From Shame to Self-Acceptance
From Shame to Self-Acceptance: A Life Coach’s Journey Through Anxiety, OCD, and Healing
Shame is a quiet force. It creeps in during our most vulnerable moments and convinces us we are flawed, broken, or not enough. For years, I believed that voice. I lived with the weight of anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), often hiding behind perfectionism, people-pleasing, and self-doubt. But over time, I discovered that shame doesn’t have to define us—and healing is possible.
Today, I work as a Life Coach NYC, Mindset Coach, Hypnotherapist, and career counselor, and I get to help others untangle the very patterns I once felt trapped by. But before I became a coach/hypnotist, I had to do the deep, uncomfortable work of facing my own shame and strong inner critic. And that journey is exactly what allows me to guide my clients with compassion and clarity.
Understanding Shame
Shame isn’t just a fleeting emotion—it’s a deeply rooted belief that we are somehow "wrong" or "bad." Unlike guilt, which is about actions, shame targets identity. It often stems from childhood conditioning, trauma, or experiences where we were made to feel unworthy or unlovable.
Shame is not the same as guilt. They’re distinct emotions. Guilt is saying to yourself, “I did something bad.” Shame is telling yourself, “I am bad.”
Guilt may arise as the result of and action someone does or does not take. You may feel bad or regret having done something bad or not having done enough. This can motivate you to change your future behavior.
Shame comes about as a result of negative evaluations from others, often in your early years (ie: parents, family, community, school, etc.), even if you have nothing to feel guilty about. The outcome is that you don’t feel bad about a particular action but about yourself as a whole.
Shame involves negative self-evaluation, believing that something is wrong with you as a person. As a result, you may feel inadequate or even unworthy. What makes shame hard to identify and to overcome, is that it often operates outside of your conscious awareness. But, it’s important to know that healing and growth are always possible.
With shame, you’re negatively judging yourself when you believe that you haven’t lived up to others’ standard, or even your own. This feeling of shame evokes lots of discomfort and you may feel that you want to hide. You may feel inadequate, stupid, worthless and “less than.”
All of us experience shame occasionally but if you’re ruled by it, it’s time to address it.
For me, anxiety became tangled with shame. I didn’t want anyone to know how hard it was to simply be some days. My body and mind were filled with anxiety. I became a master at appearing “fine” on the outside while wrestling with intrusive thoughts and constant self-monitoring. The OCD started showing up, in an obvious way, when I started college. This duality created a deep disconnect from myself—and kept me stuck in cycles of overthinking and burnout.
As a child, I had lost my own identity and knew I had to rediscover and retrieve it, in order to feel fine, both internally and externally. Curiosity and getting professional help is what started me on my journey back to myself.
Breaking Free: My Turning Point
The shift began when I stopped trying to "fix" myself and instead got curious. Through coaching, therapy, hypnotherapy, and more, I learned how to access my subconscious beliefs, reframe unhelpful beliefs, thoughts and old narratives, and release stored emotional patterns. Of course, this healing and inner work continue. The more I healed, the more I wanted to support others in doing the same.
Today, I specialize in life, mindset and transformational coaching, helping clients not only build fulfilling careers but also unlearn the limiting beliefs that block them from their potential. Whether it's imposter syndrome, fear of failure, the desire to change your thoughts to change your narrative or the lingering effects of shame, my work is rooted in deep listening and empathy and practical mindset tools.
What I Want You to Know
If you’re carrying shame, please know this: you are not broken. You’re human. And healing doesn’t mean becoming someone new—it means remembering who you are underneath the fear. We are born whole, unique and beautiful and much of our job here, is to become who we really are.
As a Life Coach in NYC, I’ve seen firsthand how powerful it is when someone decides to rewrite their story. With the right support—from a Mindset Coach, Hypnotherapist, or trusted guide—you can shift your internal dialogue and step into a more empowered version of yourself.
You don’t have to navigate this alone. Whether you're feeling stuck in your career, struggling with anxiety, or ready to heal old emotional wounds, there is a path forward—and I’d be honored to walk it with you.
With smiles & love,
Dr Gigi
PS: Let’s walk this path together……….
SCHEDULE your free Clarity Call @www.gigiarnaud.com