What is a shadow work worksheet?

A shadow work worksheet is a guided journaling tool with prompts designed to help you explore your unconscious mind—the parts of yourself you've repressed or hidden. It typically includes questions about childhood experiences, emotional patterns, fears, and beliefs.

Is shadow work dangerous?

Shadow work is generally safe when done mindfully. However, it can surface difficult emotions and memories. If you're processing significant trauma, consider working with a therapist. Always practice self-compassion and take breaks when needed.

How often should I do shadow work?

Quality matters more than quantity. Many people find 1-2 shadow work journaling sessions per week sustainable. Going too fast can be overwhelming. Listen to your emotional capacity and take breaks when needed.

What's the difference between shadow work and regular journaling?

Regular journaling often focuses on daily events and conscious thoughts. Shadow work journaling specifically targets unconscious material—repressed emotions, hidden beliefs, childhood wounds, and patterns you're not normally aware of. The prompts are designed to bypass surface-level thinking.

Can I do shadow work without a therapist?

Yes, many people do shadow work independently through journaling. However, if you're dealing with significant trauma, PTSD, or mental health conditions, working with a therapist can provide valuable support and safety.

How do I know if shadow work is working?

Signs of progress include: recognizing patterns you didn't see before, feeling less triggered by situations that used to upset you, increased self-compassion, better relationships, and a sense of being more 'whole' or integrated.

Shadow Work

Free Shadow Work Worksheet Generator

Daniel W. Chen • January 28, 2026

Founder of Life Note, #1 AI journaling app for human wisdom.

Generate your personalized shadow work journal PDF with prompts for inner child healing, trauma processing, and self-discovery. Free downloadable worksheet.

Photo by Ahtziri Lagarde / Unsplash

TL;DR: Use this free tool to generate a personalized shadow work PDF worksheet. Choose your focus area (inner child, trauma, relationships, self-worth, anger, or fear), select how many prompts you want (5-20), and download a beautifully formatted journal ready for deep self-reflection.

Shadow work is one of the most transformative practices for personal growth—but knowing where to start can feel overwhelming. That's why we built this free shadow work worksheet generator.

Instead of generic prompts, this tool creates a personalized PDF journal based on exactly what you need to explore. Whether you're healing childhood wounds, processing difficult emotions, or understanding relationship patterns, you'll get prompts designed to guide you deeper.

What is Shadow Work?

Shadow work is a concept from Jungian psychology that involves exploring the unconscious parts of yourself—the traits, emotions, desires, and memories you've repressed or hidden from awareness. Carl Jung called this your "shadow self."

We all have a shadow. It forms in childhood when we learn that certain parts of ourselves aren't acceptable—maybe anger wasn't allowed, or vulnerability was seen as weakness, or your needs were dismissed. These rejected parts don't disappear; they go underground.

Shadow work brings these hidden aspects into conscious awareness through practices like journaling, so you can:

Understand your triggers — Why certain situations provoke intense reactions
Break recurring patterns — In relationships, work, and self-sabotage
Heal emotional wounds — From childhood and past experiences
Develop self-compassion — By accepting all parts of yourself
Reclaim lost energy — That's been spent suppressing your shadow

How to Use This Shadow Work Worksheet Generator

Step 1: Choose Your Focus Area

The tool offers six shadow work categories, each targeting different aspects of your unconscious:

Focus Area	Best For	Signs You Need This
Inner Child	Healing childhood wounds	Feeling unworthy, abandonment fears, people-pleasing
Trauma	Processing painful experiences	Flashbacks, avoidance, emotional numbness
Relationships	Understanding attachment patterns	Repeated relationship issues, fear of intimacy
Self-Worth	Building confidence and self-acceptance	Imposter syndrome, harsh self-criticism, perfectionism
Anger	Processing suppressed emotions	Resentment, passive-aggression, explosive outbursts
Fear	Facing hidden anxieties	Avoidance behaviors, anxiety, playing it safe

Step 2: Select Your Prompt Count

Choose between 5-20 prompts. If you're new to shadow work, start with 5-10 prompts—this practice can bring up intense emotions, and it's better to go deep on fewer questions than rush through many.

Step 3: Download Your PDF

Your personalized worksheet generates instantly as a beautifully formatted PDF with:

A title page with your chosen focus area
One prompt per page with lined space for writing
Prompts drawn from 120+ carefully crafted questions

Generate Your Shadow Work Worksheet

Select your options below and download your free personalized PDF:

Shadow Work Worksheet Generator

Create your personalized shadow work journal with prompts based on Jungian psychology.

Step 1

Choose Your Focus

Number of prompts:

10 prompts

Step 2

Personalize (Optional)

What is Shadow Work?

Shadow work explores the unconscious parts of yourself—traits and emotions you've repressed. By journaling through these prompts, you can understand patterns, heal wounds, and integrate all parts of who you are.

Tips for Effective Shadow Work Journaling

Shadow work isn't about "fixing" yourself—it's about understanding and integrating all parts of who you are. Here's how to get the most from your worksheet:

Create a Safe Space

Find a private, comfortable place where you won't be interrupted. Shadow work can surface difficult emotions, and you need space to feel whatever comes up.

Write Without Censoring

Your journal is for your eyes only. Don't edit yourself. The messier and more honest, the better. Let your stream of consciousness flow.

Go at Your Own Pace

You don't need to complete the entire worksheet in one sitting. One prompt per day—or even per week—is enough. This is deep work.

Practice Self-Compassion

You may encounter parts of yourself that feel shameful or uncomfortable. Meet them with curiosity rather than judgment. These parts developed to protect you.

Consider Professional Support

If you're processing significant trauma, working with a therapist alongside your journaling can provide additional support and guidance.

What Makes These Prompts Different

The prompts in this generator aren't generic journaling questions. They're specifically designed for shadow work based on Jungian principles:

They target the unconscious — Questions that bypass surface-level thinking
They reveal projections — Helping you see how you project your shadow onto others
They trace patterns to origin — Connecting current behaviors to past experiences
They invite integration — Moving from awareness to acceptance

Continue Your Shadow Work Journey

This worksheet generator is a starting point. For deeper exploration:

100+ Shadow Work Prompts — Our complete guide with prompts organized by theme
Best Shadow Work Apps — Digital tools to support your practice
Life Note — AI-guided journaling with mentors who can help you explore your shadow