AN INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER Memoir meets craft master class in this “daring, honest, psychologically insightful” exploration of how we think and write about intimate experiences—“a must read for anybody shoving a pen across paper or staring into a screen or a past" (Mary Karr) In this bold and exhilarating mix of memoir and master class, Melissa Febos tackles the emotional, psychological, and physical work of writing intimately while offering an utterly fresh examination of the storyteller’s life and the questions which run through it. How might we go about capturing on the page the relationships that have formed us? How do we write about our bodies, their desires and traumas? What does it mean for an author’s way of writing, or living, to be dismissed as “navel-gazing”—or else hailed as “so brave, so raw”? And to whom, in the end, do our most intimate stories belong? Drawing on her own path from aspiring writer to acclaimed author and writing professor—via addiction and recovery, sex work and academia—Melissa Febos has created a captivating guide to the writing life, and a brilliantly unusual exploration of subjectivity, privacy, and the power of divulgence. Candid and inspiring, Body Work will empower readers and writers alike, offering ideas—and occasional notes of caution—to anyone who has ever hoped to see themselves in a story.

Thai Massage, Sacred Bodywork is a complete guide to an ancient practice that benefits body, mind, and spirit. Interest in Thai massage has been growing rapidly. This is no surprise given its unique multifaceted approach to the body. Thai massage combines acupressure, stretching, reflexology, assisted yoga postures, herbal compresses, prayer and meditation. It benefits everyone. Sometimes called the "lazy person's yoga", Thai massage stretches and relaxes the muscles, increases the joints' range of motion, and balances energy flow throughout the body. Thai Massage, Sacred Bodywork provides fully illustrated, step-by-step instructions which enable the reader to use this integrative and interactive therapy with a partner at home or with a client. The book explains the historical and philosophical background of Thai massage as well as its religious origins. Throughout the book, Ananda always reminds us of the deeper meaning of this sacred modality—compassion in action. A must for all those interested in the healing arts.

Ideal for both classroom and practice, Modalities for Massage & Bodywork, 2nd Edition presents 23 modalities of bodywork, their history, development, effects, benefits, contraindications, basic curricula and certification requirements. Updated photos and illustrations, critical thinking questions, and flash cards give you a better picture of today's massage best practices. Evolve companion website provides matching activities, flash cards, answers to multiple-choice questions, weblinks and video demonstrations of various modalities covered in the text to make learning more interactive. - Case histories in each chapter illustrate the effects of the modality within a therapeutic context, creating the opportunity for integrative, clinical reasoning that helps prepare you for work in the various modalities. - Student objectives and key terms at the start of each chapter provides a framework for what to expect and what to focus on with each chapter. - In My Experience boxes provide personal insights about specific techniques from experts in the field. - Full-color design and techniques shown with photos and illustrations enhance understanding and comprehension of each modality. - Multiple-choice test questions at the end of each chapter with answers on the Evolve website help you measure your understanding of the modality and obtain instant feedback from the answer key that includes rationales. - Suggested readings, resources and references in each chapter offer robust resources for you to further research each modality. - Clinically relevant boxes and tables highlight important information. - NEW Modalities chapters provide you with a greater awareness of the opportunities and options available as they pursue a massage therapy career and practitioners with more practical information they can apply to their work. - NEW! Student resources on Evolve supplement the classroom experience and ensures you retain the material in the text. - 23 different body techniques are introduced to help you learn about different modalities you may want to pursue and reaffirm your knowledge of techniques. - More than 2 hours of video on the Evolve website bring the modalities to life and help put the text instructions in perspective. - NEW! Updated content, photos and illustrations equip you with the latest information and visuals on modalities from experts in the field that reflect current practices in the field and the needs and wants of massage therapy practitioners and students. - NEW! Critical thinking questions added to each chapter actively engage and challenge your reasoning skills. - NEW! Additional review questions added to each chapter supply you with more opportunities to review what you have learned and test your knowledge.

An illustrated manual for using physical movement and alignment to resolve chronic pain and tension and work with the emotions • Includes 90 exercises to work with emotions through the body and support the neck, shoulders, lower back, feet, and overall posture as well as breathing and voice • Explains how to listen to the body’s signals to discover our physical and emotional blindspots--the weaknesses and misalignments at the root of our discomfort • Draws on Zen shiatsu, Rolfing, yoga, and Gestalt psychotherapy to explain how transformation of physical structure corrects imbalances in the unconscious mind Developed by Cathy Thompson through her many years as a bodywork therapist, the Thompson Method incorporates Zen shiatsu, Rolfing, yoga, and Gestalt psychotherapy to heal pain in the physical body both through bodywork and by recognizing the emotional blockages that often underlie chronic pain, tension, and poor alignment. In this practical manual, Thompson and her protégé-daughter Tara Thompson Lewis provide a deep understanding of body mechanics and how to work with emotions through the body. They explore how to listen to the body’s signals to discover our physical and emotional blindspots--the weaknesses and misalignments at the root of our discomfort--and explain how transformation of your physical structure can correct imbalances in the unconscious mind caused by repressed memories and emotional traumas. Offering illustrated instructions for 90 corrective alignment exercises, the authors show how to release body tensions, realign the body’s dynamic structure, work with the deep postural muscles, and support the neck, shoulders, lower back, and feet to strengthen the emotional and physical body as well as improve singing, dancing, yoga, and posture while sitting at the computer. They also explore breathing and bodywork practices to release the vocal mechanism and free the voice for more fluid and powerful self-expression. By recognizing and releasing the deeper emotional triggers beneath our physical complaints, the Thompson Method allows you to resolve chronic pains, increase body awareness and free movement, and create the foundation for good health and well-being.