Overcoming Guilt & Shame: Releasing What No Longer Serves You
Registration is recommended, but walk-ins are welcome.
This experiential mini-retreat blends insight, reflection, and gentle action. We’ll explore how guilt and shame shape our inner dialogue, relationships, and self-worth - and how to shift from self-criticism to self-compassion. Through stories, relatable examples, and guided reflection, participants will learn the difference between healthy guilt and toxic shame, then move through an in-the-moment healing exercise designed to release emotional weight stored in the body. Together, we’ll strengthen mindset (self-understanding), heartset (emotional forgiveness), skillset (boundary-setting and self-talk), and toolset (daily practices for letting go). Expect to leave lighter, clearer, and more accepting of your own humanity.
J. Victoria “Vicky” Laszlo is a licensed clinical social worker, trauma specialist, and founder of Hope & Healing Journeys, where she has guided thousands of individuals through life’s most challenging emotional seasons. With more than 30 years of experience and over 70,000 hours of direct client work, she specializes in helping adults navigate grief, loss, guilt, shame, and the deep-rooted patterns that keep people feeling stuck. Vicky’s workshops blend neuroscience, somatic healing, Internal Family Systems, and compassionate self-inquiry, offering participants not just insight but embodied transformation. Known for her grounded presence and warm, elegant teaching style, she creates safe spaces where people can release emotional burdens, reconnect with their inner strength, and experience healing that feels accessible, dignified, and empowering. Whether in retreat settings, therapeutic groups, or community workshops, Vicky helps adults strengthen their mindset (clarity and understanding), heartset (self-compassion and emotional release), skillset (healthy communication and boundaries), and toolset (daily practices for resilience and regulation). Her mission is simple yet profound: to help people heal, rise, and return to themselves.
Brought to you by Just For The Health Of It! Initiative, The Library's Prescription for Quality Health & Wellness Information.
East Brunswick Public Library is committed to making its facilities, services, and programs accessible to all people, including those with disabilities. Read more in our ADA Accommodations page.
EBPL invites participation by people with special needs to our programs. Please inform library staff if you require an accommodation or modification to enjoy this program.