Unlearning Shame

How We Can Reject Self-Blame Culture and Reclaim Our Power

By: Devon Price PhD

Narrated by: Devon Price PhD

Learn to identify—and combat—Systemic Shame, the feeling of self-hatred and disempowerment that comes from living in a society that blames individuals for systemic problems, with this invaluable resource from the social psychologist and author of Unmasking Autism.

Systemic Shame is the socially engineered self-loathing that says we are solely to blame for our circumstances. It tells us that poverty is remedied by hard-working people pulling themselves up by their bootstraps, that marginalized people are personally responsible for solving the problem of their own oppression, and that massive global crises like climate change can be solved with individual action. Feeling overwhelmed? That’s your problem, too. The more we try and ultimately fail to live up to impossible societal standards of moral goodness, the more shame we feel—and the more we retreat into isolation and despair.

Social psychologist Dr. Devon Price knows firsthand the destructive effects of Systemic Shame; he experienced shame and self-hatred as he grappled with his transgender identity, feeling as if his suffering was caused by his own actions rather than systems like cissexism. And it doesn’t just end with internal feelings of anguish. It causes us to judge other people the same way we fear being judged, which blocks us from seeking out the acceptance and support we need and discourages us from trying to improve our communities and our relationships.

In Unlearning Shame, Dr. Price explores how we can deal with those hard emotions more effectively, tackling the societal shame we’ve absorbed and directed at ourselves. He introduces the antidote to Systemic Shame: expansive recognition, an awareness of one’s position in the larger social world and the knowledge that our battles are only won when they are shared. He provides a suite of exercises and resources designed to combat Systemic Shame on a personal, interpersonal, and global level through rebuilding trust in yourself, in others, and in our shared future.

By offering a roadmap to healing and a toolkit of actionable items, Unlearning Shame helps us reject hopelessness and achieve sustainable change and personal growth.


* This audiobook edition includes a downloadable PDF which contains exercises, tools, and prompts from the book.

Critic reviews

“With the authentic voice I’ve grown to expect from Devon, he raises an issue that could not be more timely. This book articulates a feeling that has lurked in the dark corners of so many minds and brings it into the light where it can be faced, embraced, and, ultimately, healed. Stop doomscrolling and read this book. You’ll feel better, I promise.”—Celeste Headlee, journalist and bestselling author

this is a must read for westerners

systemic shame is real and we must combat it to collectively improve our countries mental health. This is an important book and I hope it gets the traction it deserves

Systemic Shame

the author is very clear and I see better how systemic shame has affected many - particularly me and my family.

he spent a lot of time discussing activism within various marginalized groups. this included some tips and pointers on establishing activist groups and protests. I thought this detected from the overall thesis of shame.

I appreciated his personal stories of shame regarding LGBTQI and neurodivergent issues.

Life affirming and life changing read

The way this book weaved a web in my mind and heart! So powerful. So grateful to have read it.

Researched explanations & concrete applications.

A heartfelt reading by Dr. Price filled with insights I believe I can apply to my own way of thinking. I was compelled to immediately text my therapist about new insights into a recent experience of mine upon completing. I will surely be chewing over this content for some time.

Deeply Meaningful

I have read each of Devon Price’s books (and excited for the 4th in 2025!) — each one has been uplifting, informative and moving for me as a therapist, a mom of a trans son, and as a human on this Earth. Unlearning Shame is filled with excellent research, insights, and helpful worksheets to explore themes in more depth. I sincerely appreciate Devon’s efforts to educate, validate and inspire his readers.