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Healing with Nature: Mindfulness and Somatic Practices to Heal from Trauma
Reconnect with Your Body and Nature to Heal from Trauma As psychologist and mindfulness teacher Rochelle Calvert explores in this powerful book, one of the greatest sources of healing from trauma is all around us — nature. Dr. Calvert shows how to relate to and connect with nature through the practice of mindfulness to calm and relax the nervous system, tune in to the somatic wisdom of the body to face lingering trauma and rewire it, and work with painful experiences to transform them in ways that heal the individual and contribute to healing the wider world. Healing with Nature pioneers a path not just to recovery but to lifelong healing and resilience.
- GenresNatureNonfiction
288 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 8, 2021
30 people are currently reading
238 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 5, 2021
"The Earth is and has always been here to support us." (p. 14) If you are looking for a thought-provoking and inspirational book to read cover to cover over a few days like I was, this is not the book to pick up. You must be an active participant because each chapter needs to be read several times, slowly, over a long period of time.
Call it a workbook! "Healing with Nature: Mindfulness and Somatic Practices to Heal from Trauma" is definitely more work than entertainment. Filled with explanations, a few personal stories, self-help exercises and the encouragement to journal, this four-part, 16-chapter book is especially written for those who have experienced trauma. Because I am not traumatized and did not do the numerous 30 to 40 minute exercises as presented, I am not the best person to judge the effectiveness of the advice contained within the 276-pages.
However, I did like the premise that nature can heal humans while humans can also heal nature. Plus, it nudged me to learn more about mindfulness and meditation. A good resource for future reference.
Call it a workbook! "Healing with Nature: Mindfulness and Somatic Practices to Heal from Trauma" is definitely more work than entertainment. Filled with explanations, a few personal stories, self-help exercises and the encouragement to journal, this four-part, 16-chapter book is especially written for those who have experienced trauma. Because I am not traumatized and did not do the numerous 30 to 40 minute exercises as presented, I am not the best person to judge the effectiveness of the advice contained within the 276-pages.
However, I did like the premise that nature can heal humans while humans can also heal nature. Plus, it nudged me to learn more about mindfulness and meditation. A good resource for future reference.
May 3, 2023
Healing with Nature by Rochelle Calvert, is a warm hearted book which showcases our natural environment as an empathetic ally in healing or well being!
We can always see the way a tree grows back after a branch or a part is torn off by the wind, or a tiny patch of grass grows up through a crack in concrete. Nature has an intrinsic tendency to thrive, and it always works with a traumatic or difficult experience to find a new way of being and restoring good health. In nature, healing is supported by interconnection.
Meanwhile, we humans tend to think of ourselves as separate from nature, but we are part of it. Author’s intent in this book is to share the support and inspiration of nature. She carefully draws from nature, what we can learn to turn towards during painful experiences and transform them into a more wholesome state of well being.
Rochelle Calvert says, by feeling the support of the natural world and deepening your connection to it, we can develop a greater sense of wholeness and well-being.
To cite this insight the author elaborates, that just as many different systems regulate life on Earth - cycles of the moon, seasons, climates, and terrains - we as humans too have biological cycles and systems. When we understand them, we can help our internal systems regulate themselves.
One factual learning for me personally was, that as adults we spend more than eleven hours per day watching, reading, listening to, or interacting with tablets, smartphones, computers, and TV.
This engagement with the nonnatural world and disengagement from the natural world is associated with increases in rates of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. At the same time, interest is growing about the ways Nature can restore our health and well being.
In part 1 of this book, the author teaches to practice mindfulness with nature to support calming and relaxing the nervous system, developing presence, and deepening awareness. Part 2 introduces the reader to the somatic wisdom of the body - exploring how one can heal the body with the support of nature and learn ways of releasing trauma and restoring aliveness. In part 3, the author teaches to integrate the teachings of mindfulness and somatic healing with awareness of nature to cultivate a deeper sense of wholeness and sustained well-being. Part 4 offers ways to discover how your healing may restore health to others and to the Earth.
Each of these chapters offers teachings, practice support, reflection, activities, and stories. While the practices were created with an outdoor setting in mind, the author also guides on techniques to sit inside and practice near the support of nature (such as house plants) or near a window (open or closed).
The practices offer opportunities to reflect and write, so the readers wishes to keep a journal. At the end of each chapter the author has included sections titled "Taking Care" and "Healing Continues" , which offers ways to integrate the practices into daily life.
What is different in this book, is how the author draws on nature as a profound ally in the healing journey of many people with practical techniques. Overall, as an sustainability consultant this book gave me personal insights towards, what we can learn from nature & sync it, to helping ourselves daily!
We can always see the way a tree grows back after a branch or a part is torn off by the wind, or a tiny patch of grass grows up through a crack in concrete. Nature has an intrinsic tendency to thrive, and it always works with a traumatic or difficult experience to find a new way of being and restoring good health. In nature, healing is supported by interconnection.
Meanwhile, we humans tend to think of ourselves as separate from nature, but we are part of it. Author’s intent in this book is to share the support and inspiration of nature. She carefully draws from nature, what we can learn to turn towards during painful experiences and transform them into a more wholesome state of well being.
Rochelle Calvert says, by feeling the support of the natural world and deepening your connection to it, we can develop a greater sense of wholeness and well-being.
To cite this insight the author elaborates, that just as many different systems regulate life on Earth - cycles of the moon, seasons, climates, and terrains - we as humans too have biological cycles and systems. When we understand them, we can help our internal systems regulate themselves.
One factual learning for me personally was, that as adults we spend more than eleven hours per day watching, reading, listening to, or interacting with tablets, smartphones, computers, and TV.
This engagement with the nonnatural world and disengagement from the natural world is associated with increases in rates of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. At the same time, interest is growing about the ways Nature can restore our health and well being.
In part 1 of this book, the author teaches to practice mindfulness with nature to support calming and relaxing the nervous system, developing presence, and deepening awareness. Part 2 introduces the reader to the somatic wisdom of the body - exploring how one can heal the body with the support of nature and learn ways of releasing trauma and restoring aliveness. In part 3, the author teaches to integrate the teachings of mindfulness and somatic healing with awareness of nature to cultivate a deeper sense of wholeness and sustained well-being. Part 4 offers ways to discover how your healing may restore health to others and to the Earth.
Each of these chapters offers teachings, practice support, reflection, activities, and stories. While the practices were created with an outdoor setting in mind, the author also guides on techniques to sit inside and practice near the support of nature (such as house plants) or near a window (open or closed).
The practices offer opportunities to reflect and write, so the readers wishes to keep a journal. At the end of each chapter the author has included sections titled "Taking Care" and "Healing Continues" , which offers ways to integrate the practices into daily life.
What is different in this book, is how the author draws on nature as a profound ally in the healing journey of many people with practical techniques. Overall, as an sustainability consultant this book gave me personal insights towards, what we can learn from nature & sync it, to helping ourselves daily!
June 15, 2021
Dr Calvert has written a beautiful book about how to get resourced and healed from trauma through meditation and other contemplative practices in Nature. The book weaves discourse with practices and actual stories of clients with whom Dr Calvert has worked, in order to fully illustrate the power of Nature as a resource for healing. The book is written with sensibility, experience and a deep caring heart, and will appeal to both beginning meditators as well as long term practitioners, therapists, mindfulness teachers and coaches. Through her mastery of mindfulness, her years of experience in therapy, her deep appreciation and reverence for the natural world, Dr Calvert has developed some highly creative practices such as, for example, "Loving Kindness with the Elements" by combining practices usually taught separately such as "loving kindness meditation" or "meditation of Four Elements" into one single practice. This is not "another book" on mindfulness. In these times, when we all need to step up to protect our planet, this book will help you reconnect with yourself, the Earth and its community of beings.
December 7, 2023
This is a pretty amazing book. I love the authors gentle way of explaining things and guiding you through ideas. Sometimes a bit repetitive but it really helps to drive the concepts home. Theres lots of meditations, and a link to download them from a website for free. There's some practices here, journal prompts and activities like making mandalas (I haven't done it yet but would like to). Some meditation techniques I haven't tried before like 'pendulation' I found really helpful. I kind of blew through it, taking notes. I am looking forward to downloading some of these meditations. It kind of changes your perception using nature as your teacher and helper.
February 7, 2023
This is really beautifully written with lots of practices in each chapter. The practices all build awareness and are nurturing. It’s wonderful combination of mindfulness, somatics and nature that can be adapted in a way that’s right for the individual reading the book. It is also a call for us to listen to natures suffering and take action to help nature heal too.
August 3, 2023
Beautiful book with many wonderful activities to support mindfulness, awareness, connection and healing. Several aspects I take with me and will use with clients in outdoor therapy sessions. A few aspects of the book felt unnecessary and seemed to take away from the main point.
August 16, 2025
Lots of great mindfulness exercises, but I would say mindfulness works well when partnered with other resources and it would be interesting to see what else could complement these guided meditations during a session.
October 31, 2023
I think this book would be good to do with a group. Lots of healing activities with nature - some new, some not. Good for a meditation workshop/class.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews