Home » Reading List – Somatic Psychology

Reading List – Somatic Psychology (Updated Feb 2025)

Please see Publications Page for some links.

Core IBMT Texts:

  • Wisdom of the Body Moving An Introduction to Body-Mind Centering, Linda Hartley. North Atlantic Books. 1995
  • Sensing, Feeling and Action Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen. Contact Editions, Northampton, MA. 1993.
  • The Fluid Nature of Being Ed. Linda Hartley (a collection of writings by 21 IBMT practitioners from the 3 programmes in the UK, Lithuania & Russia.) Handspring Publishing 2022
  • Embodied Spirit, Conscious Earth. Linda Hartley. Traichy Press. 2024. (The bringing together of 5 decades of Linda’s work, describing much of what is included in the IBMT Diploma programme)

Required:

  • Somatic Psychology: Body, Mind and Meaning, Linda Hartley. Whurr/J. Wiley. 2004

We have copies available to buy during a training weekend at 40% discount, so can offer the book at £29 for current students (List price £46.95). Please make your payment to the IBMT Administration Bank Account and email us (info@ibmt.co.uk) to confirm your order.

Recommended (in no particular order):

  • Body-Mind Psychotherapy, Susan Aposhyan. WW Norton & Co. 2004 (Based on BMC® theory & practice)
  • From Conception to Birth – Alexander Tsiaras. Vermilion, London 2002 (a beautiful, detailed book of digital images charting embryo and body system development)
  • A Child is Born – Lennart Nilsson. Jonathan Cape 2009 (A large Format book of beautiful photographs/digital images from conception to birth. Lots of editions available)
  • Embryogenesis – Richard Grossinger. North Atlantic Books, Berkeley, CA
  • Being and Becoming – Franklyn Sills. North Atlantic Books, Berkeley, CA
  • The Biology of Belief, Bruce Lipton. Hay House. 2005/2008
  • Jaap van der Waal’s website:  www.embryo.nl 
  • The Interpersonal World of the Infant, Daniel N Stern. Basic Books.1985. (Development of the Senses of Self)
  • Lifestreams, David Boadella. Routledge & Kegan Paul, London. 1987. (If available, his work on the germinal layers and splitting/integration of body, feelings and mind)
  • Boundary and Space, Madeleine Davis & David Wallbridge. Penguin Books. 1981. (Good summary of Winnicott’s work around infant relational development)
  • Why Love Matters, Sue Gerhardt. Routledge. 2004. (Summary of recent research in neuroscience and attachment theory)
  • A General Theory of Love, T Lewis, F Amini, & R Lannon.Vintage Books. 2000 (Emotions, neuroscience and attachment theory)
  • The Neuroscience of Human Relationships, Louis Cozollino. WW Norton. 2006
  • Jung & Reich: The Body as Shadow, John P Conger. North Atlantic Books. 1988
  • Waking the Tiger – Healing Trauma,  Peter A. Levine. North Atlantic Books, CA. 1997
  • The Body Remembers – The Psychophysiology of Trauma and Trauma Treatment, Babette Rothschild. WW Norton & Co. Inc. 2000
  • Healing Developmental Trauma: How early Trauma Affects Self-Regulation, Self-Image and the Capacity for Relationships, Larry Heller. Berkeley: North Atlantic Press. 2012
  • Somatic Reality. Stanley Keleman. Center Press 1979 (Short, highly readable text, Keleman presents his theory of somatic psychology)
  • Dreambody, Arnold Mindell. Penguin Arkana.1982
  • River’s Way, Arnold Mindell. Penguin Arkana. 1985
  • Radical Wholeness. Philip Shepherd. North Atlantic Books 2017 (Highly readable exploration of  how culture and language reinforces separation of body and mind)
  • Touch is Really Strange/ Trauma is Really Strange / Pain is Really Strange/ Anxiety is Really Strange. S Haines. Singing Dragon 2022 (Science based graphic illustrated short books, bringing compassion and humour to complex topics.)
  • Stephen Porges – http://stephenporges.com
  • The Polyvagal Theroy in Therapy – Deb Dana – 2018 (an excellent description of a framework to work with clients, for their nervous system regulation)
  • Spirit into Form: Exploring Embryological Potential and Prenatal Psychology Cherionna Menzam Sills. 2021 (Very somatic based approach to embryology and includes movement work)
  • Nurturing Resilience. Kathy Kain, 2018 (Includes work on attachment and touch)
  • The Tao of Trauma – Alaine Duncan & Kathy Kain 2019 (very good on approaches to touch with  trauma)
  • The Practice of Embodying Emotions: A Guide for Improving Cognitive, Emotional, and Behavioral Outcomes. 2022 Raja Selvam
  • The Adventure of Self-Discovery, Stanislav Grof. SUNY Press. 1988. (Describes the origins of the Basic Perinatal Matrix (BPM)
  • The Emotional Brain, Joseph E LeDoux. Phoenix. 1998
  • The Second Brain, Michael D Gershon.
  • Descartes’ Error: Emotion, Reason and the Human Brain, Antonio R Damasio. Penguin. 1994
  • The Psychophysiology of Self-Awareness, Alan Fogel. WW Norton. 2009
  • What We May Be, Piero Ferrucci. Turnstone Press, UK. 1982 (Describes sub-personality development)