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)
- . 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)