The Practice of Embodying Emotions: A Guide for Improving Cognitive, Emotional, and Behavioral Outcomes

by Raja Selvam

“A grand accomplishment.” —Dr. Peter Levine, developer of Somatic Experiencing® and author of Waking the Tiger and In an Unspoken Voice

A body-based, science-backed method for regulating behavior, thoughts, and feelings and improving well-being--shown to shorten therapy time and improve emotional outcomes.


In the first book on Integral Somatic Psychology™ (ISP), clinical psychologist Dr. Raja Selvam offers a new, complementary approach for building more capacity to tolerate emotions using the body--especially emotions that are difficult or unpleasant.

The ISP model shows readers how to expand and regulate emotional experiences in the body to improve different therapeutic outcomes--cognitive, emotional, behavioral, physical, energetic, relational, and even spiritual--in life and in all types of therapies, including other body psychotherapy and somatic psychology approaches. You will learn the physiology of emotions in the brain and body and how




A go-to guide for emotional integration, The Practice of Embodying Emotions is of value in the treatment of a wide range of clinical problems involving difficult emotions--from ordinary life events to psychosomatic or psychophysiological disorders, developmental trauma, prenatal and perinatal trauma, attachment disorders, borderline personality disorder, complex PTSD, collective trauma, and intergenerational trauma--and in improving outcomes and shortening treatment time in different therapies including psychoanalysis, Jungian psychology, and CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy). 

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Self Help, Audiobook, Health, Mental Health, Emotion

586 pages, Paperback

Published January 10, 2024

Reviews

[Mansi poddar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent work. I am training as an integral somatic psychologist and I can say that this work is life altering. For my self and my clients. He’s excellent. The book is well written and packed with info. Both for therapists and lay people. Really good book with new info not the same old Instagram therapy nonsense

[Boivatte · Rating 3 out of 5]

coś nie rezonuję z tymi rezonansami

[Melanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

OK, it literally took me a year to read this and I really learned no new skills to help my clients lol there really is too much time spent in the beginning, trying to prove the worthiness of the interventions and guidelines on how to implement certain things are not very clear or organized well

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have personally met Dr. Selvam and had the immense privilege of listening in on a part of his workshop. This book is now one of my top life changing reads. I have personally experienced how emotional embodiment can help with getting more in tune with emotions and enduring them. I am astonished and extremely grateful and would recommend this book to just about anyone interested in learning about their emotions or helping others do so.

[Anja Pusch · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book on body-oriented psychotherapy I have been reading in a very long time. An eye-opener, combining so much up-to-date knowledge from neurosciences, psychology, medicine, quantum physics and more.

[Chelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes. To everything.

[Nan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ebook helpful especially the last parts about tapping and energy. I’m glad he got to that as I keep thinking how do those related, isn’t that part of this conversation too? It is!

[Savannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes dense but very insightful

[Ana Stanciu-Dumitrache · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cred ca e o lectura potrivita pentru terapeuti, se concentreaza mult pe munca in cabinet cu clientii si nu e de aplicat fara un specialist. A fost interesanta, dar nu e o lectura pentru pasionati.

[Evil Secret Ninja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall it was a good read and there are several parts I plan to use with my work. Some of the ideas were a little out there but overall it was okay.

[mars · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and insightful but too complicated and therefore not useful as a help book in my opinion. Might be good for therapists though.

[Katarzyna Mikołajczyk · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not was I expected. Totally in the style that did not fit me.

Dużo (za dużo jak dla mnie) medycznych terminów i szczegółów. Zwłaszcza klinicznych.

[Anna · Rating 1 out of 5]

dnf 20%

[Zuhair · Rating 4 out of 5]

An astounding addition to the world of somatic psychology and the science of emotion. Written for both practitioners and layperson, it encourages self-inquiry and curiosity by expanding emotional affect to make it more tolerable, leading to integration/relief. Also filled with fascinating personal anecdotes, case studies, and later in the book musings on the future the field and developments in quantum psychology.

Selvam’s four steps of emotional embodiment work:
1. Situation, which links context to affective response;
2. Emotion, which fosters discovery and acceptance of feelings;
3. Expansion, of emotions in the brain and body to improve affect tolerance; and
4. Integration, by tending to physical, energetic, cognitive, and behavioural benefits of embodiment.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This new approach to managing complicated and difficult feelings is so interesting. My only complaint was that is lacked instruction on how to really embody emotions. Perhaps it needs to be done guided in person to understand it fully.