Book Review: Shadow Work for Hot Messes by Mandi Em
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Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for free in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts in this review reflect my personal experience and honest opinion.
It’s the next evolution of shadow work as only Mandi Em can deliver it. With introspective exercises and relatable guidance, this one-of-a-kind book helps you do the work to become a happier, healthier, and more empowered hot mess.
Take yourself from hot mess to a happier, more empowered hot mess who is in touch with their shadow self with this powerful new book from Mandi Em, the unhinged author behind Witchcraft Therapy, Happy Witch, and Feral Self-Care.
This book is intended to provide fun and sassy direction to folks looking to reconnect with themselves and pursue their own healing journey for maximum wellness. The tone of this book is like having a BFF right by your side, helping you swerve around the BS and yanking you back to your core to connect with your own inner shadow to find healing and live your best life.
Book Blurb from Simon & Schuster
About the Book: Shadow Work for Hot Messes
From the author of Feral Self-Care, Mandi Em’s Shadow Work for Hot Messes is a workbook unlike any other.
The book is split into three sections called “phases”, each meant to build off the previous. These phases are called Perception, Investigation, and Integration and Synthesis. Each section in this book has chapters meant to explain what the section is and why it’s important for shadow work.
There are exercises, prompts, and integration tips scattered throughout the book making this more than a how-to; it is a comprehensive workbook for anyone looking to dig into their shadows.
My Thoughts
As someone who already knows quite a bit about shadow work, this book was a pleasant surprise. My experience with spiritual books about shadow work has been kind of mediocre. I really enjoy the way this book is laid out. Before Mandi gets into phase one, she includes some really important pieces that I feel a lot of shadow work content lacks. There’s an introduction to the book, a “how-to” section for using the book, and a final section titled Shadow Work Basics.
Rather than leaving the reader to fend for themselves and potentially trigger their shadows before they’re reading, the author does several important things. First, she explains the purposes of shadow work. These include increasing confidence and self-esteem, finding your authentic self, and the ability to process triggers and challenging emotions more quickly. She then guides the reader through prompts and a ritual to help you build your safety toolbox. If you know anything about shadow work, you’ll know that safety is important because shadow work can bring up a lot of deep triggers and emotions you didn’t even know you had.
The last paragraph before Phase One is a final note for shadow work. This paragraph is what let me know the author truly cares about her readers and understands the depth of shadows. In it, she writes the following:
Also, please recognize that some shadow work, certainly in cases of significant trauma, is best done under the guidance of a trained therapist or mental health professional. Know and honor yourself enough to give yourself the resources and support you need to best tackle this work.
Mandi’s writing style also keeps true to her personality and authentic self. Rather than water herself down to be palatable for the masses, she gives zero fucks about her use of language and uses whatever words she deems necessary to get her point across. Is there vulgarity in the book? Sure! But it has a point when its used.
Should you read this book?
If you’re looking for a comprehensive book to guide you through your shadows, this book is for you. The prompts and exercises go further than many I’ve seen (including my own 😅) — digging into your shadows is hard work and I feel like this book will be a great asset to those looking for more out of their shadow work. If you don’t mind the author’s writing style, then this book will be for you!
Grab a Copy & Find the Author
- Get the Book: Bookshop.org, Thriftbooks, Libro.fm, or Simon & Schuster
- Find the author online: Author Website, Publisher Website, Instagram
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