How can you heal trauma in both body and mind? This groundbreaking workbook blends evidence-based psychology with cutting-edge somatic practices to help you move forward.
Healing from trauma isn't just about changing how you think; it's also about changing how your body feels. The Cognitive Behavioral Somatic Therapy Workbook for PTSD combines the best of cognitive-behavioral techniques with powerful somatic (body-based) practices to help you reconnect to safety, presence, and peace from the inside out.
Grounded in the pioneering work of clinical psychologists Anna Baranowsky, PhD, and J. Eric Gentry, PhD, this practical guide shows how trauma reshapes the brain and body, and how mind-body practices can help retrain your nervous system for lasting resilience. Organized around five key dimensions--Body, Feelings, Thoughts, Actions, and Connections--this workbook moves beyond simple symptom relief to heal both body and mind. You'll learn how to calm hyperarousal, restore feelings of safety in your body, rebuild emotional flexibility, and reconnect meaningfully with others.
This step-by-step workbook will help you:
- Communicate safety to your body through evidence-based somatic tools
- Identify and challenge trauma-related thoughts that reinforce fear
- Reconnect with emotions safely and express them without overwhelm
- Rebuild relationships and reestablish trust in yourself and others
- Move beyond symptom management toward post-traumatic growth
Drawing on the latest polyvagal research and trauma science, this book helps you release your body's instinctual survival responses, rebuild self-trust, and rediscover a sense of integrity, connection, and empowerment.
About the Author :
Anna B. Baranowsky, PhD, is a registered clinical psychologist, founder and director of the Traumatology Institute, and clinical director of Bear Psychology in Canada. She is developer of the Trauma Recovery Program--a thirty-day video stabilization course--and hosts the What Is PTSD? YouTube channel.
J. Eric Gentry, PhD, is an internationally recognized leader in the study and treatment of traumatic stress. He coauthored Trauma Practice with Anna Baranowsky and has trained thousands of therapists in trauma-informed approaches worldwide.
Foreword writer Nina Josefowitz, PhD, is a clinical psychologist. In addition to her clinical practice, she teaches at the University of Toronto, and has offered training in North America, Asia, and Africa. Along with David Myran, she coauthored CBT Made Simple.
Review :
"The Cognitive Behavioral Somatic Therapy Skills Workbook for PTSD offers a much-needed science-based integration of top-down cognitive methods with bottom-up somatic approaches. Baranowsky and Gentry's three-stage model provides a structured and compassionate pathway from calming the body, to healing trauma, to building a thriving life. Written in an engaging self-help style, it makes complex therapeutic concepts both accessible and practical. A valuable resource for anyone seeking recovery that attends to both mind and body."
--Bill Wahl, National Health Service psychologist and author of The Historical Trauma Programme for Self-Help or to Support Individual Therapy
--Bill Wahl
"Baranowsky and Gentry have written a real winner. The authors speak to the reader directly and respectfully, with specific, useful skills that can be put into practice straight away. They teach about PTSD, how to recognize it, and what you can actually do about it. The writing is both compelling and crystal clear. And throughout, the reader is left feeling like they're getting advice from a trusted, knowledgeable friend. A must-read!"
--Robert T. Muller, PhD, professor of psychology at York University in Toronto and author of Trauma and the Struggle to Open Up
--Robert T. Muller, PhD
"The authors of The Cognitive Behavioral Somatic Workbook for PTSD definitely demonstrate their expertise in helping those in trauma via their client stories, growth tools, and immediately usable how-to practices. These practices allow us to evaluate our progress in experiencing more calmness and ability to regulate the unwanted reactions triggered by trauma memories. They also lead us to discovering how to thrive and develop a meaningful life despite what has happened or is happening to us. They make this not only possible but doable. They remind us that 'Fear is what we are feeling, while courage is what we are doing.' If you're experiencing trauma, this self-help book will make a difference in your life."
--William Steele, PsyD, MSW, trauma consultant and author of The Self-Care Workbook for Helping Professionals
--William Steele, PsyD, MSW
