©2020 Denise Springer
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Book: In An Unspoken Voice: How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness by Peter A. Levine. A classic in the field of trauma healing. Levine describes how body- based trauma healing works.
Audio book or Book with CD: Freedom from Pain: Guided Practices to Overcome Pain by Peter A. Levine and Maggie Phillips. Includes a CD of guided somatic exercises. Great for self-help or with a friend.
Audiobook: Sexual Healing: Transforming the Sacred Wound by Peter A. Levine. Includes guided exercises.
Audiobook: Healing Trauma: A Pioneering Program for Restoring the Wisdom of the Body by Peter A. Levine and Sounds True. Includes guided exercises.
Book: The Mind-Body Stress Reset: Somatic Practices to Reduce Overwhelm and Increase Well-Being by Rebekkah LaDyne. Excellent exercises.
Book: The Body Keeps the Score by Bessl van der Kolk. The first half explains trauma and approaches to understanding trauma. The second half devotes one chapter to each of several approaches to healing trauma. The book is only complete when read along with Waking the Tiger or In An Unspoken Voice by Peter A. Levine.
Book: Nurturing Resilience: Helping Clients Move Forward from Developmental Trauma–An Integrative Somatic Approach by Kathy L. Kain and Stephen J. Terrell. Great for understanding the neuroscience of developmental trauma, windows of tolerance and faux windows of tolerance, nervous system regulation, and the powerful role of touch.
Book: Healing Developmental Trauma by Laurence Heller & Aline LaPierre. This book has extensive lists of symptoms of developmental trauma which are especially helpful since developmental trauma is so deeply embedded in the personality. It also has two session transcripts that show what is possible when touch is included in trauma healing. It helped me have great understanding and compassion for those of us who have developmental trauma.
Book: The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-regulation by Stephen Porges. Mainly for neurogeeks. Polyvagal Theory is a game changer in my thinking about the nervous system. No longer do I think of the autonomic nervous system as merely sympathetic and parasympathetic. I think of it as three parts: Ventral Vagal Parasympathetic, Dorsal Vagal Parasympathetic, and Sympathetic. Ventral Vagal development and maturation is key to healing from trauma and creating a balanced and resilient nervous system.
Audio Interviews: Stephen Porges: The Polyvagal Theory & The Vagal Nerve – #264 https://daveasprey.com/stephen-porges-the-polyvagal-theory-the-vagal-nerve-264/ and The Nervous System Circuitry of Safety, Sound & Gratitude – Stephen Porges #573 https://daveasprey.com/stephen-porges-573/
Book: Trauma-Proofing Your Kids: A Parents’ Guide for Installing Confidence, Joy and Resilience by Peter A. Levine & Maggie Kline. And excellent practical book for parents.
Book: Trauma Through A Child’s Eyes: Awakening the Ordinary Miracle of Healing: Infancy through Adolescence. Peter A. Levine & Maggie Kline. A deeper dive into recognizing, preventing, and healing childhood trauma. For anyone who interacts with children.
Please consider purchasing from smaller businesses instead of large corporations. You might also consider purchasing from bookstores owned by people with marginalized identities. Bookfinder.com is a powerful meta-search engine for finding new and used books often at lower prices. If you’re looking for a book with CD, be sure to check that the CD will be included with used books. https://www.bookfinder.com
Guided exercise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6rlYF0UAR4
Kathy Kain guides folks through Objecting without Contracting or Let It Be So beginning around the 1 hour mark. You might explore all the Community Conversations that were run by Somatic Experiencing International during the COVID-19 Pandemic.