i didn’t love this. descriptions were good but activities felt very childish and repetitive. would likely not purchase if i happened upon it in a bookstore.

Deb Dana is renowned for her work in therapy, and my own therapist refers to her frequently. I am very excited to be reading this book! My full review to follow.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this ARC. All thoughts and comments are my own.

As a chronic anxiety sufferer (complete with catastrophization!) this book was a really interesting way to reframe my body's chronic panic response. I did not know much about Polyvagal Theory and the introduction to the concept was well written and accessible. The background provided a good structure for working through the responses to each level of regulation. The exercises were "easy" in that they can be done in small chunks without having to commit to hours of navel gazing per chapter. For those of us who want to regulate better, but find "homework" an unmanageable challenge, this is perfect. You can spend five minutes for a quick check in, or journal extensively...this format works for any therapeutic style. I have not done all the exercises, but the few I did try out served their purpose well and got me framing my anxiety response in a new way. While I would love a deep dive on the theory and research (there seems to be some debate as to how far the theory can be taken into practice, though that is true for most forms of therapy, so we shall carry on I guess), this workbook provides and excellent foray into practice that can be started right now, when you need it and in any variation that you need it.

If you're ready to ease anxiety, cultivate safety, and deeply connect with yourself, The Nervous System Workbook by Deb Dana is your ultimate guide. This powerful resource breaks down Polyvagal Theory into practical exercises that help you regulate your nervous system and find a sense of calm in everyday life. Through insightful reflections and hands-on activities, you’ll learn to harness the wisdom of your body, manage stress, and invite more peace into your daily experience. Whether you're healing from trauma or simply seeking balance, this workbook offers invaluable tools to navigate life's challenges with ease. I highly recommend it for anyone looking to build resilience and reconnect with their inner calm!

Really loved the breakdown of the surveillance system and examination of our physical response to stress and our environment. The book leaves readers with a great and digestible toolkit for stress and self regulation

This is such a great workout to help with nervous system regulation and learning more about the Polyvagal Theory. Thanks to NetGalley and Sounds True Publishing for the eARC. As someone who is in therapy this has been a helpful addition to do on my own as "homework." I found this workbook to really informative, while also allowing me to really step back and think about my answers and how I would respond. I really appreciated that the author, Deb Dana, filled in her own examples on the blanks. This really helped me get a feel for how to get into the mind frame for each question. This is a book I plan to keep on hand not only for the information, but to revisit as my answers change in the future!

Highly recommend this workbook! I love Deb Dana and everything about her work. Though I had prior knowledge/passion around polyvagal theory when starting this workbook, I would say that, as intended, this workbook is accessible to anyone, no matter their level of understanding of polyvagal theory. Deb Dana has a very poetic way of writing and the science is explained intuitively. I really appreciated the flow and progression of the questions/prompts. The embodiment of the prompts also helped me integrate the concepts more deeply. This workbook is more of a bottom-up approach, whereby you're looking at how the nervous systems impacts your emotions/thoughts (versus a top-down approach, which might focus more on your thoughts). As a clinician, I can see this being very useful in session with clients.

Thank you NetGalley and Sounds True Publishing for this ARC!