Newsletters
Podcast links
Huberman Lab, Podcast #33: Andrew Huberman talks with Dr. Anna Lembke about dopamine, addiction, and what treatment for it looks like.
The Inner Alchemy Podcast, May 6, 2021 : A talk with Paula Scataloni and Rachel Lewis-Marlow about embodiment and recovery in the realm of eating disorders.
Ten Percent Happier, January 10, 2024: Dan Harris interviews Pema Chodron about her non-negotiable rule for interacting with people. She is a very thoughtful and precise speaker. Curious and unshakable. This interview was, for me, like drinking clean, cold water. Refreshing.
On the Soul’s Terms, Episode #64: For those of you interested in symbolism, the mystic side of life and personal transformation, I recommend this beautiful talk with Michael Meade about the power of storytelling.
What really helps trauma? Forrest Hanson speaks with Dr. Jacob Ham (please follow that link if you are interested in learning more about trauma) about his path as a psychiatrist and what he has learned in his career of helping people dealing with trauma. Dr. Ham shares honest, human experiences about his work and how trauma is healed.
Embodiment through somatic tracking with Monica Lia: This interview with Monica Lia provides a very clear idea of what somatic bodywork involves and how it supports awareness and well-being. Tune in at around minute 18:30 to get right to it.
Managing the freeze response: This is a great introduction on how the “freeze response” manifests in the body. That said, I want to point out from a bodyworker/nervous system perspective (this is not the perspective from which Dr. Hanson is presenting), that the “freeze response” is not a choice. It’s an automatic, unconscious pathway that has been proven to provide safety to the body experiencing it. Through the work of somatic tracking and attuned bodywork, you can begin to notice it sooner and find ways to slow it down or move through it differently, but it’s not a choice you make consciously.
The Knowledge Project: The Stories You Tell Yourself—Shane Parrish interviews Jim Loehr about our inner stories and how they affect our lives. Loehr’s work focuses on high-earning, highly competitive people, but I don’t see why we can’t use that knowledge to make the everyday lives of us regular folk better. If telling ourselves a story of opportunity and success gives us the energy to create more enjoyable lives for the people we love (including ourselves), maybe we can find that story. I know I’m looking for mine.
Some insights/inspiration:
- hand writing your desired future helps integrate that into your body/mind
- emphasis on two ways to change…from the inside-out or the outside-in
- the athlete who rediscovered her competitive energy by focusing on her goal to “be sunshine” in the world
Book reviews
The Anatomy of Anxiety: I haven’t finished the book, but the first chapters were full of helpful information. Dr. Vora explains the value of understanding the difference between anxiety caused by physiological events (e.g., hunger, thirst, low blood sugar) and anxiety caused by situational circumstances.
These differences are important to understand from an embodiment stance…our minds will create a story for us when we don’t understand what is going on physiologically. By gaining insight into what might be happening within our body systems, we can take action to decrease the anxious body’s hold on us.
Yoga Therapy for Fear: Beth Spindler’s book is a practical guide, full of poses, ideas, and suggestions. She covers a wide range of topics—such as fear, trauma, tension, creativity—and provides the poses, breathing practices and self-awareness meditations suitable to them. Most of the poses have graphics alongside to support learning and her descriptions are easy to follow.
Dissociation Made Simple: Marich provides down-to-earth, from-the-source information about a topic that has been sensationalized to the point of complete miscomprehension. She/they provide(s) clarity, support, and awareness on the experiences of dissociation.
One of my favorite gems from this book is this quote about grounding: “My feet will not lie to me. My mind can pull me into the past or project me into the future, but my feet will always tell me where I am at in any given moment.” This is the clearest example of the value of body awareness I have come across in a long time.
This book has helped me find ways to name my own dissociation patterns. It also offers frameworks for understanding the differing levels of dissociation that people experience. Dissociation Made Simple contains valuable, first-hand knowledge that destigmatizes dissociation and offers practices for self-care, self-awareness and understanding.
Finding Your Own North Star: Why am I reviewing one of those self-help books about finding a life or career that satisfies you? I didn’t know going in that this book is one of the most practical, plain-language self-help books I’ve ever read—and I’ve read a lot.
Beck is incredibly practical and full of great advice on how to support yourself through healing old wounds that get in the way of living the life you want (especially if you are having trouble figuring out what it is you want).
Her work is based on learning how to listen to your body, your emotions and your intuition. What excites me about this book the most is that she always takes it back to the body. I think for anyone wanting to learn how to listen to their body, she offers a great set of tools.
In chapter six, Beck shares her process of tuning into the body to discover your needs, desires, and wants. Her description of how people listen and don’t listen to their bodies is a great introduction to the benefits of somatic awareness. Beck does it in a way that doesn’t use the buzzwords (like somatic awareness or embodiment).
She is also very clear on what situations require outside help, i.e., a therapist. And then she offers practical steps on how to find a good therapist. I have never seen a clearer set of guidelines on who to ask, where to go, and how to determine if a therapist is a good fit for you.
There are a lot of bad dad-type jokes and metaphors. But really, these are forgivable because her viewpoint, her awareness, and her advice are so helpful and based in practical realities of body/mind healing. Even if you aren’t trying to find your North Star, this book is a simple guide to learning to understand the cues your body gives you about what brings you joy and what brings you down.
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