THINK TANK: 50 Shades of Self-Flagellation: How Obsessive Guilt Can Paralyze Us

While appropriate shame and guilt certainly have their place, and the lack of such is associated with sociopathy, obsessive guilt can actually lead to becoming stuck and almost crippled in life. The anxiety caused by such rumination creates a sort of cycle that feeds guilt so that the cycle continues and can emotionally and psychologically paralyze someone.

Jann Jaffe (Northwestern University, BA,MA) is an iPEC Certified Professional Success and Performance Coach. Traumatic brain injuries cut short her successful career as an international opera/concert singer, and master class teacher, and drastically altered her life. Jann’s specialty is helping professionals and performing artists, especially opera singers, achieve optimal success, realization of their potential, and life and career transitions. For more information, www.forwardtosuccess.com and contact Jann at info@forwardtosuccess.com

Sharissa Sebastian is a life and leadership coach for women, a speaker and writer.  Her passion is helping women break free from being stuck, overwhelmed, and stressed to live a life of passion,purpose, joy and fulfillment. She currently serves on the board of directors of a wonderful organization called Empowering Women as Leaders.  Find her at www.sharissasebastian.com or www.about.me/sharissasebastian

Kent Robertshaw, MD, a graduate of Cornell Medical School, currently teaches pharmacology classes at Columbia Medical School about substance abuse. A world-renowned expert in addiction, & quoted in numerous magazine and newspaper articles, he's appeared on CNN and the Oprah Winfrey show and has been featured over 20 times on the radio show “The Positive Mind”. He believes in a “Whole Body approach” to treating individuals with the sensitivity to Mind Body connection (Meditation, Exercise, Nutrition...) and has a warm, humanistic, caring approach to his patients.