Inspiration

There are so many resources out there… here is a list of some that have inspired me and inform my work. This list is not exhaustive and if you’re curious about my latest material, feel free to get in touch.

Listen

  • Liberated Being with Brooke Thomas – many of her conversations are extremely interesting and inspiring. Here are a few that I particularly liked
    • The end of trauma Steve Hoskinson

Read

  • Embodied Leadership – Pete Hamill
  • It’s not always depression – Hilary Jacobs Hendel
    • Hilary Jacobs Hendel is a AEDP-Therapist and the book represents a simplified version of a clinical model derived from AEDP – Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy – a psychotherapeutic approach developed for over two decades by psychologist and psychotherapist Diana Fosha and her institute in New York, with a great focus on noticing what is going on in the body. A great and easy read on emotions, how they play out in the body and how they relate to “mental illness” – as for example depression.
      I found the book an amazing tool. Just reading it on my own and doing the exercises was helpful to uncover some topics in the relationship with my mom (in combination with my eldest daughter being three and having anger-waves that I needed to meet) and helped me start a changeprocess. 
  • The Art of Somatic Coaching: Embodying Skillful Action, Wisdom, and Compassion – Richard Strozzi-Heckler
    • Quite detailed about the approach of Somatic Coaching. 
  • Leadership Embodiment: How the Way We Sit and Stand Can Change the Way We Think and Speak – Wendy Palmer
    • Easy read. Wendy Palmer also has some lovely, simple exercises to connect to the body. 
  • Somatics – Thomas Hanna
    • Very nice and simple way of talking about the body and “the myth of aging”. Practical exercises to gain more access to body parts that we have lost sensation in. 
  • Breath – James Nestor
    • Everything about the breath! So many aha-moments for me both regarding exercises I give to clients, but also about my own relationship to breath and how intensely I use (or don’t use) breathing in sessions
  • Job’s Body: The Handbook of Bodywork – Deane Juhan
    • It’s a handbook. So not necessarily a through-read, but you can go look at different chapters, depending on your interest (on specific parts of the body, on modalities etc.). When I first read it (about 10yrs ago), I especially appreciated to read a bit on the science of touch as well. I know it works also without this knowledge, but I enjoy making connections with other ways of understanding and percieving as well. And back then it settled my mind in conversation with people who question the validity of my work.
      The second edition was released in 2003, so it definitely is missing information from the last 20 years… even more impressive to me, how much there already was! 
  • The Body keeps the Score – Bessel van der Kolk
    • I think this is an important piece for people coming from the classical talking therapies, to start getting an understanding of the bodies impact. Especially because it is coming from an established authors I think it gives this approach some validity to people who are used to academic background to things (becoming somewhat of a classic in the field of therapy including the body and trauma)
  • …is really strange – Steven Haines’ booklets on Pain, Anxiety, Trauma, Touch. I love them in the way they are just the right amount of simple and complex. And they are designed with so much love https://bodycollege.net/pain/
  • Reclaiming the Body – Suzanne Scurlock-Durana
  • Full Body Presence – Suzanne Scurlock-Durana
  • Biologie der Angst. Wie aus Streß Gefühle werden. – Gerald Hüther (‘biology of fear’)
  • Die Evolution der Liebe. Was Darwin bereits ahnte und die Darwinisten nicht wahrhaben wollen. – Gerald Hüther (‘Evolution of love’)
  • Choices in Pregnancy & Childbirth – John Wilks
    • Also more of a handbook to dip into here and there. I found particularly interesting aspects of pre-natal psychology and ways of touching topics that have happened in-utero, i.e. way before we have any words for our experience
  • From Fear to Love – Red Miller
    • About changing the approach to giving birth. I find this relevant for all aspects of life that are lead by fear at the moment
  • Out of our heads – Alva Noe
  • Action in perception – Alva Noe
  • I shall wear midnight – Terry Pratchett (and his other stuff, but this is particularly important for the work )
    • He writes fantasy, so it might not seem to be obvious why I would quote him in this kind of list. BUT… he has yet another angle on describing human life and in this book – about a young witch – the work with humans and their pain. I loved this light and funny description of my job. 
  • Finite and Infinite Games – James P.Carse
    • This. It is 100 pages, every sentence is worth reading and taking in, which is why it took me a while to read. But it changed my perspective on conflicts I had had with some people, where I just couldn’t understand where they were coming from and how we would never come to an understanding. We still don’t agree, but I could let go of some of my frustration in the fight and find peace with my own approach.
  • Steal like an Artist – Austin Kleon
  • The art of possibility – R. & B.Zander 
  • The Power of Not Knowing – Jamie Holmes
  • The subtle art of not giving a f*ck – Mark Manson

See