Somatic Therapy for Healing Trauma: Effective Tools to Strengthen the Mind-Body Connection

by Jordan Dann

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.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Psychology, Health, Personal Growth, Mental Health

183 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 4, 2022

Reviews

[Lily Heron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pleasingly short and to the point, Somatic Therapy for Healing Trauma is packed full of helpful, accessible exercises for those in need. The layout of the book is pleasing and efficient; the exercises are varied and bitesize; and there is a brief but detailed explanation of the work beforehand. You could work through the exercises one by one, or pick and choose ones that appeal to you most at the time. I am so excited to apply these ideas to my recovery work, because I had only come across one or two of them before now. I am grateful to NetGalley for providing an ARC in return for an honest review.

[mOla książkowa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Czasem to, co najbardziej domaga się naszej uwagi, to relacja… z samym sobą. Z tym, co czujemy, z tym, jak reagujemy. Z ciałem, które pamięta więcej, niż nam się wydaje, i z umysłem, który próbuje to wszystko poukładać.

„Somatyczna terapia traumy. Skuteczne narzędzia wzmacniania relacji umysł – ciało” to książka, która nie tylko tłumaczy, czym jest trauma i jak wpływa na nasze życie, ale przede wszystkim uczy, jak wracać do siebie – krok po kroku, delikatnie, z uważnością.

To nie jest podręcznik ani typowy poradnik. To spokojna rozmowa z ciałem. Przypomnienie, że umysł i ciało nie są dwiema oddzielnymi rzeczywistościami, ale jednym systemem, który można na nowo zsynchronizować.

Dla tych, którzy chcą lepiej rozumieć siebie. I dla tych, którzy po prostu czują, że warto się na chwilę zatrzymać.

❕Książka nie zastąpi wizyty u specjalisty. Jeśli czujesz, że towarzyszy Ci coś czym warto się zaopiekować, o czym warto porozmawiać - skorzystaj ze wsparcia specjalisty. ❕

[Rory · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great introduction to somatic therapy, and how it can help with anxiety, depression, trauma, and even chronic pain. In addition to a thorough overview of what somatic therapy is and how it’s used, the book explains the terminology in understandable terms. The exercises provided in the workbook are very useful resources for grounding and feeling embodied. As a Health Librarian I’ll definitely be purchasing a copy. I can see this being helpful for both practitioners and the general public.

[Karen Schex · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a nutrition practitioner, I see so many people whose bodies are holding on to trauma. Somatic therapy is a great way to release some of the trauma and help your body get into a parasympathetic state. Everyone can benefit from this book.

#NetGalley #SomaticTherapy

[wonderfullyweird88 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somatic Therapy for Healing Trauma is a refreshingly concise yet highly effective guide for those seeking practical, body-based approaches to trauma recovery. What makes this book stand out is how accessible and thoughtfully structured it is. It's pleasingly short and to the point, yet manages to deliver a wealth of insight and guidance without overwhelming the reader.

The layout is clean, inviting, and efficient—ideal for anyone who might already be feeling emotionally or mentally taxed. The exercises are varied, digestible, and well-paced, making them easy to incorporate into daily life. Whether you're completely new to somatic work or have some experience, you'll find the tools presented here to be approachable and adaptable.

Each section begins with a brief but clear explanation of the therapeutic principles behind the practice, helping readers understand not just what to do, but why it matters. This adds depth to the experience without bogging it down in theory.

One of the strengths of the book is its flexibility—you can work through the exercises sequentially for a more structured approach, or simply pick and choose the ones that resonate most with your needs in the moment. Either way, it's a resource that encourages self-compassion, mindfulness, and gentle progress.

Overall, this is a valuable, user-friendly book for anyone navigating trauma recovery, or simply looking to reconnect with their body in a supportive and healing way.

[Joy Chase]

This book by Jordan Dann is in a workbook format It engages with physical and writing exercises. It provokes a progressive understanding of somatic therapy for healing trauma. It leads towards a mind and body balance. Dann brings in the wisdom of practitioners from Peter A. Levine to Bessel A. Van der Kolk. It beckons you to come into the present and leave the past behind, gently. It presents the embodied life as ideal with increased self-awareness as the goal.

[Amanda C · Rating 4 out of 5]

A helpful guide for therapists who are new to working through a somatic lens with clients or nice starter guide for someone pursuing self-help using body based methods.

There are a variety of exercises and prompts that those without formal somatic training may not have tried before and several new activities I haven’t come across in previous formal training.

Jordan Dann’s voice is so valuable. Hope to see more from her.

[Bryan Eberl]

Not sure how I feel about this type of therapy, but was an interesting read to see where a lot of techniques and processes used by therapists come from. I have seen how some of these concepts have helped on my life, but was a much more natural come around to acknowledging each particular metaphor/ healing tactic. Not sure how it would actually work in this step by step guide.

[Machelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actually didn't finish it. It was just more mindfulness work which doesn't work for my Veteran husband. Nothing really against the practice because it does work for some people, but not mine. So I can't really speak about how it was written or the effectiveness of it put into practice.

[JadersCorner · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC NETGALLEY REVIEW

If this type of therapy interests you, this is an amazing book to start with. The author did their due diligence with this workbook. Something I would definitely recommend my yoga clients that want to heal trauma and need a starting point to work on their own.

[Uptuup · Rating 4 out of 5]

Książka zawiera ćwiczenia terapii somatycznej do pracy z traumą. W książce mało jest teorii, zawiera głównie ćwiczenia do pracy samodzielniej i porady jak sobie pomóc. Jeśli ktoś zmaga się z problemami typu trauma może sięgnąć po tą książkę ale raczej wskazana jest praca z odpowiednim terapeutą.

[Sherri Jene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Helpful

I have found this book to be very helpful, insightful, and a great resource to keep going back to. It is a great tool to journal with as well.

[Robin Ginther-Venneri · Rating 5 out of 5]

informative

This is a well written easy to read and understand self help book. I recommend it to everyone who wants to heal.

[Sidnee Sawyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

“When you start to become aware of your somatic experiences, your body and mind begin to create a sense of internal safety.”

Great resource to practice on your own or with your therapist 🩷

[Sunz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was the most surprising book I have ever read this year.

I heard about somatic therapy before but I couldn't fully grasp its meaning and application. Jordan Dann explains this very clearly in her book, Somatic Therapy for Healing Trauma.

I have been dealing with my painful past that has been stopping me from living my life to the fullest but I didn't know that healing involves the body, too, not only the mind. Before I felt tightness in some parts of my body and other sensations triggered by my traumatic experiences. I just didn't put much attention to them as I didn't know how to deal with them. Later on, I learned about becoming more present and feeling my body; however, my own practice needed more improvement to fully release the reactions to traumatic memories from my body.

The book also provides a lot of beneficial exercises that help me become more attuned to my body. Definitely, this book will be my daily companion in my healing journey and in becoming a whole person.

Thank you, Jordan Dann, Rockridge Press, and NetGalley for the ARC. Thank you for the privilege to read the book and share my honest opinion.

[Lily Heron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pleasingly short and to the point, Somatic Therapy for Healing Trauma is packed full of helpful, accessible exercises for those in need. The layout of the book is pleasing and efficient; the exercises are varied and bitesize; and there is a brief but detailed explanation of the work beforehand. You could work through the exercises one by one, or pick and choose ones that appeal to you most at the time. I am so excited to apply these ideas to my recovery work, because I had only come across one or two of them before now.

I am grateful to NetGalley for providing an ARC in return for an honest review.