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!

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!

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!

So I've been reading a lot of arcs through Netgalley recently, but none of them have touched me in the soul like this one. It probably helps that one of my special interests is nervous system regulation, but because of that I can be also really harsh on nervous system workbooks. This one is 5 stars for me. I really took my time with it over the past few weeks I've had the arc.


This workbook did a really good job not to demonize any states of regulation. I particularly enjoyed the writing a letter thanking my flight or flight system for keeping me safe in moments I truly needed it. It's nice to see that function in that light when you have a sensitive nervous system.


My only critique is that for some of the exercises I got examples from the writer and some I did not get examples. And the activities I did not get examples left my brain a little blank which is common with people with dysregulated nervous systems. So, definitely my only frustration.


That being said I 1000% plan on actual buying this with my real money. I work at a library where I am swimming in books, so I don't buy books often. This one just felt really helpful for me the last couple of weeks as I went back to it. I'd love to sit down with my own copy, and fill out the pages.

A really nice tool to have for clients! Informative and helpful! The fact that it gives an in depth background then breaks it down into two parts is clever.

I really enjoyed this workbook. As a naturally anxious person trying to navigate this stressful world I can appreciate the practical application found in this book. The activities were engaging yet simple, thought-provoking and insightful. As a human body biologist I can also appreciate the science that backs the approach. I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy to really dive in.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and the author for this ARC! A great resource for guided “homework” on bettering yourself.

If you're like me and have a general understanding of the nervous system but don't exactly know how it works - this workbook provides a great overview of what the nervous system is and how to manage it. As someone who is anxious, utilising a workbook such as this is beneficial in feeling 'in control' and developing an understanding behind the reasoning. Whilst I didn't read this book cover to cover, I took the information I felt was beneficial to my understand and used it to understand how to regulate the nervous system. Understanding the perspective of the author and the foundational knowledge / research she has contributed is important in a non-fiction, to ensure you're knowledgable about potential bias. Deborah Dana explains her education and exposure to the topic early on in the workbook and references back to the Polyvagal theory as the foundation for this workbook. Whilst I believe this workbook is useful and has definitely developed my understanding of the nervous system, I felt the activities could have been more varied. I found myself describing and drawing a lot and sometimes didn't find this to be beneficial. Perhaps it's just my preference or style of learning but I believe incorporating various different approaches to activities could be a great way to hold attention and encourage learning.
Overall, a great, approachable workbook with well thought-out/researched discussion.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Deb Dana’s The Nervous System Workbook is an invaluable resource for anyone looking to understand and regulate their nervous system using the principles of Polyvagal Theory.

This practical guide is designed to help readers ease anxiety, find safety, and reconnect with themselves through a series of accessible exercises and reflections.

Dana, a leading expert in Polyvagal Theory, begins with a layperson-friendly overview of the theory, making complex concepts approachable and understandable. She explains how our nervous systems respond to stress and trauma, and how these responses affect our emotions, behaviors, and relationships. This foundational knowledge sets the stage for the workbook’s practical exercises, which are designed to help readers tune into their body’s signals and develop strategies for self-regulation.

The workbook is structured around more than 50 short practices and exercises that cater to different learning styles and needs. These exercises range from simple breathing techniques to more involved reflections on personal experiences and relationships. Dana emphasizes that there is no one-size-fits-all approach; instead, she encourages readers to explore and discover what works best for their unique nervous systems.

The Nervous System Workbook excels in its interactive nature. QR codes throughout the book link to bonus audio practices guided by Dana herself, providing an additional layer of support and engagement. This multimedia approach enhances the learning experience, making it easier for readers to integrate the exercises into their daily lives.

Dana’s writing is compassionate and encouraging, creating a sense of safety and trust that is essential for this kind of work. She acknowledges the challenges of dealing with anxiety and stress, and offers practical, evidence-based tools to help readers navigate these difficulties. Her approach is both scientific and deeply human, reflecting her extensive experience as a clinician and consultant.

The Nervous System Workbook is a comprehensive and user-friendly guide that empowers readers to take control of their mental and emotional well-being. Deb Dana has crafted a resource that is both informative and practical, with exercises that are easy to follow and effective.

For anyone interested in Polyvagal Theory or looking for ways to manage anxiety and stress, this workbook is a must-have.

I love a good workbook, and this one is pretty solid. Deb Dana, an expert in this field puts together the information on polyvagal theory in a very informational and helpful way. Through pictures, graphs and personal narrative the reader will be able to understand the theory and come away with some great tools to use overtime.

Thanks to NetGalley and Soundstrue publishing for the ARC!

In this polyvagal theory workbook, clinician and author Deb Dana presents the different elements of the nervous system alongside practical exercices. By understanding the elements of hierarchy, neuroception and go-regulation and bringing the unconscious into our awareness, we are then able to better control our actions (reflecting rather than reacting).

Some of the activities felt slightly repetitive but, as the author explains, they are not meant to be undertaken at the same time. The idea is instead to dip in and out of the book as needed. I've already picked up some ideas to use with my kids!

Thank you to Netgalley and Sounds True Publishing for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great, shirt workbook about the nervous system. I'm not getting any younger, and I like learning about my body, and how I can improve my daily healthy habits. Going through this workbook really gives you some perspective. Dealing with daily anxiety is tough, setting down your feelings after answering the different questions really is therapeutic.

This workbook is a well-presented and engaging text surrounding Polyvagal Theory. Ideally, these exercises will help the reader to slow down, pay kind, loving attention to their nervous system, and hopefully be able to reset a bit. I've previously skimmed through Anchored by Deb Dana as well (during an anxiety flare-up of my own) and found it super helpful! She knows what she's talking about, and that's the best thing to rely on when you're struggling and need a workbook like this.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The flawless Deb Dana has created another relatable and easy to understand practical workbook focusing on polyvagal theory. I think that she is the best at relating information on this topic in a manner that is easily accessible to a larger audience.
This workbook has 50+ different exercises that are meant to appeal to different types of humans. If some don’t feel relatable to you, others will feel better suited, and still more will feel worth pursuing. I’m excited to practice many of these ideas. I’ll return back to this workbook again and again.

I love these sorts of workbooks - the activities along with the explanations behind why they're relevant to the nervous system helps you to understand why the practices are in place. I intend on purchasing the full copy on Kindle so that I can work through the entirety on my own time. Thank you for introducing me to what will be an amazing tool for my mental health!

Bottom line: this book is both accessible and actionable. As a trauma survivor with many years of healing work, research, and reading about trauma under my belt (and a gazillion years of therapy and a thesis project about trauma 😅), this book is a breath of fresh air. I have a lot of intellectual understanding about trauma (neurobiological effects, socio-cultural underpinnings, clinical approaches, artistic interventions and thematic explorations, etc.) but that can feel pretty disconnected from the realities of living and struggling with the aftermath of trauma. Thankfully, this book brings things into the present moment, into the body, and helps you to build a relationship with your nervous system in a way that can inform every day living and healing.

Author Deb Dana has written other books on polyvagal theory and coined the term "glimmers" (instead of triggers, glimmers are things that bring a sense of safety, awe, wonder, beauty, expansiveness, etc.). Here she presents the reader with several approaches: reflective writing and drawing prompts; exercises to tune into the subtle states in the body; prompts to access positive memories and experiences; ways to self resource and create safety through the senses and things like comfort objects; and building supports and connections that foster feelings of safety and joy.

Overall the point is to help the reader approach their nervous system responses (fight and flight, shutdown, and connection or regulation) with kindness and gentleness. The author encourages the reader to approach all of these states with compassion - after all, our nervous system is really still just trying to keep us safe 🙏 ❤

I would highly recommend this workbook to anyone on a PTSD recovery journey, especially if you have hit that wall of "I've done all the work, I've read all the books, I've been in therapy forever  - why won't my nervous system just chill the f* out?!?!" These prompts help you approach your body and nervous system with gentleness and compassion, and help dial in a greater level of understanding and nuanced perception. I would 💯 recommend to somatic healing practitioners or anyone using somatic healing practices as complementary piece of the trauma healing puzzle. Also would highly recommend to trauma-informed therapists. The exercises in this workbook would be good for individuals or group therapy settings. This approach would be a good follow up to DBT skills, actually.

Again, to sum up, this book is super accessible, free from medical, clinical, and academic jargon and something that trauma survivors can actually put into use (instead of just thinking about it or talking about it).

Digital ARC from NetGalley

In this book the author argues that our experience of our lives are not defined by our brains. Most of our experiences are actually defined by our nervous systems, and the point is not to be perfectly regulated all the time but to become aware of what state we are in (regulated/safety, fight/flight, or disconnection/shutdown), and to learn how to bring ourselves back to regulation. This ability to come back to safety is the skill that this workbook teaches.

I appreciated the word list that the author provides that describes all the various ways we can be in the three states. It helped bring home the various ways we can experience the states throughout the day and in our real lives.

Overall, I found this book helpful and insightful. This book helped me to become more aware of what state I am in, and what makes me move from one state to another. It motivated me to make conscious choices, to increase certain activities that help me feel regulated, and have compassion for the times in my life when I shutdown. I particularly enjoyed the section of the book on remembering moments of awe where the author encourages us to feel the richness of moments that fill us with wonder. I found those awe-inspiring moments to be particularly effective in creating feelings of deep appreciation, reverence, and well-being.

Thanks to Sounds True Publishing for the review copy via Netgalley. I am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions are mine.