In an Unspoken Voice: How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness

by Peter A. Levine (Author), Gabor Maté (Foreword by)

Discover the body's innate power to heal from trauma--the classic, life-changing guide to trauma recovery from the creator of Somatic Experiencing(R) (SE)

Unraveling trauma in body, brain, and spirit--a revolution in treatment and beloved global bestseller

In In an Unspoken Voice, renowned trauma expert Peter A. Levine, PhD, reveals how the body holds the key to recovering from complex trauma and experiences that overwhelm our nervous systems, from adverse childhood experiences to PTSD . Drawing on decades of clinical practice, personal stories, case studies, and trauma science, Dr. Levine shows that trauma can be healed--if we can learn to listen to our bodies' innate, unspoken wisdom.

Through vivid accounts--from his own near-fatal accident to the journeys of clients grappling with their own traumas and scars--you'll learn how our nervous systems respond to threat; why trauma can leave us "stuck" in fear and numbness; and, most importantly, how to restore resilience and heal toward empowered, mind-body wholeness. This book explains:

• How shaking, trembling, and instinctive movements are essential embodied responses--and can help us release trauma safely and effectively
• The biological "map" of flight, flight, freeze, and collapse--and how to break free from paralyzing experiences of fear and trauma
• Practical steps and evidence-based exercises to help you gently discharge survival energy
• How to reawaken your natural capacity for self-regulation
• The SIBAM--Sensation, Image, Behavior, Affect, and Meaning--model for integrating fragmented experiences
• Real-life wisdom and insights from case studies of survivors

In an Unspoken Voice is a compassionate, deeply human, and revelatory look at trauma and what it takes to heal--and shows you that you already have the embodied tools and wisdom to do so.

Author Biography

Peter A. Levine, PhD, holds doctorates in both medical biophysics and psychology. The developer of Somatic Experiencing(R), a body-awareness approach to healing trauma, and founder of the Foundation for Human Enrichment, he conducts trainings in this work throughout the world and in various indigenous cultures. Dr. Levine was a stress consultant for NASA on the development of the space shuttle project and was a member of the Institute of World Affairs Task Force of Psychologists for Social Responsibility in developing responses to large-scale disasters and ethno-political warfare. Levine's international best seller, Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma, has been translated into twenty-two languages. His recent interests include the prevention of trauma in children, and he has co-written two books, with Maggie Kline, in this area: Trauma Through a Child's Eyes and Trauma-Proofing Your Kids. Levine's original contribution to the field of Body-Psychotherapy was honored in 2010 when he received the Life Time Achievement award from the United States Association for Body Psychotherapy (USABP). For further information on Dr. Levine's trainings, projects and literature, visit www.traumahealing.com and www.somaticexperiencing.com.