Shadow Work, WTF?

In this episode, Caitlin and Lurinda sit down with Lucy, a mum of three who's been in the personal development space for a decade. Lucy gets honest about why all that mindset work and manifestation coaching helped her intellectually but never actually healed anything, and how Shadow Alchemy became the first approach that actually worked.
From judging women in the gym to realising she was projecting her own desire for confidence, Lucy shares the messy truth about spiritual bypassing and what it really takes to move from understanding your patterns to actually healing them. Plus, some excellent tangents about going clubbing in your 30s and why we stop having fun as adults.
This episode is for you if:

You've done years of mindset work but keep running the same bloody patterns
You judge other women's confidence and secretly wish you had it too
You can connect all the dots about your childhood trauma but still feel triggered by the same stuff
You've lost parts of yourself to motherhood or "adulting" and want them back

What we'll cover:

Why Lucy used to judge women in the gym and what that really meant
The difference between intellectually understanding your patterns and actually healing them
How spiritual bypassing keeps you stuck in analysis without feeling
What happened when Lucy finally let her alterego come out at the nightclub

Resources Mentioned:

Shadow Alchemy Certification: shadowalchemycoaching.com
Shadow Alchemy Coaching Academy: @shadowalchemycoachingacademy

Connect with Us:
This conversation will probably make you think about all the parts of yourself you've shut down in the name of being "appropriate." Share your thoughts with us @shadowalchemycoachingacademy - especially if you're ready to stop intellectualising your way through healing.
If you've been doing mindset work for years but still find yourself stuck in the same patterns, maybe it's time to stop thinking your way through your trauma and start feeling it. Lucy's story is proof that understanding yourself isn't the same as healing yourself - sometimes you need to get out of your head and into your body. And maybe, just maybe, you need to go dancing.

In this raw and deeply personal solo episode, Caitlin gets brutally honest about what really happened in the months leading up to her wedding - and it wasn't the fairy tale love bubble you see in movies. After recording this episode 35 times (yes, really), she finally lets it be messy and shares how her avoidant attachment patterns showed up in ways she never expected, how she almost convinced herself she was marrying the wrong person, and what she discovered when she dug beneath the surface of her doubts. This episode is the real, uncomfortable truth about what it takes to choose love when your nervous system is screaming "run."

This episode is for you if:
You've ever doubted a good relationship and wondered if there's something "better" out there
You struggle with intimacy even when you feel safe with someone
You keep having the same arguments with your partner and can't figure out why
You're terrified that loving someone deeply means you'll be destroyed if you lose them

What we'll cover:
How avoidant attachment shows up differently in secure relationships versus toxic ones
Why Caitlin felt like she was "missing spark" and what she discovered about her relationship to seduction and intimacy
The mirror dynamic that showed her and her partner were actually facing the same fears
The moment she realised her avoidance wasn't about commitment—it was about her terror of loss

Key points:

06:00:00 - The Wedding Doubt Spiral
Caitlin shares how the question "what if I regret it?" started consuming her thoughts three months before the wedding.

15:00:00 - Missing the Spark
Why she felt like something was missing in her relationship and what she discovered about her addiction to push-pull dynamics.

25:00:00 - The Seductress Shadow
How Caitlin realised she'd shut down parts of herself that brought aliveness because she'd only used them as manipulation tactics.

50:00:00 - The Deactivation Strategy
How Caitlin caught herself unconsciously starting fights to create distance when intimacy felt too vulnerable.

This episode is messy, real, and probably longer than it needed to be—just like relationships. Share your thoughts with us @shadowalchemycoachingacademy, especially if you've recognised your own patterns in Caitlin's story.
If you're in a relationship where someone isn't willing to meet you in curiosity and vulnerability, this episode might be the reality check you need. And if you're with someone who is willing to do the work, even when it's uncomfortable, maybe it's time to stop looking for problems and start co-creating solutions.

In this candid episode of Shadow Work, WTF?, Caitlin sits down with support coach Lurinda to talk about the Advanced Shadow Alchemy Facilitator Training, and it's not the polished success story you might expect. Caitlin explains why she created this 12-month intensive that goes way beyond collecting more techniques, while Lurinda gets brutally honest about her experience as a current student. Spoiler: she thought she had her self sorted and was quickly proven wrong.
This conversation reveals what happens when you move from scripts to intuitive space-holding, and why most coaches aren't ready for the level of surrender this path demands.

This episode is for you if:
You're bored of surface-level coaching techniques
You've been secretly wondering if there's more depth available but don't know how to access it
You love the idea of advanced training but need a reality check about what it actually involves
You want to hear someone be genuinely vulnerable about getting their masks ripped off

What we'll cover:
Why Caitlin created a year-long program when most people want quick fixes
What happened when Lurinda walked in thinking she was "sorted" and got systematically humbled
How personal development tools can become sophisticated ways to hide from yourself
The difference between being a good coach and being someone who can hold space for anything

Key Points and Timestamps:
01:41:00 - Why This Exists
Caitlin explains why she couldn't fit everything into Level 1 and what happens when coaches try to go deeper without proper foundation.

25:13:00 - Lurinda's Reality Check
The moment Lurinda realised she'd been weaponising her personal development work to build better walls around her mess.

32:25:00 - Every Tool Becomes a Trap
How the more work you do, the better you get at appearing regulated while avoiding the deeper stuff.

38:07:00 - Sink or Swim
Why the program moves fast enough to force you out of perfectionism and into trusting yourself completely.

42:12:00 - The Bratty Student
Lurinda owns up to turning into "a little brat" when her edges got hit and what that taught her about leadership.

Resources Mentioned:
Shadow Alchemy Certification
Shadow Alchemy Coaching Academy: @shadowalchemycoachingacademy

Connect with Us:
This conversation might make you question everything you thought you knew about coaching training. Share your thoughts with us @shadowalchemycoachingacademy - especially if Lurinda's experience of getting her masks ripped off sounds terrifying but necessary.

Curious about the Advanced Facilitator Training?
Fair warning - this isn't about collecting more techniques or adding credentials to your bio. As Lurinda discovered, it's about getting humbled in ways you didn't see coming and learning to hold space when everything feels like it's moving too fast. If you're genuinely called to go deeper (not just because it sounds impressive), check out shadowalchemycoaching.com.

In this powerful episode of Shadow Work, WTF?, Caitlin sits down with SJ Chiovitti to unpack one of the most uncomfortable yet crucial conversations in the coaching industry: coercive control. With the recent introduction of coercive control laws in Australia, this conversation explores how these dynamics extend far beyond intimate relationships into coaching spaces, creating environments where clients slowly lose their autonomy and self-trust. SJ brings her background in psychology, behavioural finance, and trauma counselling to break down how seemingly supportive mentorship can become psychological captivity—and what we can all do differently.
This episode is for you if:
You've ever felt like you couldn't disagree with or question your coach without consequences
You're a coach wondering if you're unconsciously creating codependent dynamics with clients
You've noticed yourself adopting your mentor's language, style, or opinions without conscious choice
You want to understand the difference between ethical influence and manipulation in coaching

What we'll cover:
How coercive control manifests in coaching spaces through subtle emotional manipulation and power imbalances
The predictable progression from admiration to psychological dependence in mentoring relationships
Why spiritual and personal development language can be weaponised to avoid accountability
Practical steps for coaches to create genuinely empowering, sovereignty-supporting containers

Key Points and Timestamps:
01:42:00 - Defining Coercive Control
SJ breaks down what coercive control actually means and how it removes true consent through psychological pressure disguised as care.
09:42:00 - The Progression into High Control
How coaching relationships start with admiration and gradually shift into psychological captivity through pedestalling and power imbalances.
22:50:00 - Creating Ethical Coaching Spaces
Practical guidance for coaches on how to maintain client sovereignty, ask before offering insight, and make repair normal rather than rare.
43:15:00 - Building Capacity to Speak Truth
SJ shares her journey of developing the nervous system capacity to call out harmful patterns while modelling better alternatives.
1:04:04:00 - Red Flags and Next Steps
Clear warning signs to watch for and actionable steps for both coaches and clients to create or find healthier dynamics.

Resources Mentioned:
Follow SJ Chiovitti: @sj.chiovitti
Shadow Alchemy Certification: shadowalchemycoaching.com
Shadow Alchemy Coaching Academy: @shadowalchemycoachingacademy

Connect with Us:
This conversation challenges some deeply embedded norms in the coaching industry. Share your thoughts with us @shadowalchemycoachingacademy⁠.If you're ready to learn how to create genuinely ethical coaching containers that support client sovereignty rather than dependence, Shadow Alchemy Certification teaches shadow work through embodied practice and ethical frameworks. Our next immersion is coming up, and we're committed to raising the standard of safety in this industry. Learn more at shadowalchemycoaching.com.

Why Your Biggest Blocks Are Keeping Your Clients Stuck Too

This week, Caitlin and support coach Lurinda dive deep into the most common shadows that plague coaches - and how these patterns directly sabotage their ability to create transformative client experiences. From burnout cycles and abandonment wounds to perfectionism and the desperate need to prove themselves, they explore how these shadows create co-dependent relationships, surface-level sessions, and clients who never quite get the breakthrough they're seeking. This conversation offers the uncomfortable truth about why your own unintegrated shadows are the biggest barrier to your coaching effectiveness.

This episode is for you if:
You find yourself filling every silence in coaching sessions because it feels uncomfortable
You struggle with clients who seem overly agreeable or those who challenge your expertise
You work harder than your clients do and feel resentment creeping into your practice
You panic when clients ask questions you don't immediately know how to answer

What we'll cover:
How the "lazy" shadow creates burnout cycles that keep coaches trapped in proving energy
Why abandonment wounds lead to chameleon coaching that serves no one authentically
The perfectionism trap that makes coaches talk too much and listen too little
How to recognise when you're creating co-dependent relationships instead of empowered clients

Key Points and Timestamps:
01:19:00 - The Burnout Shadow
Lurinda shares how the "lazy" shadow drives coaches into exhaustion cycles, working constantly to prove they're not lazy, only to burn out and finally give themselves permission to rest.

10:43:00 - The Chameleon Effect
How abandonment wounds cause coaches to shape-shift for each client, creating unsafe containers where neither coach nor client can show up authentically.

22:25:00 - The Perfectionism Trap
Why coaches who fear being seen as "not knowing enough" end up dominating sessions, leaving clients feeling unheard and misunderstood.

29:26:00 - The Cracking Process
Lurinda describes how the Shadow Alchemy immersion allows coaches to move from rigid personas to authentic presence through being witnessed in their mess.

41:05:00 - Integration and Moving Forward
Practical advice for coaches who recognise these shadows in themselves, including how to discern between imposter syndrome and genuine skill gaps.

Resources Mentioned:
Shadow Alchemy Certification: shadowalchemycoaching.com
Next Shadow Alchemy immersion: July 4th-6th
Follow Lurinda: @perspectivebylurinda
Shadow Alchemy Coaching Academy: @shadowalchemycoachingacademy

Connect with Us:
Loved this episode? Share it with a fellow coach who needs this reality check. Tag us @shadowalchemycoachingacademy with your biggest takeaway.

If you're ready to face your coaching shadows in a container designed for transformation, the next Shadow Alchemy immersion happens July 4th-6th, and prices increase by $1000 after June 30th. This work isn't comfortable, but it's the difference between performing as a coach and actually being one. Apply at shadowalchemycoaching.com when you're ready to stop letting your shadows sabotage your sessions.