When the Body Speaks
How Somatic Healing Sets You Free
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
For readers of The Body Keeps the Score and What Happened to You?, trauma-informed practitioner and Instagram phenomenon “The Workout Witch,” Liz Tenuto, presents the ultimate guide to using somatic exercise to release tension, regulate the nervous system, and facilitate healing, drawing on her 15 years of experience teaching somatic healing.
Liz Tenuto’s When The Body Speaks is a comprehensive guide to understanding how trauma and stress are stored within the body—and how somatic exercises can provide a powerful tool for healing. Defined as the study of the body as perceived from within, somatics emphasize internal sensory awareness and lived experiences as crucial for understanding and healing from tension, stress, and trauma. Written as an easy-to-digest primer, Tenuto explains the science of somatics, while offering simple, fully illustrated exercises to release tension through somatic practice.
Long-term stress and unresolved trauma can manifest in a host of ways—sleep issues, fatigue, muscle tension, digestive problems, cognitive difficulties, and numerous psychological conditions. By focusing on the body's innate capacity to heal, Tenuto teaches readers how to use movement to address these issues, allowing the nervous system to move from dysregulation to a state of homeostasis.
A survivor of childhood and adolescent trauma, Liz Tenuto began struggling with ailments like chronic pain and insomnia. After visiting doctor after doctor, she decided to learn more about somatic exercises—and it changed her life. Twenty years later, Liz is a trauma-informed practitioner with a degree in psychology, fifteen years of teaching experience, and advanced training in somatic movement through Pilates, Reiki, and 6 years of Feldenkrais mentorship with Augusta Moore.. In her first book, Liz offers not only practical exercises and a deeper understanding of how the mind and body interact, but a pathway for self-compassion, empowerment, and a more fulfilling life.
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Tenuto debuts with an empathetic guide to understanding how stress and trauma are stored in the body and how certain exercises can bring healing. A survivor of childhood sexual assault, Tenuto shares how somatic exercise—slow, mindful movements designed to regulate the nervous system—helped her release tension and reconnect with her body and emotions. She explains how constant stress and unresolved childhood trauma keep the body's fight-or-flight response activated for long periods of time, resulting in health issues like insomnia, digestive problems, anxiety, muscle weakness, brain fog, and mood swings. To ease tension and relieve pain, Tenuto walks readers through exercises that target different parts of the body, including the hips, pelvis, back, neck, and jaw. For those feeling anxious or overwhelmed, she recommends a combination of hip rocking, heel rocking, and knee swaying. To release anger and frustration, she encourages exercises that involve slamming a pillow on the floor and stomping on the ground and swinging one's arms. Step-by-step instructions, photos, and QR codes that lead to instructive videos elucidate the movements. Actionable and empowering, this will inspire those seeking to connect with their bodies and reclaim joy.