In an Unspoken Voice

How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness

By: Peter A. Levine, Gabor Maté - foreword M.D.

Narrated by: Ed Nash

Length: 12 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's summary

Unraveling trauma in the body, brain and mind—a revolution in treatment. Now in 17 languages.

In this culmination of his life’s work, Peter A. Levine draws on his broad experience as a clinician, a student of comparative brain research, a stress scientist and a keen observer of the naturalistic animal world to explain the nature and transformation of trauma in the body, brain and psyche. In an Unspoken Voice is based on the idea that trauma is neither a disease nor a disorder, but rather an injury caused by fright, helplessness and loss that can be healed by engaging our innate capacity to self-regulate high states of arousal and intense emotions. Enriched with a coherent theoretical framework and compelling case examples, the book elegantly blends the latest findings in biology, neuroscience and body-oriented psychotherapy to show that when we bring together animal instinct and reason, we can become more whole human beings.

©2010 Peter A. Levine (P)2017 North Atlantic Books

Critic reviews

" In An Unspoken Voice uses the author's experiences as a clinician and a student of comparative brain research to explore the nature and impact of trauma on the body and brain.... Case study examples blend biology and body-oriented psychotherapy in a fine collection of insights highly recommended for college-level psychotherapy holdings." ( Midwest Book Review)

"With this book Peter Levine secures his position in the forefront of trauma healing, as theorist, practitioner, and teacher. All of us in the therapeutic community - physicians, psychologists, therapists, aspiring healers, interested laypeople - are ever so much richer for this summation of what he himself has learned." (Gabor Maté, MD, author of In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction)

Excellent, in-depth

This work beautifully builds on Peter Levine’s book ‘waking the tiger’ with new insights and latest research. He provides an excellent review of our brain’s evolution and function and how we adapt and struggle with the effects of trauma as well as the stresses of disconnection in modern life. By trusting our body’s innate intelligence and guidance, we can come back to feeling whole again - there is hope for all sorts of trauma through working with the body. Very inspiring !

The audio version is challenging in places where the narrator struggles with medical and foreign words that are spoken can’t be recognized—it would be nice to fix that so the listener can understand the message.

Overall a great book!

Tone and Pronunciation

Use of inappropriate tone for sensitive subjects and repeated mispronunciation of important terms made this somewhat of a painful listen.

very difficult to listen to

I struggled mightily with this book, as there are constant mispronounciations and a flat tone from the narrator. I am stopping and will get in print, because I'm interested in the content, but it's undigestible in this format.

Must be trauma informed

I feel like you need to be trauma informed prior to reading this book. Even if you are, it gets a little too technical for the every day person that isn’t a therapist. However, I think it is a great book and has helped me understand a lot. I believe I missed a lot though due to my lack of knowledge in the psychology field. But worth the read.

Embodiment!

I have been looking for a different type of healing and this method is it.

Casual misogyny makes it awkward

Wile I am grateful for Dr Levine’s work that normalizes shaking as an appropriate and healthy response to trauma, I’m disappointed by his casual misogyny and urge him to peel back these layers of his conditioning in order to better communicate with and treat women.

The story of Picasso as predator using a woman’s freeze instinct to immobilize her described as “consensual” is problematic. Especially coming from a therapist who has worked with victims of rape - although his description of this work does seem to only apply to “stranger” rape. The trauma inflicted by Picasso on the women in his life is well known. https://www.artspace.com/magazine/interviews_features/art-politics/the_picasso_problem_why_we_shouldnt_separate_the_art_from_the_artists_misogyny-55120

I’m going to continue to listen, hoping Dr Levine will redeem himself. I’ll update if he does.

amazing

everyone should read this book! it's incredibly informative and completely life changing. buy it today.

Life changing book!

Absolutely amazing book which gives tremendous insight into PTSD, emotional and physical trauma. I have read it and just listen to the entire book. I realize I missed many details. I will probably listen to it again and also other books by Peter Levine. Outstanding!

Fascinating ideas! Interesting read!

I loved everything about the idea of needing to physically “shake off” a traumatic experience to be able to move through it and incorporate it. Somatic experiences are valid, and this artfully explains the mechanism behind these types of ailments.

Hanging onto every word!

In my work with traumatized youth and veterans in equine assisted psychotherapy, the value of somatic experiences is clear. It is an unconscious process that returns people into their body through being fully present in the moment with the animals. The natural instinct for safety, seemingly lost in high risk kids, returns quickly once the horses engage in brief yet huge dramatic movements while in conflict. Then the horses return to grazing once the crisis has passed. This book put everything in perspective for me. I am looking forward to reading Dr Levine's book on the spiritual connection for healing trauma.