Heal from trauma and PTSD with the martial art of jiu-jitsu--written for survivors, mental health therapists, and trauma-informed martial arts instructors. This groundbreaking book introduces jiu-jitsu as a powerful embodied modality for trauma survivors in recovery, and includes 10 grounding practices, self-defense techniques, and 30 instructional photos. Unhealed trauma--from “little t” traumas to complex PTSD--leaves a lasting imprint on the bodies and minds of survivors. And in the aftermath of trauma, many people experience shifts in how they feel, connect with others, and interact with the world at large. This embodied, whole-person approach will help you heal the wounds of traumatic stress and how it shows up within yourself and your relationships, from disembodiment and numbness to anger, fear, anxiety, confusion, and dissociation. As part of a martial arts trauma recovery program, you’ll learn about: • Trauma, embodiment, and the transformative power of jiu-jitsu • Self-defense skills that can help survivors of violence define boundaries and feel safe, secure, powerful, and at home in their bodies • Creating a welcoming, responsive practice space as a studio owner • Integrating jiu-jitsu practice into a safe, accessible recovery protocol for survivors--and how therapists can recommend them to clients or build them into a treatment plan Written for trauma survivors, mental health clinicians, and martial arts practitioners and studio owners who want to create a safe, empowering, and trauma-sensitive space, Transforming Trauma with Jiu-Jitsu is a unique and vital guide to healing trauma’s invisible wounds.

Explains trauma using a combination of the Five Elements (from Traditional Chinese Medicine) and a touch perspective; for practitioners of a variety of modalities, including acupuncturists, somatic therapists, massage therapists, and mental health providers. Combining Eastern and Western trauma physiology, clinician-educators Alaine Duncan and Kathy Kain introduce a new map for acupuncturists, medical practitioners, mental health providers, and body-oriented clinicians to help restore balance in their patients. Using concepts from Acupuncture and Asian Medicine (AAM), alongside descriptions of the threat response from Western bio-behavioral science, they describe common physical symptoms, emotional presentations, and paths for healing for five survivor "types" detailed by the authors and correlated to the Five Elements of AAM. This ancient/modern integrative lens illuminates the diverse manifestations of traumatic stress in its survivors--chronic pain, autoimmune illness, insomnia, metabolic problems, and mental health disorders--and brings new hope to survivors of trauma and those who treat them.

Heal pain and triumph over trauma for good! Whether or not we’re consciously aware of it, no one is spared from trauma. From catastrophic events to everyday experiences of traumatic stress, renowned yoga teacher Liz Arch is willing to bet that trauma has touched you or someone you love and may be affecting your physical, emotional, and mental health in surprising and devastating ways, causing symptoms such as anxiety, panic, depression, mood swings, fatigue, chronic pain, and digestive issues. Following her own experience with domestic violence and an ensuing struggle with anxiety and panic attacks, Liz found her own path to holistic healing and has become an advocate for those who have suffered from trauma. In The Courage to Rise, she shows how trauma changes our brains and inhabits our bodies, creating a vicious cycle of physical and psychological distress. She offers an integrated approach to take control of your own healing and reclaim your wholeness through movement, mindfulness, and nutrition. This hopeful and accessible guide addresses the three areas where trauma lives: The body. Move stuck emotions out of your muscles and tissues through twelve signature Primal Yoga movement sequences. The brain. A series of meditations and mindfulness practices to rewire your brain and break free from repetitive thought patterns, overwhelming feelings, and painful memories. The gut. Examine foods that may be exacerbating physical and mental disease; discover the best whole foods to stave off depression and anxiety; plus, thirty delicious and nutritious gut-healing recipes. The Courage to Rise gives invaluable insight into understanding the nature of trauma and shares effective tools you can use immediately to begin regulating your nervous system, strengthening your emotional resiliency, and transforming pain into your greatest power.

"Richard Bresler was Rorion Gracie's first student in LA, and is widely recognized as the first student of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu in the USA. His memoir, WORTH DEFENDING, chronicles his over 40 years' involvement with the Gracie family and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, including the almost 20 years he spent working closely alongside Rorion helping to grow Jiu-Jitsu through the "Gracie Garages" (the first of which was in the house that Richard and Rorion shared in Hermosa Beach, CA), the founding of the Gracie Academy (made possible by a loan Richard made to Rorion), and the inception of the UFC (in which Richard invested and at which he was ringside with Hélio Gracie himself). Read the story of the birth of modern MMA from someone who was there every step of the way!"--Amazon.com.

Your definitive trauma-sensitive guide to working the Steps: skills for understanding your addiction, processing your trauma, and navigating your recovery journey—the anticipated companion to Trauma and the 12 Steps. This addiction recovery workbook from clinicians Jamie Marich, PhD, and Stephen Dansiger offers skills to prevent relapse, enhance recovery, and understand how trauma impacts alcoholism, drug dependency, and even other types of addictions. Working the Steps for the first time can feel scary and unfamiliar—and depending upon the experiences you’ve had at AA or NA, you may question whether the 12 Steps are right for you. Here, Marich and Dansiger help you get to the root of your addiction while offering skills and exercises for an inclusive recovery program. Unlike some 12-Step programs, this workbook is open to all—regardless of your background, history, identity, or spiritual beliefs. It also recognizes that for most of us on recovery or sobriety journeys, each Step isn’t made to be worked through only once: this workbook is designed to support your individual needs, whether that’s practicing one step on a day-to-day basis, revisiting another at different times throughout your recovery process, or using the exercises as part of a yearly check-in. The workbook begins with a self-care inventory, then moves through each of the 12 steps with prompts, meditations, journaling reflections, and body-based exercises. The authors also offer coping skills and an open-minded approach that acknowledges that your recovery is as unique as you are: one-size-fits-all doesn’t apply. Compassionate, trauma-responsive, and grounded in the latest behavioral and neuroscience research, this workbook is your go-to addiction recovery toolkit.

Overcome shame and stigma; and bring a newly felt sense of safety, awareness, and life to your body. If you’ve experienced rape, sexual abuse, molestation, or sexual trauma, you may feel as if you’ve lost your sense of self. You may have difficulty setting boundaries or building satisfying sexual relationships. Sometimes, you may even feel like your body isn’t your own. You aren’t alone. The scars of sexual trauma exist not only in the mind, but also in the body. And in order to heal, build resilience, and discover a sense of hope, you must address both. Drawing on the powerful mind-body techniques of somatic therapy, The Healing Sexual Trauma Workbook is a step-by-step guide to overcoming the psychological effects of sexual trauma, and increasing positive body awareness and vitality. You’ll find tools to help you create an internal sense of safety and become more embodied and present. You’ll also discover ways to establish boundaries; move beyond intense feelings like shame, fear, and guilt; and deal effectively with triggers. Finally, you’ll learn how to cultivate self-compassion and the confidence needed to live your best life. What happened to you isn’t your fault, and it doesn’t define you. With the right tools, you can live a full and satisfying life beyond sexual trauma. This workbook will help guide you, every step of the way.

As a leader in teaching, training, and transforming boys in Detroit, Jason Wilson shares his own story of discovering what it means to “be a man” in this life-changing memoir. His grandfather’s lynching in the deep South, the murders of his two older brothers, and his verbally harsh and absent father all worked together to form Jason Wilson’s childhood. But it was his decision to acknowledge his emotions and yield to God’s call on his life that made Wilson the man and leader he is today. As the founder of one of the country’s most esteemed youth organizations, Wilson has decades of experience in strengthening the physical, mental, and emotional spirit of boys and men. In Cry Like a Man, Wilson explains the dangers men face in our culture’s definition of “masculinity” and gives readers hope that healing is possible. As Wilson writes, “My passion is to help boys and men find strength to become courageously transparent about their own brokenness as I shed light on the symptoms and causes of childhood trauma and ‘father wounds.’ I long to see men free themselves from emotional incarceration—to see their minds renewed, souls weaned, and relationships restored.”