
What you’ll experience
Most of us carry qualities we would rather not identify with.
Neediness. Selfishness. Anger. Weakness. Arrogance. Desire. Laziness. Control. Vulnerability.
We may become particularly aware of them when we encounter them in someone else: the person who inexplicably irritates us, the behavior we cannot tolerate, the quality we’re certain we would never embody.
Shadow work begins with the possibility that our reactions may contain something worth becoming curious about.
Not because everything we dislike in another person secretly describes us—but because what carries unusual charge can sometimes lead us toward parts of ourselves we have learned not to know.
Join us for an evening of turning toward these less familiar parts of ourselves with curiosity, compassion, and a little more room for complexity.

Shadow Work
Who This Is For
-
Certain people or behaviors provoke a surprisingly strong reaction in you
-
You notice qualities in yourself that you quickly judge, suppress, or try to change
-
You’re curious about the parts of yourself that don’t fit your preferred self-image
-
You find yourself repeatedly encountering the same conflicts or judgments
-
You want to understand what may live underneath some of your strongest reactions
-
You’re interested in becoming more whole rather than simply becoming a “better” version of yourself
What to Expect
-
A small, intimate group (limited to 8 people)
-
A guided exploration of qualities you tend to reject or distance yourself from
-
Attention to the people and situations that evoke disproportionate judgment or charge
-
Opportunities to become curious about what those reactions may reveal
-
Space to encounter a disowned quality without needing to act it out or get rid of it
-
Reflection, journaling, and optional sharing
-
A grounded, non-performative space—no pressure to expose anything you don’t want to share
-
Shadow work isn’t about deciding that everything you dislike is secretly you. It’s an invitation to become curious about what our strongest reactions might have to teach us.
Workshop Date & Time
-
Tuesday September 22th
-
7pm-9:30pm
-
Held at 5249 College Ave, Oakland CA
-
Snacks and tea will be provided
What You’ll Walk Away With
-
A clearer sense of your own shadow — qualities you may have learned to reject, hide, or disown
-
More curiosity about your reactions — particularly the judgments and triggers that carry unusual intensity
-
Less pressure to maintain a particular self-image — making room for greater complexity within yourself
-
A way to work with projection — questions you can continue using when someone really gets under your skin
-
A greater sense of wholeness — not by eliminating difficult parts of yourself, but by becoming more able to know them
Cost + Registration
-
$40 suggested donation—no one turned away for lack of funds
-
Space is limited to 8 participants
About the Facilitator

Grady M Fort, LMFT
I’m Grady. I’m a psychotherapist and group facilitator, and much of my work is about creating spaces where we can slow down enough to listen to what’s happening beneath the surface.
I’m especially drawn to the thresholds we encounter in life—the times when something familiar is falling away, something new is beginning to emerge, and we find ourselves somewhere in between.
My hope for these evenings is to create a warm, grounded space to meet those moments with greater presence, curiosity, and care.
Grady Fort, LMFT
Certified Hakomi Therapist · Certified Emotionally Focused Therapist & Supervisor
Founder, Bay Area Couples Collective