shame. Curt Thompson's recent book The Soul of Shame: Retelling the Stories We Believe About Ourselves (InterVarsity Press, 2015) does just that and is, in my opinion, one of the most important books written this past year. . . . I don't say this lightly, for there are few books I have read that could ever make this list: this should be a book that every Christian pastor needs to know intimately, every parent should read cautiously for the sake of their children, and most Christians should have access to. It is a book that is applicable to everyone on some level, whether you yourself are dealing with shame or you know someone who is."

--Randy Hardman, Seedbed, December 31, 2015

"Curt Thompson critiques shame as an elusive phenomenon, hiding in the shadows. In The Soul of Shame, using a theological lens, he drives shame into the light by framing it as a ubiquitous and intrusive force that creates chaos in the mind, isolation in relationships and suffering in the soul. Since shame is relational, he locates healing in nurturing communities rather than the isolated self. Everyone will be enlightened by this illuminating analysis, entranced by the elegant language and filled with hope by the availability of communal healing."

--Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt, authors of Making Marriage Simple and Getting the Love You Want

About the Author

Curt Thompson (MD, Wright State University) is a board-certified psychiatrist and the founder of the Center for Being Known, a nonprofit organization that develops resources to educate and train leaders on the intersection between interpersonal neurobiology and Christian spiritual formation. He is also the author of Anatomy of the Soul. Thompson and his wife, Phyllis, a licensed clinical social worker, are the parents of two children and reside in Arlington, Virginia.