SHAME & INNOCENCE

Shame is one of the hardest experiences to name, and one that shapes us on a deep level.

It is complex, it runs deep and it touches identity, survival, connection, and longing. It moves through nervous systems, families, cultures, and collective stories.

It’s not only a thought or a belief. It lives in the body as a filter on reality, so familiar we barely notice it. It shapes what feels safe to express, what feels “too much,” and what we brace for others to reject.

Like a “no” we learned to say to ourselves before anyone else can.

And if we are honest, shame is not something most of us want to look at, especially not in front of other people.

So why would we?

Because so much of what shapes us lives beneath the surface. And when we build capacity to stay with the sensations and meanings of shame, gently and at our own pace, something can begin to soften.

We stop abandoning ourselves when it gets uncomfortable. We stop assuming every contraction is a signal to hide.

We learn to stay, to listen, and to meet what matters to us.

This weekend is an invitation into tender, real, embodied exploration of shame and innocence.

Not innocence as naivety, purity, or pretending nothing happened. Innocence here is something else. Something we can return to. A kind of inherent dignity that remains, even after experience. A place in us that knows play, aliveness, and choice.

Over the weekend, we will explore:

⧫ Shame as a lens and how it shapes perception, identity, and belonging

⧫ The intelligence inside shame and how it has protected connection and belonging

⧫ What it costs us when shame runs the show, often invisibly

⧫ Building nervous system capacity to stay present with impulse, longing, feeling and the rhythms of contraction and expansion

⧫ Reconnecting with innocence as freedom, permission, and the pulse of life

⧫ What becomes possible when we no longer need to protect ourselves from our own aliveness

We will work through body, energy, and awareness practices. These include consent based touch, movement, meditation, relational inquiry, group processes, and deep connection work. There is no demand to get somewhere.

The invitation is simple and radical: to turn towards ourselves and what has been hidden with kindness, and listen.

Facebook event here

**This weekend is an experiential playground for exploring shame and innocence. To fully engage with this work, participants need a basic capacity to regulate their emotions and not be completely identified with their own shame. If shame feels all-consuming or overwhelming, this may not be the right container.

Being seen within a group setting is part of the process, and participants are invited to engage with the exercises at their own pace—stepping in and out as much or as little as feels right for them.

Space is limited for an intimate group experience.

Practicalities

⧫ Dates: Sat 28th and Sun 29th November 2026

⧫ Timings: 10:00 – 18:00 with a lunch break

(Please arrive at 9:45; the workshop will start at 10:00)

⧫ Location: Brussels TBA

⧫ Integration call: TBA

⧫ To register, send an email to workshops@schnizer.nl ⧫

⧫ Pricing:

Early bird pricing by 20th of April 2026: € 345,00*

Standard pricing as of 21st of April 2026: € 395,00*

* Price including VAT for private individuals, excluding VAT for businesses.

Invoices will be only issued to businesses.

Cancellation policy – (Non-Medical Reason)
Until 9th of April 2026: 50% refund
10th of April 2026 onwards: no refunds

For questions feel free to reach out to: workshops@schnizer.nl or marysia.pst@gmail.com

⧫ About us ⧫

Marysia and Markus are both bodyworkers, and have been working together for several years. A lot of what brings them together is a shared fascination with the body’s innate intelligence, and with what can open up when we slow down enough to really listen.

Their work together has grown through weekends exploring Shame and Innocence, anger as a life-giving, creative force (Emerging Radiance), and fawning (Becoming who you Need me to be)… themes that keep appearing in their sessions, their own lives, and the wider territory of being human.

They are both deeply interested in tracking what is happening in the body, staying with what is here, and becoming more skilful at meeting experience without rushing to fix, override or escape it.

For them, the work is not about getting rid of difficult responses. It is about listening closely enough to understand what they are doing, and developing more choice and freedom in how we move with them.

They love creating spaces that are real, exploratory, relational and playful, with room for both depth and lightness.

“Working with shame and innocence may be one of the most challenging aspects of consciousness development. Markus and Marysia are able to create a powerful and safe holding field in which personal themes such as shame, judgment, criticism, and failure are touched on a deep level. Their approach is both precise and inspiring. In their collaboration, they maintain a clear balance, always allowing participants to stay in touch with their own agency — no matter how vulnerable the process becomes. Their interventions are honest and supportive, never directive, always inviting. Through this, it became clear how the willingness to fully feel shame can open the door to innocence — and with it, to one’s own potential and essence. I was deeply moved — both in my resistance to personal themes and in my inspiration. What was touched continues to resonate within me.”

"I’ve been left with a deep sense of satisfaction, like some long-held patterns have shifted, and new insights have emerged. So much unfolded over the two days… The realization that confrontation can actually lead to clarity and deeper connection is something I’ll be processing for a while. I also really appreciated that we were given enough space afterward to feel how the interpersonal dynamics had shifted. Incredible"

"Thank you. It really felt like a gift to do this workshop with you. It’s hard to put into words what exactly took place. I felt a deep connection to my pelvis and so much power, I never felt that connection so strongly before, a kind of primal energy. I felt very empowered and alive and very intuitive. A way of accepting darkness in me and connecting deeper to my intuition, it was truly amazing."

"I felt very self connected during the workshop, the sense of slowing down and Marysia being so natural enabled me to follow the flow of my body. Meeting myself and others in different energies - from stillness to juiciness to raw power. Where I usually end up ‘doing something’, I felt that during this workshop the energies were invited from the inside. I felt so empowered after tasting what is inside me!"

"It completely shifted my perception — from seeing shame as something woven into my skin, to understanding it as part of the broader human experience. In this workshop, I witnessed extraordinary bravery, support, and the profound significance of listening, being present & communicating in navigating shame. I learned that shame doesn’t always require fixing or panicking. Instead, it can be met with curiosity — and, when possible, with the safety of being surrounded by others who can hold it with you. I feel deeply grateful to have gone through this experience with the incredible but always gentle & professional guidance from Marysia & Markus. Together, they created an environment grounded in honesty & safety, and they were always there to give us the tools to support each other in this process, but most notably ourselves too."

SHAME & INNOCENCE

Facebook event here

Practicalities

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