Waking the Tiger - Peter Levine

[Jonesy]

This book has been brought to my attention as one which may be a helpful resource for others.
Any comments/ feedback would be appreciated from anyone who has read it.

[Xanthia]

Peter Levine uses somatic experiencing
In plain language shaking out the trauma held inside the body

I've used it for old stuff as the author suggests
For new trauma such as triggers, done immediately the shaking helps reduce length of trigger

Waking the Tiger by Peter Levine, North Atlantic Books, 1997
Also available in Kindle format

[ajei]

Great book...used it a lot and think it would be good on the resource list

ajei

[GrowingTree]

I am copying this from the thread "Three's a crowd"

The book "waking the tiger" is simpler to understand, as it isn't as scientific as his other book "in an unspoken voice". Though the thing is, he sort of has his own lingo. I was able to understand it, but I am sure it's not so clear to everyone. Basically he says that trauama is primaraly physiological. That in overhwlming situations the body gives subtle or not subtle shakes which release the trauma. And the reason trauma happens is because those shakes were not released.
He doesn't talk about somatiform or conversion disorders so much, but he may have since he speaks about the physiology of trauma. He is the first one who seems to understand the physical affects of trauma. He does speak about fibromyalgia. He relates it to trauma. Somatic Experiencing is his tecnique to heal fibro and trauma.

[earthhorse]

Hi Jonesy,

It's partner book "the body bears the burden" is also useful, it gives the more scientific background of trauma held in the body.

I use somatic experiencing in therapy now for several years. It can be a good way to release trauma without having to delve too deeply and 're-traumatize'. It allows the process to slow down and brings a sense of control. It is not focused on recovery of memories but maintaining connection to our bodies and releasing the enormous freeze and tension left by stored traumas. It can invole shaking but often release can be indicated as well by warmth returning , the whole body releasing heat. Tingling etc.

I think it is a good book but I also I got angry with "Waking the Tiger' when I read it for the first time some years ago. It's premise is good and the therapy does work for me, particularly if you want to avoid flooding and learn to observe and understand triggers and find a way to come back. But I think he was one of those therapists who was spooked by the FMSF and their campaign to claim all recovered memories of CSA are false and that therapists implant memories. He seems to avoid CSA as a topic was my impression, and long term exposure to life threatening trauma. However conclusively, the False Memory Syndrome is in fact FALSE so I would expect peopel to be more outspoken in supporting adult survivors not give credence to false claims and pseudo science. I just felt invisible when reading the book, he talks about all kind of traumas car accidents, medical trauma etc. Proposes interesting new protocols to deal with trauma. However, I would not see it as a particularly supportive book for survivors of child abuse. It is an interesting technique and an interesting perspective that works. But it is SLOW. The book more like a handbook for how to deal with PTSD, that avoids addressing any of the dynamic in society or institutions that needs to change to support survivors of child abuse and long term traumatic exposure, nor does it address the dynamic of denial of abuse in care environments. He attempts to normalize 'trauma' and institutionalize his treatment. I think in the process to 'normalize' he doesn't want to expose is readers to 'controversy' of rape or even domestic violence. And therefore fails as a text to liberate and acknowledge survivors in these contexts.

Would love to hear more ideas about the book form this perspective... maybe I am being unfair?

I found 'the body bears the burden' better however at helping me understand how trauma works in the body...

Thanks for posting Joensy!

Love,
EH