Heal from trauma and find inner calm using somatic therapy
Trauma lives on in both the mind and the body, and focusing on the body-mind connection is a powerful tool for healing. This insightful workbook introduces you to somatic therapy, an approach that helps release emotional and physical stress that is trapped in the body, so you can process your trauma and begin to heal.
**Evidence-based techniques—Learn what somatic therapy is, how it works, and the key methods.
**Somatic therapy in practice—Use writing prompts, bodywork, and breathing exercises to regulate the nervous system and bring the mind and body into balance.
**Feel grounded—Discover how somatic therapy can help you feel calmer, happier, and more anchored.
Release the effects of trauma from your body and mind with somatic therapy.
Dann’s workbook distills complex interventions into no-nonsense, step-by-step processes that will help get you grounded in your body when the past hijacks your nervous system and you feel overwhelmed, paralyzed, reactive, or disconnected. With clarity and warmth, she demystifies somatic healing work, making it broadly accessible in this creative, powerful collection of psychoeducational and experiential resources. A must-read—and must re-read!” —Alicia Muñoz, LPC, couples therapist and author of Stop Overthinking Your Relationship: Break the Cycle of Anxious Rumination to Nourish Love, Trust, and Connection With Your Partner
“Dann’s compassionate wisdom and warmth is a cherished companion along the often confusing and lonely path of trauma-healing. This workbook is an accessible, practical, experiential guide for anyone who is interested in learning more about somatic therapy and trauma-healing. Therapists will also benefit from this workbook, which offers experiential somatic tools to expand their work with clients, or complementary support for clients to develop embodiment and nervous system regulation outside of therapy.” —Blake Blankenbecler, LPC
“Jordan Dann’s book is an invitation to hope and recovery for any person wanting to heal traumatic stress through the techniques of somatic therapy. This workbook reminds us that by building the capacity to regulate our body and awareness of our inner processes, we can vitalize and create healing in our life. Jordan Dann’s clear and concise guide to using somatic techniques is essential reading and practice for anyone interested in healing trauma and improving body awareness and overall well-being.” —Yoon Im Kane, LCSW, CGP, founder and CEO of Mindful NYC, psychotherapist, and author of The Mindfulness workbook for Depression and Women, Intersectionality and Power in Group Psychotherapy
“This book is a perfect starting point for anyone who is ‘somatic curious.’ Jordan Dann does a wonderful job transforming potentially esoteric, abstract concepts into concrete, step-by-step, beautifully worded prompts. I would recommend this book to anyone who is beginning their somatic journey.” —Michelle Cleary, LCSW, SEP, founder of Find The Shift, LLC
“Jordan Dan has crafted a highly informed and useful guide to mind-body trauma work. An important tool for clinicians and patients.” —Elliot Zeisel, PhD, DFAGPA, executive producer GROUP – The Series
From the Publisher
Book Synopsis
Heal from trauma and find inner calm using somatic therapy
Trauma lives on in both the mind and the body, and focusing on the body-mind connection is a powerful tool for healing. This insightful workbook introduces you to somatic therapy, an approach that helps release emotional and physical stress that is trapped in the body, so you can process your trauma and begin to heal.
- Evidence-based techniques–Learn what somatic therapy is, how it works, and the key methods.
- Somatic therapy in practice–Use writing prompts, bodywork, and breathing exercises to regulate the nervous system and bring the mind and body into balance.
- Feel grounded–Discover how somatic therapy can help you feel calmer, happier, and more anchored.
Release the effects of trauma from your body and mind with somatic therapy.
Review Quotes
“Dann’s workbook distills complex interventions into no-nonsense, step-by-step processes that will help get you grounded in your body when the past hijacks your nervous system and you feel overwhelmed, paralyzed, reactive, or disconnected. With clarity and warmth, she demystifies somatic healing work, making it broadly accessible in this creative, powerful collection of psychoeducational and experiential resources. A must-read–and must re-read!” –Alicia Muñoz, LPC, couples therapist and author of Stop Overthinking Your Relationship: Break the Cycle of Anxious Rumination to Nourish Love, Trust, and Connection With Your Partner
“Dann’s compassionate wisdom and warmth is a cherished companion along the often confusing and lonely path of trauma-healing. This workbook is an accessible, practical, experiential guide for anyone who is interested in learning more about somatic therapy and trauma-healing. Therapists will also benefit from this workbook, which offers experiential somatic tools to expand their work with clients, or complementary support for clients to develop embodiment and nervous system regulation outside of therapy.” –Blake Blankenbecler, LPC
“Jordan Dann’s book is an invitation to hope and recovery for any person wanting to heal traumatic stress through the techniques of somatic therapy. This workbook reminds us that by building the capacity to regulate our body and awareness of our inner processes, we can vitalize and create healing in our life. Jordan Dann’s clear and concise guide to using somatic techniques is essential reading and practice for anyone interested in healing trauma and improving body awareness and overall well-being.” –Yoon Im Kane, LCSW, CGP, founder and CEO of Mindful NYC, psychotherapist, and author of The Mindfulness workbook for Depression and Women, Intersectionality and Power in Group Psychotherapy
“This book is a perfect starting point for anyone who is ‘somatic curious.’ Jordan Dann does a wonderful job transforming potentially esoteric, abstract concepts into concrete, step-by-step, beautifully worded prompts. I would recommend this book to anyone who is beginning their somatic journey.” –Michelle Cleary, LCSW, SEP, founder of Find The Shift, LLC
“Jordan Dan has crafted a highly informed and useful guide to mind-body trauma work. An important tool for clinicians and patients.” –Elliot Zeisel, PhD, DFAGPA, executive producer GROUP – The Series
Heal from trauma and find inner calm using somatic therapy
Trauma lives on in both the mind and the body, and focusing on the body-mind connection is a powerful tool for healing. This insightful workbook introduces you to somatic therapy, an approach that helps release emotional and physical stress that is trapped in the body, so you can process your trauma and begin to heal.
- Evidence-based techniques—Learn what somatic therapy is, how it works, and the key methods.
- Somatic therapy in practice—Use writing prompts, bodywork, and breathing exercises to regulate the nervous system and bring the mind and body into balance.
- Feel grounded—Discover how somatic therapy can help you feel calmer, happier, and more anchored.
Release the effects of trauma from your body and mind with somatic therapy.
No one will debate that intimate relationships require good communication. Good communication means being able to regulate your nervous system enough to be able to tolerate the discomfort of sitting with your experience, and your partner’s experience. Good communication DOES NOT mean that you and your partner come to an agreement. Good communication means EXPANDING YOUR CAPACITY to be with multiple threads of experience simultaneously. Which strategy do you employ? What “part” of yourself ends up leading during conflict? What about your partner? What might you need to expand your capacity to tolerate one another’s differences? What “part” would you like to lead during conflict? Problem Solving PartsProblem solving parts organize around an issue as if it’s a problem to be solved practically. The intention behind this is to find a quick solution in order to end the conflict. This might sound like, “I’ll just get home earlier so I can do the dishes and you’ll put the kids to bed on time.” If you lead with this you are most likely going to miss the underlying feelings of your partner. It’s not just that they are hurt about you not doing the dishes, the invisible roots are that they don’t feel valued, and that most likely reminds them of vulnerable feelings from their history at some point. Interrupting or Silencing Parts Interrupting or silencing parts just want to end the conflict. “I don’t want to talk about this.” or “I’m not discussing this with you.” What this part is saying is, “I find this too uncomfortable to be with.” However, if we don’t hold ourselves in place to listen to the underlying message of our partner we hurt the connection.Complying PartsComplying parts are often practiced at dismissing or repressing their needs in order to attend to the other person in order to reduce conflict. Complying parts sound like, “It’s okay I’ll just get up early to walk the dog so that you can stay in bed.” Building capacity with compiling parts means making enough space so each person can have their needs and negotiate in the space between through dialogue. It’s not good for the connection when one person doesn’t get to have their need and experience weighed in.Shaming, Blaming, and Criticizing PartsAny of the above parts might use shame, blame or criticism in order to stop the discomfort of conflict. Shame, blame, and criticism is often a result of nervous system dysregulation and not feeling safe as a result of not feeling heard or seen. Courageous communication involves: Wanting to make it better for your partner Taking a leap of faith and revealing your vulnerability (on repeat)Responsible self-disclosureStaying curious about your partner’s needs and experience Holding your partner’s subjective experience with equal value to your own#couplestherapy
