Carolyn Elliott, PhD

Weiser Books, 2020

Tucked into our unconscious are the repressed, tabooed, primal, uncomfortable, and unwanted aspects of ourselves, which, when they manifest in our lives, can cause stuck, painful patterns of existence. Why do we always find ourselves choosing an abusive partner or boss, settling for less, thinking that we're undeserving? It's because, argues Carolyn Elliott, PhD, we refuse to acknowledge the unconscious pleasure we derive from the taboo side - the shadow side- of our being, what Elliott calls our "existential kink". This "dark side" can make us feel powerless and often holds us back from our life's goals. But it also holds profound transformative power.