Resources
Guided Mindfulness exercise by Karen
“Leaves down a stream” 10 minute practice
What is interoception?
It is a part of our sensory system and is the process by which our nervous system senses, interprets, and integrates physiological signals from within our bodies. We can struggle with under responsivity, over responsivity, or discrimination difficulties. From her research, neuroscientist Dr. Sarah Garfinkel gives a clear explanation of how our patterns of emotions, thoughts and reactivity can be influenced by our awareness of our bodily sensations.
What is proprioception?
It is also part of our sensory system, known as the “sixth sense”. It tells us where our body parts are without having to look at them. It also lets us know how much force and effort to use in movement, locate external objects relative to our body, and contributes to our body image. These sensations arise from signals of sensory receptors in the muscle, skin, and joints, and are transmitted to the central nervous system. We may be hyper- or hypo-sensitive to the sensory signals.
Hidden brain in our skin
Neuroscientist Dr. Claudia Aguirre explains her research on the connection between the brain and the skin, our outermost boundary. Our sense of touch begins in the womb; it is the first sensory system to develop. Scientific research is showing that the presence or absence of gentle touch can change a child’s epigenetic programming, and our stress axis — the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis or HPA axis — found in our central nervous system is also found in our skin.
Books of interest
Mindfulness
Anger: Wisdom for cooling the flames. Thich Nhat Hanh (2002).
Bodyfulness: Somatic practices for presence, empowerment, and waking up in this life. Christine Caldwell (2018).
Breath: The new science of a lost art. James Nestor (2020).
Neurodharma: New science, ancient wisdom, and seven practices of the highest happiness. Rick Hanson, PhD (2020).
Radical acceptance: Embracing your life with the heart of a Buddha. Tara Brach (2003).
Self-Compassion: The proven power of being kind to yourself. Kristin Neff (2011).
Wherever you go, there you are: Mindfulness meditation in everyday life. Jon Kabat-Zinn (1994).
Your body is your brain: Leverage your somatic intelligence to find purpose, build resilience, deepen relationships and lead more powerfully. Amanda Blake (2019).
Trauma
In an unspoken voice: How the body releases trauma and restores goodness. Peter Levine (2010).
My grandmother's hands: Racialized trauma and the pathway to mending our hearts and bodies. Resmaa Menakem (2017).
The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. Bessel Van der Kolk, M.D. (2015).
The body never lies: The lingering effects of hurtful parenting. Alice Miller (2006).
The body remembers: The psychophysiology of trauma and trauma treatment. Babette Rothschild (2000).
The Complex PTSD workbook: A mind-body approach to regaining emotional control & becoming whole. Arielle Schwartz, PhD. (2017).
Waking the tiger: Healing trauma : the innate capacity to transform overwhelming experiences. Peter Levine (1997).
When the body says no: The cost of hidden stress. Gabor Maté (2004).