The Nervous System Workbook
Practical Exercises to Ease Anxiety, Find Safety, and Come Home to Yourself Using Polyvagal Theory
by Deb Dana, LCSW
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Pub Date Nov 05 2024 | Archive Date Dec 05 2024
Sounds True Publishing | Sounds True
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Description
A guide to understand and befriend your unique nervous system—and find your way back to safety and calm in times of stress
We live in stressful times. When we’re anxious and overwhelmed, our nervous systems—and our lives—suffer. We can’t eliminate all of life’s difficulties, but The Nervous System Workbook can teach you how to find more well-being amidst it all, starting inside your own body.
Deb Dana, a leading expert in Polyvagal Theory, shares incredibly effective tools for getting to know your system. She writes, “No two nervous systems are exactly alike, and getting to know how your nervous system works leads you along the path to becoming an active operator of your own system, no matter how it is wired.”
Step-by-step, Dana takes you through more than 50 short practices and exercises that teach you:
• How your personal nervous system responds—to what’s happening outside you, to what’s happening inside you, and how you communicate with others’ systems
• How to recognize when you’re in a state of distress
• What helps you feel calm and centered
• Why co-regulation—connecting with others—can support your sense of security
• Strategies to find more safety and ease within yourself
QR codes throughout the book point to bonus audio practices guided by Dana.
As Dana writes, “When you learn to befriend the nervous system, you’ll move through the world in a new way and experience the powerful benefits that come with finding your personal pathways to calm and freedom.”
Advance Praise
“Deb Dana's wonderful workbook guides you step-by-step through learning about your nervous system and how to bring it back into balance when life is challenging. The tools and practices in this workbook are gifts you can give yourself over and over again.” —Diane Poole Heller, PhD, author of The Power of Attachment
“Deb Dana masterfully demystifies the complexities of the Polyvagal Theory, offering readers an empowering journey towards self-regulation. Each exercise serves as a road map towards greater resilience and emotional balance, paving the way for optimal well-being. The Nervous System Workbook is a must-read for anyone seeking to harness the power of their nervous system for a more fulfilling life.” —Stephen W. Porges, PhD, creator of the Polyvagal Theory
“Deb Dana’s Nervous System Workbook speaks in a beautifully compassionate, non-pathologizing voice directly to the individual using it. The steps toward befriending and tending the nervous system are spelled out in simple exercises that build on each other. The calming sense of ease in this approach can be felt on every page.” —Janina Fisher, author of Healing the Fragmented Selves of Trauma Survivors
“Weaving together insights from contemporary neuroscience and years of clinical practice, this workbook offers clear, step-by-step, engaging exercises that can help anyone better understand their nervous system and move from stress and fear toward stability, equanimity, and harmony. With warmth, humor, and a wise understanding of our differences, Deb Dana gives us a banquet of approaches so that we all can find our way to live a calmer, richer, more deeply connected and rewarding life.” —Ronald D. Siegel, PsyD, Harvard Medical School, author of The Extraordinary Gift of Being Ordinary
“The Nervous System Workbook by Deb Dana beautifully illustrates how to tend and befriend your nervous system! It translates the science of connection into easy, clear, and digestible tools and practices to help you find a sense of safety in your body and connection with others. It’s a must-read for everyone who knows or wants to know ‘home’ in themselves and in the world.” —Pat Ogden, PhD, founder and CEO of Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781649631923 |
| PRICE | $22.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 192 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Reviewer 1493881
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!
Reviewer 1520385
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
Ashley P, Reviewer
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!
Mark K, Educator
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!
Amanda L, Reviewer
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.
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