Golden Shadow
Reclaiming What We See in Others
What we admire, envy, idealize, or long for in others may point toward something in ourselves waiting to be reclaimed.
What you’ll experience
There are people who captivate us. Someone seems more alive, more creative, more powerful, more sensual, more confident, more free. We may admire them, envy them, fall a little in love with them—or simply find ourselves unable to look away.
Often, we assume the thing that draws us belongs to them.
The idea of the golden shadow invites another possibility: that some of what we see in others may be a reflection of qualities, capacities, and ways of being that we have not yet fully claimed in ourselves.
Join us for an evening of slowing down, looking more closely at who and what draws us, and exploring what these attractions might reveal about the unlived parts of ourselves.
Reclaiming Golden Shadow
The Nitty Gritty...
Who This Is For
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You find yourself strongly admiring or idealizing certain people
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You experience envy or comparison and are curious about what might be underneath it
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There are qualities in others you wish you possessed more fully yourself
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You’re curious about the people who fascinate, inspire, or magnetize you
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You sense there are parts of yourself that have not had enough room to develop
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You want to relate to longing and envy with greater curiosity and less judgment
What to Expect
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A small, intimate group (limited to 8 people)
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A guided exploration of the people and qualities that hold particular charge for you
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Space to look beneath admiration, envy, attraction, and idealization
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Opportunities to explore qualities you may have located primarily in other people
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Time to imagine what it might mean to reclaim some of those qualities as your own
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Reflection, journaling, and optional sharing
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A grounded, non-performative space—no pressure to share more than you want
Workshop Date & Time
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Tuesday September 29th
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7pm-9:30pm
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Held at 5249 College Ave, Oakland CA
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Snacks and tea will be provided
What You’ll Walk Away With
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A different relationship to envy and admiration — seeing them as possible sources of information rather than something to dismiss or judge
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Greater awareness of your golden shadow — qualities you may recognize more easily in others than in yourself
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A glimpse of something unlived — a part of yourself that may be asking for more expression
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A way to work with projection — a simple approach for exploring the people who carry particular emotional charge for you
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Something to experiment with — a quality or way of being you can begin bringing more consciously into your life
Cost + Registration
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$40 suggested donation—no one turned away for lack of funds
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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