Peter A. Levine - Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma: The Innate Capacity to Transform Overwhelming Experiences

Peter A. Levine, Ph.D.

with Ann Frederick

Waking the Tige r Healing Trauma

Copyright 1997 by Peter A. Levine. All rights reserved. No portion of this book, except for brief review, may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any mean s electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwis e without written permission
of the publisher.

Published by
North Atlantic Books
P.O. Box 12327
Berkeley, California 94712

Cover painting by Guy Coheleach with permission of the artist
Cover and book design by Andrea DuFlon
Photo by Gerry Greenberg

Printed in the United States of America

Waking the Tige r Healing Trauma is sponsored by the Society for the Study of Native Arts and Sciences, a nonprofit educational corporation whose goals are to develop an educational and crosscultural perspective linking various scientific, social, and artistic fields; to nurture a holistic view of arts, sciences, humanities, and healing; and to publish and distribute literature on the relationship of mind, body, and nature.

Library of Congress CatalogingInPublication Data

Levine, Peter A.

Waking the tiger; healing traum a/ Peter A. Levine.

p. cm.

ISBN 1-55643-233-X

1. Post-traumatic stress disorde r Treatment. 2. Mind and body

therapies. 3. Post-traumatic stress disorde r Prevention.

I. Title

RC552.P67L48 1997

616.8521dc21 97-3918

CIP

9 / 00

What people in the Medical, Science, and Health fields
say about Waking the Tiger

Every life contains difficulties we are not prepared for. Read, learn and be prepared for life and healing.

Bernard S. Siegel, M.D.
Best-selling author of Love, Medicine & Miracles,
Peace, Love, and Healing

Fascinating! Amazing! A revolutionary exploration of the physiological effects and causes of traum a expands our understanding of the human mind and human behavior experientially. His ideas on how to resolve and heal traumas seem almost unbelievable in their simplicity. He shows us clearly that trauma can be healed and resolved. It is not a life sentence. It is a must read for professionals and lay people alike. Understanding and healing of trauma may very well save humanity from its path of self-destruct.

Mira Rothenberg, Director-Emeritus
Blueberry Treatment Centers for Disturbed Children, author of Children With Emerald Eyes

This book is enormously rich in evocative ideas in one of the most significant areas of all our lives. It is superbly reasoned, passionate and makes beautifully easy reading. Levines work is full of wide-ranging implications, rock solid science and clearly expressed ideas. It is a most important book. Quite possibly a work of genius.

Ron Kurtz, Author
The Body Reveals and Body-Centered Psychotherapy

Waking the Tiger introduces Somatic Experiencing, an original and scientific approach to the healing of trauma. The treatment approach is rooted in an understanding of the bi-directional communication between our thoughts and our physiology. Levine effectively argues that the body is healer and that psychological scars of trauma are reversibl e but only if we listen to the voices of our body.

Stephen W. Porges, Ph.D.
Professor of Human Development and Psychology,
University of Maryland research scientist studying
the neurophysiological basis of emotional regulation, stress, and health.

A compelling, almost lyrical trip through the labyrinth of trauma, blending evolutionary insights with pragmatic clinical practice. One cannot help but be drawn into Dr. Levines theory of traumatization and transformatio n a vital contribution to the exciting emerging science of mind/body interaction in the treatment of disease.

Robert C. Scaer, M.D., Neurology
Medical Director, Rehabilitation Services,
Boulder Community Hospital Mapleton Center,
Boulder, CO

Levine knows how to move beyond trauma by engaging the bodily process that should have happened, rather than merely reliving what happened.

Eugene Gendlin, Ph.D.
developer of Focusing

Peter Levine has remained at the creative edges of healing, plunging courageously into unknown territories. He has always been consisten t in developing an understanding of trauma, its grounding in body tissues, and its healing. This is a book long awaited by students of the healing process.

Don Hanlon Johnson, Ph.D.
Author, Professor of Somatics
California Institute of Integral Studies

Levines work uncovers the real cause of Traumatic Stress Disorder, thus making it obvious why the usual psychiatric and psychological methods of treating trauma are limited. His approach allows us to access the problem at its physiological roots through the felt sense. The wisdom of the felt sense gives us at once the instinct of an animal and the intelligence of a human being. Lacking either, we are doomed to repeat our hostilities until none of us remain. With the two working together we can move forward on our evolutionary path and become more truly huma n able to use all the capacities that are our s able to perceive and enjoy our worl d able to bring our children into a world that is relatively safe.

Dolores La Chapelle, Director
Way of the Mountain Center
Teacher of Deep Ecology, skiing, and Tai Chi

I find Peter Levines work very exciting, because he offers the means to deal effectively with the deep trauma frequently present in the cases of hostages, bombing victims, and other victims of terrorism (and their families, who often become victims themselves). In my work with the State Department, and later, as a consultant on terrorist incidents, I learned that one needs a special mix of patience, compassion, and understanding. Clinically sound procedures are needed to identify the layers of traumatizing experience that may be involved, and to help the victims heal by peeling them away. Anyone who must deal with such trauma cases should read this book and seek Peter Levines help. He does not pretend to present a formula, but he knows and explains the critical pathways.

Terrell E. (Terry) Arnold
Ex-Deputy Director of the Office of Counterterrorism,
US Department of State
Author of The Violence Formula