The Polyvagal Theory Workbook for Trauma

What does it mean to heal from trauma without reliving it—to rewire your nervous system for calm, connection, and resilience using body-based practices grounded in polyvagal theory? Arielle Schwartz's The Polyvagal Theory Workbook for Trauma is one of the most practical and accessible guides to trauma recovery ever written, a workbook that offers evidence-based activities to help you treat trauma symptoms without being exposed to triggers or revisiting traumatic experiences. This is not a talk-therapy approach but a body-based method by a trauma expert and faculty member at the Polyvagal Institute who understands that healing happens through the nervous system. Schwartz provides rhythmic movements (EMDR and tapping), conscious breathing, mindful movement, and self-reflection exercises that help you rewire your nervous response, regulate your autonomic system, and return to a state of balance, safety, and connection.

Schwartz writes from her own experience as a licensed clinical psychologist, EMDR consultant, and yoga teacher who has helped countless clients heal from complex trauma. The workbook asks: How do we understand our nervous system and the vagus nerve? What is polyvagal theory, and how does it explain our trauma responses? How can we use body-based practices to rewire our nervous system without reliving trauma? What tools help us move from hypervigilance and disconnection to calm and resilience? Through practical exercises, journaling prompts, and a comprehensive collection of tools, Schwartz shows us that we don't have to relive trauma to heal from it, offering a powerful path to taking charge of our mental health and building lasting resilience.

For readers seeking contemplative wisdom and hands-on trauma recovery tools, The Polyvagal Theory Workbook for Trauma serves as both an introduction to polyvagal theory and a practical guide to nervous system regulation. This New Harbinger edition includes body-based activities, self-reflection prompts, and step-by-step guidance for trauma recovery. This is a workbook for trauma survivors seeking body-based healing, for therapists working with polyvagal approaches, for anyone interested in nervous system regulation and somatic practices. It's a reminder that healing is possible without retraumatization, that the body knows how to regulate when given the right tools, and that we can rewire our nervous systems for safety, connection, and thriving.

Explore more polyvagal resources: Deepen your understanding with The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy by Deb Dana for clinical applications, Anchored for an accessible introduction, or Polyvagal Practices for guided exercises.

What You'll Discover

• Body-based activities to rewire your nervous system without reliving trauma
• Introduction to polyvagal theory and the vagus nerve
• Rhythmic movements including EMDR, tapping, and mindful movement
• Conscious breathing and somatic practices for regulation
• Self-reflection and journaling prompts for trauma recovery

Arielle Schwartz, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist, certified complex trauma professional, EMDR consultant, and Kripalu yoga teacher. As a faculty member at the Polyvagal Institute, she teaches mind-body approaches that apply polyvagal theory for trauma recovery. An internationally sought-out speaker and award-winning author, Schwartz has written seven books including The Complex PTSD Workbook, EMDR Therapy and Somatic Psychology, and The Post-Traumatic Growth Guidebook. The Polyvagal Theory Workbook for Trauma, published in 2025, offers practical, body-based tools for healing trauma and building nervous system resilience.

Perfect for: Trauma survivors seeking body-based healing without retraumatization, therapists and counselors working with polyvagal approaches, students of polyvagal theory and nervous system regulation, anyone experiencing hypervigilance, irritability, or disconnection, readers drawn to EMDR, tapping, and somatic practices, practitioners of yoga, meditation, and contemplative practice, those exploring PTSD and complex trauma recovery, students of humanistic and transpersonal psychology, anyone interested in the vagus nerve and autonomic regulation, readers who loved Deb Dana's polyvagal books, those seeking practical exercises for nervous system rewiring, anyone ready to heal trauma through body-based, non-triggering approaches.

New Harbinger paperback edition with foreword by Linda Thai. Arielle Schwartz's essential workbook for polyvagal-informed trauma recovery—offering body-based activities, breathing practices, rhythmic movements, and self-reflection exercises to help you regulate, rebalance, and rewire your nervous system without reliving your trauma.