Sometimes shame runs so deep that the usual fixes (like getting vulnerable or sharing your story) just don’t work.
In this conversation, psychologist Dr. Therese Mascardo sits down with psychotherapist and author Dr. Zoe Shaw (Stronger in the Difficult Places) to unpack complex shame: why it lingers, why “share and be seen” isn’t always enough, and what real healing looks like.
You’ll learn the difference between guilt and shame, how high achievers hide behind perfectionism, why women use hedging words like “I think” or “maybe,” and how to speak with certainty. Plus, Dr. Zoe’s “100 Rejections” strategy for building resilience and freedom from fear.
Quotes from this episode:
“Guilt usually tells the truth. Shame always lies.”
“Find your shame by noticing everywhere you want to hide.”
“Healing isn’t about making shame disappear—it’s about changing your relationship with it.”
🎧 Listen Everywhere
🍎 Apple Podcasts →
🎵 Spotify →
🪴 Substack Audio →
💬 Guest: Dr. Zoe Shaw
📸 Instagram → @drzoeshaw
🌐 Website → drzoeshaw.com
📖 Book → Stronger in the Difficult Places
Books Mentioned:
📚 You Are Your Best Thing by Tarana Burke & Brené Brown
📚 Rejection Proof by Jia Jiang
💙 SPONSOR:
This episode is made possible by TherapyNotes: the all-in-one practice management software that helps therapists handle notes, scheduling, billing, and telehealth so they can focus on people, not paperwork.
🩵 Try it free for 2 months with code DRTHERESE
✨ About This Podcast
You know how sometimes you wish you could just call up your therapist when you’re having a moment? That’s what this podcast is.
This is for high-achievers, perfectionists, and eldest daughters who look like they have it all together but are silently struggling. Think of Dr. Therese like a big sister with a doctorate. No confusing jargon, just real talk about building a life you don’t need to escape from.
If you’re feeling anxious, you’ll leave empowered.
If you’re feeling lonely, you’ll leave connected.
🗓️ New episodes every Thursday.
✨ Connect with Dr. Therese
📸 Instagram →
🗞️ Free Weekly Newsletter →
🌐 Website →
🪶 About Dr. Therese
Dr. Therese Mascardo is a Filipino-American psychologist and author of Love The Journey. For over a decade, she’s been in therapy rooms noticing patterns most people never get to see: what happens right before someone breaks through to genuine joy, what keeps people stuck, and what actually helps when everything feels heavy.
Her mission is simple: to help people build lives they don’t need to escape from.
