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What's the difference between guilt and shame?

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June Tangney |

How to Deal with Difficult Feelings

• April 2021

We all experience feelings of guilt or shame at some point. What should we do with them? Clinical psychologist June Tangney differentiates between constructive guilt and crippling shame so that we can learn to better identify and manage our feelings. (This video is part of TED's "How to Deal with Difficult Feelings" series.)

Want to use TED Talks in your organization?

Want to use TED Talks in your organization?

We all experience feelings of guilt or shame at some point. What should we do with them? Clinical psychologist June Tangney differentiates between constructive guilt and crippling shame so that we can learn to better identify and manage our feelings. (This video is part of TED's "How to Deal with Difficult Feelings" series.)

Want to use TED Talks in your organization?

About the speaker

Professor of clinical psychology

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June Tangney studies the moral emotions of shame and guilt, with a specific focus on currently and formerly incarcerated people.