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Odetnij napięcie. Jak pokonać stres dzięki praktykom psychosomatycznym
Wykorzystaj mądrość ciała w walce ze stresem.
Stres jest stale obecny w naszym życiu. Długotrwały czy ekstremalny, nie dotyczy jedynie umysłu, doświadczamy go także w ciele. Odczuwamy nieustające napięcie, boli nas brzuch, a serce kołacze w odpowiedzi na napięte terminy czy wizytę teściów. Jak poradzić sobie z tym stanem?
Rebekkah LaDyne przekonuje, że jeśli naprawdę chcemy uwolnić się od stresu, musimy zmierzyć się z nim zarówno w umyśle, jak i w ciele oraz zredukować go na obu tych poziomach. Opierając się na najnowszych badaniach poświęconych terapiom somatycznym, wyjaśnia działanie autonomicznego układu nerwowego, tłumaczy fizyczne reakcje organizmu oraz pokazuje, jak wykorzystać mądrość ciała. Opracowana przez autorkę innowacyjna strategia obniżania stresu w układzie ciało–umysł (MBR, mind-body reset) za pomocą prostych ćwiczeń somatycznych pomaga trwale zredukować napięcie i odzyskać spokój.
Praktyczne narzędzia zawarte w książce Odetnij napięcie pomogą Ci pokonać trudną drogę od przewlekłego stresu do dobrze zakorzenionej w ciele odporności.
Dzięki tej książce:
• dowiesz się, na czym polegają fizyczne reakcje stresowe i jak sobie z nimi radzić;
• poznasz naukowo potwierdzone metody autoregulacji stresu;
• nauczysz się budować odporność psychiczną, wykorzystując swoją inteligencję somatyczną. psychosomatycznym
Stres jest stale obecny w naszym życiu. Długotrwały czy ekstremalny, nie dotyczy jedynie umysłu, doświadczamy go także w ciele. Odczuwamy nieustające napięcie, boli nas brzuch, a serce kołacze w odpowiedzi na napięte terminy czy wizytę teściów. Jak poradzić sobie z tym stanem?
Rebekkah LaDyne przekonuje, że jeśli naprawdę chcemy uwolnić się od stresu, musimy zmierzyć się z nim zarówno w umyśle, jak i w ciele oraz zredukować go na obu tych poziomach. Opierając się na najnowszych badaniach poświęconych terapiom somatycznym, wyjaśnia działanie autonomicznego układu nerwowego, tłumaczy fizyczne reakcje organizmu oraz pokazuje, jak wykorzystać mądrość ciała. Opracowana przez autorkę innowacyjna strategia obniżania stresu w układzie ciało–umysł (MBR, mind-body reset) za pomocą prostych ćwiczeń somatycznych pomaga trwale zredukować napięcie i odzyskać spokój.
Praktyczne narzędzia zawarte w książce Odetnij napięcie pomogą Ci pokonać trudną drogę od przewlekłego stresu do dobrze zakorzenionej w ciele odporności.
Dzięki tej książce:
• dowiesz się, na czym polegają fizyczne reakcje stresowe i jak sobie z nimi radzić;
• poznasz naukowo potwierdzone metody autoregulacji stresu;
• nauczysz się budować odporność psychiczną, wykorzystując swoją inteligencję somatyczną. psychosomatycznym
208 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2020
135 people are currently reading
767 people want to read
About the author
Rebekkah LaDyne
2 books8 followersRebekkah LaDyne, MS, SEP, member of the US Association for Body Psychotherapy, is a somatic therapist, mind-body skills educator, and author. Based on her graduate research in Mind-Body Medicine at Saybrook University, her extensive training with the Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute, and her more than two decades of work in the field of embodied wellbeing she authored, The Mind-Body Stress Reset book, available from New Harbinger. She offers Somatic Experiencing sessions to clients from all over the globe online. Rebekkah supports clients with anxiety, depression, phobias, developmental trauma, attachment work, internal systems, and post-traumatic growth. She can be found at rebekkahladyne.com and her stress resilience book is available anywhere books are sold.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
February 4, 2020
This review is a courtesy provided by NetGalley.
I wanted to like this book. I wanted to LOVE this book, but I have to be honest and say that only half of the content felt like I could recommend it. The pros and cons of it are split: some has stellar research; while other parts, mainly about mindfulness meditation and yoga, it seems LaDyne either misunderstands or doesn't have enough experience to be writing on the subjects. This was a shock because in her own credentials she lists having taught mindfulness for many years including at the well-known Spirit Rock facility. It would seem that she where she used reputable references for the Western science summaries -- Bessel van der Kolk, Stephen Porges, Peter Levine, and Robert Sapolsky -- she didn't have references for any of her particular take on mindfulness nor mindfulness meditation which she considers two separate practices (they aren't).
Instead, LaDyne's purpose of this book is to glean from the reputable sources who have researched trauma and its relationship in the body and used that to create her own protocol she calls mindbody reset (MBR). If she had taken all of the research into account, she would also have come to different conclusions about animals versus humans. She says:
"Zebras don't suffer from lasting mental stress, either. A huge reason they don't get ulcers is that they don't replay their stresses in their heads."
and
"Fretting over a fight with an ex-husband? Not the kangaroo."
This isn't some agenda on animal rights, by any means. I bring up the animals, because in van der Kolk's The Body Keeps Score, he references other validated research about the effects of stress on animals. Lab animals, sure, but still mammals. Plus anyone who has ever had a pet companion has probably witness their range of emotions on a daily basis. There is no doubt at all that some animals DO have chronic anxiety, depression, and fear illnesses. Destructive dogs tear apart their surroundings because of boredom and anxiety. Separation anxiety is a big one. Again, this isn't something I need to read about because I've witnessed it with several of my own animals. They howl and cry while wandering around as soon as their favorite human companion walks out the door or if they don't know what room they're in.
What concerns me about LaDyne's conclusion is that it is similar to one I personally fell for: that sharks don't get cancer. I wrote a paper on it with the information available at that time (in the 1990s). It is dead wrong. Sharks get cancer. LaDyne's conclusion that pets don't have the capacity to suffer chronically from the most common mental conditions like anxiety, depression, fear, and grief is simply wrong.
LaDyne's references and summations to Stephen Porges' Polyvagal Theory regarding the power of the vagus nerve is important and well-done. She spends plenty of time weaving this throughout the book. The exercises at the end focus on stimulating and resetting that vagus nerve through movement.
Mindfulness Meditation:
LaDyne could have benefited from reading and citing Jon Kabat-Zinn's Full Catastophe Living or Coming to Our Senses or probably any of his fifteen books. She clearly has no understanding of something she was teaching and that's alarming. The point in creating portmanteaux like mindbody and bodymind and heartmind is because the organs are linked and American English doesn't have words in existence already to use.
“A good way to stop all the doing is to shift into the ‘being mode’ for a moment. Think of yourself as an eternal witness, as timeless. Just watch this moment, without trying to change it at all. What is happening? What do you feel? What do you hear?” Jon Kabat-Zinn (Wherever You Go There You Are)
Kabat-Zinn and others in the field have a holistic or wholistic approach utilizing the entire somatic union of the human experience. Yet, LaDyne states she had, "to shift from a mindfulness focus to a 'bodyfulness' focus. Current science continues to show that body-based methods, not head-based methods, are our best tools for extreme-stress recovery." That makes sense and if she fully understood what mindfulness meditation is, she wouldn't dismiss it so readily. Kabat-Zinn is famous for Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (essentially secular yoga); Full Catastrophe Living explains gentle movements to reset bring the nervous system back to a safe and social zone. Is it for everyone? No, nothing is.
"Awareness is central for somatic regulation; meditation is not." Rebekkah LaDyne, The Mind-Body Reset
LaDyne chooses to reference Ellen Langer instead which is where seems to get the notion that mindfulness and mindfulness meditation are two different things. Meditation in a well-rounded yoga life does not mean sitting all the time. There are walking meditations (again, something Kabat-Zinn and others cover). Dave Potter has a video, the Raisin Meditation, about how to mindfully experience a single raisin for all that it is. Meditation can be silent or include sounds like mantra chanting or sounds that have no meaning but feel good to vibrate through the body. You can meditate while petting your cat and listening to the rhythmic purring. Meditation does not exclude awareness which LaDyne strongly states.
In a body scan meditation, one is guided or can do it on their own, to bring awareness to each body part. The left big toe, the second toe, the third toe, the fourth toe, the pinky toe, then all the left toes; the bottom of the foot, the top of the foot, the ankle, the entire foot. This is not only in body scan meditations but also in the practice of Yoga Nidra. Awareness does equal meditation.
Breathing Techniques or Pranayama:
Though LaDyne never uses yoga terms like asana (the movements and postures) nor pranayama, she uses those exact practices without going back to any yoga sources. And she contradicts herself on one of "her" techniques instructions first stating there is "no intentional sucking in or tightening the abs" and then instructing to "gently draw your belly in to empty the lung fully."
No Pain, No Gain is Dangerous:
On this subject, we agree. The commercialization of the fitness, beauty, and fashion industries would have everyone in the world the same cookie cutter sizes and shapes (and let's face it skin coloring too). LaDyne states that in her MBR approach if there is pain, there is no gain. Some movement can reset that nervous system from hypo- or hyperarousal back to the ventral vagal zone (optimal level of arousal), but overdoing that into extreme fitness for hours a day, every day is something only professional athletes need to do and that's because they've been conditioned for it their whole lives.
LaDyne does a fine job of explaining heart-rate variability too. Again, this is not from her own research though. This is from the cited research. Her research backed up data about cortisol.
Summary:
I can't recommend Rebekkah LaDyne's The Mind-Body Reset as a primary source for information about breathing and movement techniques for bringing bodies back to ventral vagal baselines. While there is plenty of good information in there and it is explained in layman's terms with biographical stories for examples, there is simply too much wrong with the book to suggest anyone pick it up for their first exposure into this subject matter.
I wanted to like this book. I wanted to LOVE this book, but I have to be honest and say that only half of the content felt like I could recommend it. The pros and cons of it are split: some has stellar research; while other parts, mainly about mindfulness meditation and yoga, it seems LaDyne either misunderstands or doesn't have enough experience to be writing on the subjects. This was a shock because in her own credentials she lists having taught mindfulness for many years including at the well-known Spirit Rock facility. It would seem that she where she used reputable references for the Western science summaries -- Bessel van der Kolk, Stephen Porges, Peter Levine, and Robert Sapolsky -- she didn't have references for any of her particular take on mindfulness nor mindfulness meditation which she considers two separate practices (they aren't).
Instead, LaDyne's purpose of this book is to glean from the reputable sources who have researched trauma and its relationship in the body and used that to create her own protocol she calls mindbody reset (MBR). If she had taken all of the research into account, she would also have come to different conclusions about animals versus humans. She says:
"Zebras don't suffer from lasting mental stress, either. A huge reason they don't get ulcers is that they don't replay their stresses in their heads."
and
"Fretting over a fight with an ex-husband? Not the kangaroo."
This isn't some agenda on animal rights, by any means. I bring up the animals, because in van der Kolk's The Body Keeps Score, he references other validated research about the effects of stress on animals. Lab animals, sure, but still mammals. Plus anyone who has ever had a pet companion has probably witness their range of emotions on a daily basis. There is no doubt at all that some animals DO have chronic anxiety, depression, and fear illnesses. Destructive dogs tear apart their surroundings because of boredom and anxiety. Separation anxiety is a big one. Again, this isn't something I need to read about because I've witnessed it with several of my own animals. They howl and cry while wandering around as soon as their favorite human companion walks out the door or if they don't know what room they're in.
What concerns me about LaDyne's conclusion is that it is similar to one I personally fell for: that sharks don't get cancer. I wrote a paper on it with the information available at that time (in the 1990s). It is dead wrong. Sharks get cancer. LaDyne's conclusion that pets don't have the capacity to suffer chronically from the most common mental conditions like anxiety, depression, fear, and grief is simply wrong.
LaDyne's references and summations to Stephen Porges' Polyvagal Theory regarding the power of the vagus nerve is important and well-done. She spends plenty of time weaving this throughout the book. The exercises at the end focus on stimulating and resetting that vagus nerve through movement.
Mindfulness Meditation:
LaDyne could have benefited from reading and citing Jon Kabat-Zinn's Full Catastophe Living or Coming to Our Senses or probably any of his fifteen books. She clearly has no understanding of something she was teaching and that's alarming. The point in creating portmanteaux like mindbody and bodymind and heartmind is because the organs are linked and American English doesn't have words in existence already to use.
“A good way to stop all the doing is to shift into the ‘being mode’ for a moment. Think of yourself as an eternal witness, as timeless. Just watch this moment, without trying to change it at all. What is happening? What do you feel? What do you hear?” Jon Kabat-Zinn (Wherever You Go There You Are)
Kabat-Zinn and others in the field have a holistic or wholistic approach utilizing the entire somatic union of the human experience. Yet, LaDyne states she had, "to shift from a mindfulness focus to a 'bodyfulness' focus. Current science continues to show that body-based methods, not head-based methods, are our best tools for extreme-stress recovery." That makes sense and if she fully understood what mindfulness meditation is, she wouldn't dismiss it so readily. Kabat-Zinn is famous for Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (essentially secular yoga); Full Catastrophe Living explains gentle movements to reset bring the nervous system back to a safe and social zone. Is it for everyone? No, nothing is.
"Awareness is central for somatic regulation; meditation is not." Rebekkah LaDyne, The Mind-Body Reset
LaDyne chooses to reference Ellen Langer instead which is where seems to get the notion that mindfulness and mindfulness meditation are two different things. Meditation in a well-rounded yoga life does not mean sitting all the time. There are walking meditations (again, something Kabat-Zinn and others cover). Dave Potter has a video, the Raisin Meditation, about how to mindfully experience a single raisin for all that it is. Meditation can be silent or include sounds like mantra chanting or sounds that have no meaning but feel good to vibrate through the body. You can meditate while petting your cat and listening to the rhythmic purring. Meditation does not exclude awareness which LaDyne strongly states.
In a body scan meditation, one is guided or can do it on their own, to bring awareness to each body part. The left big toe, the second toe, the third toe, the fourth toe, the pinky toe, then all the left toes; the bottom of the foot, the top of the foot, the ankle, the entire foot. This is not only in body scan meditations but also in the practice of Yoga Nidra. Awareness does equal meditation.
Breathing Techniques or Pranayama:
Though LaDyne never uses yoga terms like asana (the movements and postures) nor pranayama, she uses those exact practices without going back to any yoga sources. And she contradicts herself on one of "her" techniques instructions first stating there is "no intentional sucking in or tightening the abs" and then instructing to "gently draw your belly in to empty the lung fully."
No Pain, No Gain is Dangerous:
On this subject, we agree. The commercialization of the fitness, beauty, and fashion industries would have everyone in the world the same cookie cutter sizes and shapes (and let's face it skin coloring too). LaDyne states that in her MBR approach if there is pain, there is no gain. Some movement can reset that nervous system from hypo- or hyperarousal back to the ventral vagal zone (optimal level of arousal), but overdoing that into extreme fitness for hours a day, every day is something only professional athletes need to do and that's because they've been conditioned for it their whole lives.
LaDyne does a fine job of explaining heart-rate variability too. Again, this is not from her own research though. This is from the cited research. Her research backed up data about cortisol.
Summary:
I can't recommend Rebekkah LaDyne's The Mind-Body Reset as a primary source for information about breathing and movement techniques for bringing bodies back to ventral vagal baselines. While there is plenty of good information in there and it is explained in layman's terms with biographical stories for examples, there is simply too much wrong with the book to suggest anyone pick it up for their first exposure into this subject matter.
August 21, 2020
Finally! As a Somatic Psychotherapist, I’ve been waiting for a book like this for years. While including the science behind somatic practices, the brilliance of these pages is the simple, effective exercises they contain to help calm the mind-body stress response. Written in a warm, engaging and personal style, Rebekkah LaDynne’s Mind-Body Stress Reset reads like a good friend offering practical tools you can utilize anytime. I will recommend this book to friends, family and clients.
February 16, 2020
I don't usually read this type of book, but as I've been feeling increasingly stressed out lately I decided to have it a try, in case it offered some useful tips and tricks to manage my stress levels, especially since I have MS and stress is even more detrimental to my body than to the average person's.
I found this book very interesting. Scientific aspects are laid out in layman's terms, scientific research and specialist studies are referenced but in a very accessible manner, easy to comprehend and to process. It has certainly given me some insights in the workings of my mind and body, defining and explaining phenomena I have noticed in myself for many years without my ever knowing what caused them until now. It has also offered me the tips and tricks I'd hoped to find. Obviously it will be up to me to incorporate and integrate and apply what I've learned, but doing the exercises in the book I have felt a difference so I'm definitely planning on applying them "in real life". The tone of the book is very encouraging and positively dripping with kindness towards the reader, also urging readers to be kind to themselves.
In my opinion this is an excellent place to start if you, like me, are a newbie trying to learn something, gain some insights. I do feel that more advanced readers, more knowledgeable ones, might find it lacking.
I found this book very interesting. Scientific aspects are laid out in layman's terms, scientific research and specialist studies are referenced but in a very accessible manner, easy to comprehend and to process. It has certainly given me some insights in the workings of my mind and body, defining and explaining phenomena I have noticed in myself for many years without my ever knowing what caused them until now. It has also offered me the tips and tricks I'd hoped to find. Obviously it will be up to me to incorporate and integrate and apply what I've learned, but doing the exercises in the book I have felt a difference so I'm definitely planning on applying them "in real life". The tone of the book is very encouraging and positively dripping with kindness towards the reader, also urging readers to be kind to themselves.
In my opinion this is an excellent place to start if you, like me, are a newbie trying to learn something, gain some insights. I do feel that more advanced readers, more knowledgeable ones, might find it lacking.
February 25, 2020
As a former client of Rebekkah LaDyne, I was eager to read her book. I couldn’t put it down, and I finished it in three days. Just reading the book itself I felt more relaxed. I was able to implement some of her suggestions and practices right away, which has helped tremendously.
Some of the topics I had already covered in private sessions with LaDyne, which were extremely helpful, and to read the material in the book just reinforced the work we had done together. Having worked with people myself for 18 years to recover from injuries, reduce stress and lead fuller lives, I have been using much of what LaDyne taught me in private sessions with my own clients. I would definitely recommend this book to both friends and clients. She has a very friendly and fun style that is easy to read. She takes difficult subject matter and breaks it down into easy to understand steps. The scientific data that she sites in the book, along with her other research, is both fascinating and useful. I have been using the “deep belly breathing“, ever since I finished the book last week, and I noticed a significant decrease in stress levels already. I’m thrilled that LaDyne put pencil to paper to share her techniques with a wider audience. I look forward to reading more from her in the future.
Some of the topics I had already covered in private sessions with LaDyne, which were extremely helpful, and to read the material in the book just reinforced the work we had done together. Having worked with people myself for 18 years to recover from injuries, reduce stress and lead fuller lives, I have been using much of what LaDyne taught me in private sessions with my own clients. I would definitely recommend this book to both friends and clients. She has a very friendly and fun style that is easy to read. She takes difficult subject matter and breaks it down into easy to understand steps. The scientific data that she sites in the book, along with her other research, is both fascinating and useful. I have been using the “deep belly breathing“, ever since I finished the book last week, and I noticed a significant decrease in stress levels already. I’m thrilled that LaDyne put pencil to paper to share her techniques with a wider audience. I look forward to reading more from her in the future.
April 16, 2020
Rebekkah’s book helped me consider the very real physical effects of stress on my body. Having the tools to bring awareness and solutions to those effects of stress all collected and laid out clearly has been so helpful during this time of extreme changes in daily living. It is a great relief to know that there are effective steps I can take to move towards healthy healing once I am mindful of my thoughts, emotions, and physical feelings. Rebekkah's encouraging and compassionate style of sharing about her experiences as both a learner and teacher really helped me engage with the reading, practice the techniques she suggests, and ultimately experience frequent success in my stress and emotional overwhelm reduction.
February 26, 2020
I am a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner and I whenever I see a somatic practice book I am eager to read it and see what I can bring to my practice. I was delighted by how much I learned from this book! I found the writing easy to understand; the theories and somatic exercises were presented in a kind, humorous voice and I found my learning became deeper. In addition, I've been meditating for over 40 years and it was refreshing to read Rebekkah's perceptions of meditation mirroring mine...sometimes it's not the safest and wisest thing to do...and her practices might be what slowly help the nervous system feel safe and not overwhelmed. I am going to buy a copy of this for a friend who could really benefit from the MBS perspective.
May 9, 2024
polecam serdecznie jeśli jakies somatyczne smiesznosci wam obnizaja anxiety, dla mnie mega pomocna 🌼💮🌷
June 4, 2020
I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.
This is a great book for helping you to realise how your body reacts to stress and anxiety and offers some great ideas for dealing with these problems/issues and helping you get on more of an even keel.
The introduction at the beginning of the book was great and some of the practices in the book are great to try independently but some i would maybe seek counsel from a professional before trying.
This is a great book for helping you to realise how your body reacts to stress and anxiety and offers some great ideas for dealing with these problems/issues and helping you get on more of an even keel.
The introduction at the beginning of the book was great and some of the practices in the book are great to try independently but some i would maybe seek counsel from a professional before trying.
March 5, 2020
Rebekah has written a wonderful, practical, and relatable manual for working with stress. Based on the advancement of trauma research of the last ten years, she has created a simple yet effective method with a series of down to earth exercises to support our wellbeing by working directly with our nervous system. I recommend this book to anyone looking for ways to increase their emotional resilience and increase their overall wellbeing.
May 13, 2020
TLDR: The book is worth reading and the practices are good. But it shouldn't be considered a primary resource and I'd recommend exercising caution for people who have experienced trauma or those who are currently under (high) stress, unless you are using these practices while working with a professional psychotherapist. But even then, there are much better books.
I really want to like this book. I feel that a lot of the information and exercises are valuable, but there are a few things that I really did not like.
First and foremost, the author has a real hate-on for mindfulness meditation...but I also feel that she doesn't fully understand what mindfulness meditation is. This was deeply concerning, considering her credentials. I personally believe that she is right to warn people to be cautious about mindfulness and meditation in general. Unfortunately, our western society has turned mindfulness/meditation into a catchphrase, a fix-all and generally is grossly misinformed on the topic in general. Most people believe mindfulness meditation is a way to "zone out" or to "relax" or produce other desirable results. Corporations encourage their staff to participate in mindfulness/mediation, but usually in some bastardized format in an attempt to produce a kind of super-worker; one that is exceptionally productive and doesn't get stressed out. This particular mindset and understanding of mindfulness/mediation is WAY off and can be detrimental and even harmful. Using mindfulness/mediation to "produce results" or to "fix" something is the opposite of the actual practice.
The author seems to believe that mindfulness/mediation doesn't make room for the "body" part of "mind-body", which is completely false. She also suggested that the idea behind mindfulness meditation is to practice ignoring things. While part of mindfulness meditation is focusing on an anchor and continuing to return to the anchor when we notice that we've got caught up in thoughts, feelings, etc, the other part is to NOTICE and MAKE ROOM for those things, acknowledging them, naming them and then, instead of getting caught up, return to your anchor. However, the idea of "ignoring" or zoning out seems to be a common (mis)perception of MM and so again, it is hard to completely disagree with the author when she cautions people about this practice. I think she could have made her point without bashing MM. I feel that her opinion of MM may contribute to the misunderstanding of the practice to anyone who doesn't have first-hand experience.
She does offer a lot of useful practices that are based in somatic-mindfulness. But none of them are new. I particularly liked her suggestion about self-regulation via imagery. I think this practice has a lot of merit, especially considering how memory can change over time and how it impacts our nervous system. This practice is also incorporated in the treatment of veterans and police officers diagnosed with occupational stress injury in a therapy called Accelerated Resolution Therapy and can be very effective in rewiring the stress response to specific triggering situations/experiences (I have seen successful results of this personally).
I didn't care for the phrase "good for you!" after 99% of the practices. I found it quite condescending.
I do feel that people who have experienced actual traumatic events or developmental trauma (including, but not limited to those with a diagnoses of PTSD or CPTSD) need to exercise a great degree of caution while attempting to practice the suggestions in this book. I say this for the same reasons the author herself gives to those attempting to use mindfulness meditation - that paying attention to thoughts and/or sensations in your body can be highly triggering and have the potential to be re-traumatizing and/or could lead to someone inadvertently dissociating due to their nervous system's response to the perceived danger.
It seems the the author's goal is to avoid this 're-triggering' but I'm not sure that the practices will achieve that for certain audiences.
I really want to like this book. I feel that a lot of the information and exercises are valuable, but there are a few things that I really did not like.
First and foremost, the author has a real hate-on for mindfulness meditation...but I also feel that she doesn't fully understand what mindfulness meditation is. This was deeply concerning, considering her credentials. I personally believe that she is right to warn people to be cautious about mindfulness and meditation in general. Unfortunately, our western society has turned mindfulness/meditation into a catchphrase, a fix-all and generally is grossly misinformed on the topic in general. Most people believe mindfulness meditation is a way to "zone out" or to "relax" or produce other desirable results. Corporations encourage their staff to participate in mindfulness/mediation, but usually in some bastardized format in an attempt to produce a kind of super-worker; one that is exceptionally productive and doesn't get stressed out. This particular mindset and understanding of mindfulness/mediation is WAY off and can be detrimental and even harmful. Using mindfulness/mediation to "produce results" or to "fix" something is the opposite of the actual practice.
The author seems to believe that mindfulness/mediation doesn't make room for the "body" part of "mind-body", which is completely false. She also suggested that the idea behind mindfulness meditation is to practice ignoring things. While part of mindfulness meditation is focusing on an anchor and continuing to return to the anchor when we notice that we've got caught up in thoughts, feelings, etc, the other part is to NOTICE and MAKE ROOM for those things, acknowledging them, naming them and then, instead of getting caught up, return to your anchor. However, the idea of "ignoring" or zoning out seems to be a common (mis)perception of MM and so again, it is hard to completely disagree with the author when she cautions people about this practice. I think she could have made her point without bashing MM. I feel that her opinion of MM may contribute to the misunderstanding of the practice to anyone who doesn't have first-hand experience.
She does offer a lot of useful practices that are based in somatic-mindfulness. But none of them are new. I particularly liked her suggestion about self-regulation via imagery. I think this practice has a lot of merit, especially considering how memory can change over time and how it impacts our nervous system. This practice is also incorporated in the treatment of veterans and police officers diagnosed with occupational stress injury in a therapy called Accelerated Resolution Therapy and can be very effective in rewiring the stress response to specific triggering situations/experiences (I have seen successful results of this personally).
I didn't care for the phrase "good for you!" after 99% of the practices. I found it quite condescending.
I do feel that people who have experienced actual traumatic events or developmental trauma (including, but not limited to those with a diagnoses of PTSD or CPTSD) need to exercise a great degree of caution while attempting to practice the suggestions in this book. I say this for the same reasons the author herself gives to those attempting to use mindfulness meditation - that paying attention to thoughts and/or sensations in your body can be highly triggering and have the potential to be re-traumatizing and/or could lead to someone inadvertently dissociating due to their nervous system's response to the perceived danger.
It seems the the author's goal is to avoid this 're-triggering' but I'm not sure that the practices will achieve that for certain audiences.
August 24, 2020
Oh my gosh! This book is super helpful in crazy times like these. I really liked how the author illuminates the differences between mental stress and chronic patterns of holding physical stress. I love the phrase “It’s not all in your head!” Yes! Her writing style is fun and playful, yet full of grounded useful information. Very pragmatic and accessible vs. some other self-help books I’ve read before. The exercises are keepers for sure - and helping me reduce my daily and chronic stress. Highly recommended!!
February 5, 2023
Despite working on this book for months, this turned out to be a great little guide to somatic stress soothing and resiliency tools. I was skeptical that this would be a good one for people unfamiliar with somatic experiencing, but the four tools she presents are demonstrated in a way that is actually very accessible. If you are an SEP or student, this is a really integrating book.
May 17, 2021
I really like the reader's personality and there is some new information but not enough to make me want to go out and buy the book
March 16, 2021
Excellent scientific overview of how somatic experiencing and poly vagal theory can be used by individuals to deal with chronically activated nervous system and to begin to work through and learn to deal with trauma in productive ways. I personally took several techniques that she describes and have used them to excellent effect.
September 9, 2020
I came across this book after much Googling and read it in a single sitting. I was so impressed by it that I did some digging around and contacted the author to thank her - something I have never done before!
I am a psychotherapist in Ireland who works especially with people recovering from trauma and also those with high levels of anxiety and emotional overwhelm. I have recommended her book to many people since, and feedback has always been extremely positive.
To my mind this book is unique for the following reasons:
It is equally valuable for both “the person in the street” and those in caring professions.
It uses simple language, no jargon, no psychobabble.
The tone is consistently gentle, caring and humorous - the author’s personality really comes through - unusual in this type of book. You feel that she is there “rooting for you” as you make your way through the book.
It is immensely practical. There are a series of simple but powerful tools, described in detail, that anyone can follow regardless of whether they are also seeing a counsellor.
She shares her own experience - on the professional side, it is based on years of experience and research. But there are also little moments from her personal life - eg encountering a large snake while on a walk and noticing how this affected her at the time and also on future walks.
She also “normalises” the overwhelming emotions that we feel - that it is just a part of being human.
She gives an excellent and easy to understand account of the “science” behind stress and anxiety - again at a level suitable for all.
I would put this book in the same league as work by Peter Levine and Deb Dana. An essential addition to my book shelf.
January 15, 2022
The book is really useful.
Words that come to mind to describe it:
Science-based
Pragmatic
Theory with Actionable Tools
Thoughtful
Flippant
Complicated thoughts on this great resource:
I think this book is good, but I recommend it with cautions. It is written in a way that may make people feel like they can administer these tools to others in a therapeutic way. Further, it is written in a way that encourages people to explore tools in a therapeutic way withou the guidance of a mental health practitioner. Both of these routes may turn out fine. I plan to use some of these tools with college students I work with. Light stretching before exams, visualizing a different ending to a stressful interaction with a professor, or deep breathing exercises during roommate conflict can all be helpful. However, there is so much trauma in our lives and I felt overwhelmed with the land mines I dodged as I practiced these exercises and considered the anecdotes throughout the book. Some of the examples in the book seemed trivial in comparison to greater tragedies and traumas.
Again, I think it's a really good, helpful resource despite all my criticisms. Maybe I'm just not sure who the audience is...It doesn't feel substantial enough for helpers and it feels too practice-based for a person prone to a savior-complex while also not feeling like the right resource for the person struggling through a traumatic experience. Maybe my recommendation is: read it and then contextualize it well and know your lane?
Words that come to mind to describe it:
Science-based
Pragmatic
Theory with Actionable Tools
Thoughtful
Flippant
Complicated thoughts on this great resource:
I think this book is good, but I recommend it with cautions. It is written in a way that may make people feel like they can administer these tools to others in a therapeutic way. Further, it is written in a way that encourages people to explore tools in a therapeutic way withou the guidance of a mental health practitioner. Both of these routes may turn out fine. I plan to use some of these tools with college students I work with. Light stretching before exams, visualizing a different ending to a stressful interaction with a professor, or deep breathing exercises during roommate conflict can all be helpful. However, there is so much trauma in our lives and I felt overwhelmed with the land mines I dodged as I practiced these exercises and considered the anecdotes throughout the book. Some of the examples in the book seemed trivial in comparison to greater tragedies and traumas.
Again, I think it's a really good, helpful resource despite all my criticisms. Maybe I'm just not sure who the audience is...It doesn't feel substantial enough for helpers and it feels too practice-based for a person prone to a savior-complex while also not feeling like the right resource for the person struggling through a traumatic experience. Maybe my recommendation is: read it and then contextualize it well and know your lane?
April 5, 2021
I have started reading this and am up to Chapter 4, a full 67 pages before the author’s “backed by science” Mind Body Reset programme is outlined. I will update on how the practices go.
But I have to say - a lot of this book is not well laid out. There are sections repeating the same idea, wavering between a scientific self-assured tone and a quirky trying-to-be-relatable tone.
As a Brit, the condescending and patronising “Good for you!” after each exercise actually makes me want to throw the book out the window in a fit of ‘hyperactivation’. Not a good way to build rapport with the reader.
I picked up this book as I am an avid proponent of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, yet wanted to learn more about the somatic principles. After hearing the author on a podcast, Psychologists off the Clock, I thought this book would be a gateway to learning that. I have got the main ideas from these first three chapters, but it’s very clunky.
EDIT:
I have now finished the book. The subsequent chapters delve further into the practical options available for a resilience pathway toolkit. Some parts are sound - the connection between our prefrontal cortex and primitive lambic system, and how these interact together and with bodily physiology. What was not touched on was the biological changes such as chemical releases in the brain and how exercising releases these, as opposed to ‘movement increases resilience pathways’.
There seems to be some solid advice in here, but it’s lost in a lot of superficial examples of how simply breathing and noticing relaxed areas of the body can fix things. Although the author seems set on saying reimagining stressful scenarios isn’t rewriting history, it seems quite invalidating to those who have suffered more trauma than is outlined in this book. Therefore, not for everyone.
I’m sure if you’re suffering from some workplace stress or the biggest concern you’ve got is bumping into a ‘foe’ in a coffee shop, then this is for you.
I’m very conflicted on the usefulness & that’s why I’ve placed it as 3 stars. Some good practices that I will try. Some sound science. But a lot of guff and patronising language.
But I have to say - a lot of this book is not well laid out. There are sections repeating the same idea, wavering between a scientific self-assured tone and a quirky trying-to-be-relatable tone.
As a Brit, the condescending and patronising “Good for you!” after each exercise actually makes me want to throw the book out the window in a fit of ‘hyperactivation’. Not a good way to build rapport with the reader.
I picked up this book as I am an avid proponent of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, yet wanted to learn more about the somatic principles. After hearing the author on a podcast, Psychologists off the Clock, I thought this book would be a gateway to learning that. I have got the main ideas from these first three chapters, but it’s very clunky.
EDIT:
I have now finished the book. The subsequent chapters delve further into the practical options available for a resilience pathway toolkit. Some parts are sound - the connection between our prefrontal cortex and primitive lambic system, and how these interact together and with bodily physiology. What was not touched on was the biological changes such as chemical releases in the brain and how exercising releases these, as opposed to ‘movement increases resilience pathways’.
There seems to be some solid advice in here, but it’s lost in a lot of superficial examples of how simply breathing and noticing relaxed areas of the body can fix things. Although the author seems set on saying reimagining stressful scenarios isn’t rewriting history, it seems quite invalidating to those who have suffered more trauma than is outlined in this book. Therefore, not for everyone.
I’m sure if you’re suffering from some workplace stress or the biggest concern you’ve got is bumping into a ‘foe’ in a coffee shop, then this is for you.
I’m very conflicted on the usefulness & that’s why I’ve placed it as 3 stars. Some good practices that I will try. Some sound science. But a lot of guff and patronising language.
August 25, 2020
I found LaDyne's book really helpful. I teach mindfulness meditation and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, and although the Mindfulness practices I teach are incredibly useful for many people, I have as a teacher encountered some folks over the years that find meditation increases rather than decreases their anxiety and stress response. This book is for them and for anyone who teaches meditation practices. Healing is not a one-size-fits-all thing, and LaDyne skillfully shares practices or adaptations to practices that can help support those dealing with a high degree of acute stress (or anyone!).
She shares the science of the brain and the stress response in a clear, readable way, and intersperses personal stories that helps to make it relatable and relevant.
I recommend this book for anyone dealing with a high degree of stress and anxiety, especially if you have found that meditation and/or talk therapy have not helped you in the way you had hoped. I think it is also useful and important reading for anyone teaching mindfulness meditation and other healing practices.
She shares the science of the brain and the stress response in a clear, readable way, and intersperses personal stories that helps to make it relatable and relevant.
I recommend this book for anyone dealing with a high degree of stress and anxiety, especially if you have found that meditation and/or talk therapy have not helped you in the way you had hoped. I think it is also useful and important reading for anyone teaching mindfulness meditation and other healing practices.
February 14, 2024
I heard about this book on one of the Sunday School Dropout podcast episodes. I am not sure if it was the same episode that demoed a somatic therapy session or not, but that demo was also one of the reasons I was interested in reading this.
The book itself is just ok. I listened to the audiobook and it’s not an engaging or fascinating book. But hearing the somatic exercises read out loud was more helpful than if I had read them in my usual, speed read fashion. I also appreciate that the recordings of the somatic practice sessions is made available separate from the book so you can utilize those.
I did like the background and research provided (although I will retain none of it!). Like some other reviewers I found the author’s hard on against meditation and yoga to be odd since somatic practices are basically a combination of those with some more physical awareness thrown in.
Also, the “easy does it, good for you” added in at the end of each somatic exercise was hilarious and off putting. (Although I feel bad saying that, I think the intent is to be supportive and encouraging.)
The book itself is just ok. I listened to the audiobook and it’s not an engaging or fascinating book. But hearing the somatic exercises read out loud was more helpful than if I had read them in my usual, speed read fashion. I also appreciate that the recordings of the somatic practice sessions is made available separate from the book so you can utilize those.
I did like the background and research provided (although I will retain none of it!). Like some other reviewers I found the author’s hard on against meditation and yoga to be odd since somatic practices are basically a combination of those with some more physical awareness thrown in.
Also, the “easy does it, good for you” added in at the end of each somatic exercise was hilarious and off putting. (Although I feel bad saying that, I think the intent is to be supportive and encouraging.)
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December 3, 2023Overall I liked this book and was able to take some interesting aspects with me. I loved that in between there were some breathing 'breaks' and some practical tools. Some things I take with me from this book: Making sure your body knows that the stress is over, (mentally) going through the cycle of stress and practices to fulfill that cycle
I listened to the audiobook and for whatever reason I felt myself zooming out a lot. I don't know why it was (could be the voice of the personal reading or some personal things). That's why I don't want to give this book a rating
I listened to the audiobook and for whatever reason I felt myself zooming out a lot. I don't know why it was (could be the voice of the personal reading or some personal things). That's why I don't want to give this book a rating
April 22, 2020
The Mind-Body Stress Reset offers some accessible science-backed information on how stress has an impact on the body. However, this is NOT a deep-dive into managing stress in our lives and there is some information presented that is not factual - the idea that animals do not experience chronic is scientifically incorrect. While there are some solid suggestions on managing stress, the reader should discern carefully.
August 13, 2020
who doesn’t need more stress relief techniques during a Quarantine?
The first three chapters discuss all the negative effects of stress on the mind and body. Some of the information was enlightening. However, most of it I was already aware of. I know stress is damaging my body but I need techniques to get the stress under control.
I thought this book was average for a stress relief book.
I received this galley from NetGalley.
The first three chapters discuss all the negative effects of stress on the mind and body. Some of the information was enlightening. However, most of it I was already aware of. I know stress is damaging my body but I need techniques to get the stress under control.
I thought this book was average for a stress relief book.
I received this galley from NetGalley.
March 23, 2020
Many of the tricks, tools, theories in this book are ones that you would find by seeing a therapist about a non-medicated anxiety disorder. So if you are one who does not want, or cannot, visit with a therapist regularly this book would be helpful to you in your search for assistance in managing your anxiety.
February 6, 2022
An easy to read book with practical solutions to help regulate stress that incorporates the mind-body connection. An excellent book to utilize with clients or a self-guided book to develop tools for stress regulation. Easy to understand explanations, and helpful examples. Definitely a book I will implement with my clients.
January 28, 2023
Outstanding Read
An excellent overview of somatic healing for handling negative behaviors evolved from past experiences which leave a negative footprint within our brains and within the body .
Somatic Healing therapy will help us become resilient to stresses and triggers as we humans are learning how to overcome negative things from our past which the body never forgets.
An excellent overview of somatic healing for handling negative behaviors evolved from past experiences which leave a negative footprint within our brains and within the body .
Somatic Healing therapy will help us become resilient to stresses and triggers as we humans are learning how to overcome negative things from our past which the body never forgets.
February 12, 2024
This is like many other mindfulness techniques, with some added visualization to aid you in redirecting or challenging your thoughts. The jury is still out on how well this might work in the heat of a response, but I know the rest works as a way of preventing future upset.
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February 4, 2021Way to go, Rebekkah!
Wonderful book from a wise and supportive therapist. It is a welcome addition to a growing and needed literature on Somatic Experiencing.
Wonderful book from a wise and supportive therapist. It is a welcome addition to a growing and needed literature on Somatic Experiencing.
March 11, 2021
This was a helpful book to use your body to help reduce your stress in overwhelming situation. There’s a lot of great tips that help!
August 1, 2022
I enjoyed this book. I borrowed it from the library but plan on purchasing the book mostly for the breathing exercises.
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