The Nervous System Workbook

Practical Exercises to Ease Anxiety, Find Safety, and Come Home to Yourself Using Polyvagal Theory

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Pub Date Nov 05 2024 | Archive Date Dec 05 2024

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Description

A guide to understand and befriend your unique nervous system—and find your way back to safety and calm in times of stress

We live in stressful times. When we’re anxious and overwhelmed, our nervous systems—and our lives—suffer. We can’t eliminate all of life’s difficulties, but The Nervous System Workbook can teach you how to find more well-being amidst it all, starting inside your own body.

Deb Dana, a leading expert in Polyvagal Theory, shares incredibly effective tools for getting to know your system. She writes, “No two nervous systems are exactly alike, and getting to know how your nervous system works leads you along the path to becoming an active operator of your own system, no matter how it is wired.”

Step-by-step, Dana takes you through more than 50 short practices and exercises that teach you:

• How your personal nervous system responds—to what’s happening outside you, to what’s happening inside you, and how you communicate with others’ systems
• How to recognize when you’re in a state of distress
• What helps you feel calm and centered
• Why co-regulation—connecting with others—can support your sense of security
• Strategies to find more safety and ease within yourself

QR codes throughout the book point to bonus audio practices guided by Dana.

As Dana writes, “When you learn to befriend the nervous system, you’ll move through the world in a new way and experience the powerful benefits that come with finding your personal pathways to calm and freedom.”

A guide to understand and befriend your unique nervous system—and find your way back to safety and calm in times of stress

We live in stressful times. When we’re anxious and overwhelmed, our nervous...


Advance Praise

“Deb Dana's wonderful workbook guides you step-by-step through learning about your nervous system and how to bring it back into balance when life is challenging. The tools and practices in this workbook are gifts you can give yourself over and over again.” —Diane Poole Heller, PhD, author of The Power of Attachment

“Deb Dana masterfully demystifies the complexities of the Polyvagal Theory, offering readers an empowering journey towards self-regulation. Each exercise serves as a road map towards greater resilience and emotional balance, paving the way for optimal well-being. The Nervous System Workbook is a must-read for anyone seeking to harness the power of their nervous system for a more fulfilling life.” —Stephen W. Porges, PhD, creator of the Polyvagal Theory

“Deb Dana’s Nervous System Workbook speaks in a beautifully compassionate, non-pathologizing voice directly to the individual using it. The steps toward befriending and tending the nervous system are spelled out in simple exercises that build on each other. The calming sense of ease in this approach can be felt on every page.” —Janina Fisher, author of Healing the Fragmented Selves of Trauma Survivors

“Weaving together insights from contemporary neuroscience and years of clinical practice, this workbook offers clear, step-by-step, engaging exercises that can help anyone better understand their nervous system and move from stress and fear toward stability, equanimity, and harmony. With warmth, humor, and a wise understanding of our differences, Deb Dana gives us a banquet of approaches so that we all can find our way to live a calmer, richer, more deeply connected and rewarding life.” —Ronald D. Siegel, PsyD, Harvard Medical School, author of The Extraordinary Gift of Being Ordinary

The Nervous System Workbook by Deb Dana beautifully illustrates how to tend and befriend your nervous system! It translates the science of connection into easy, clear, and digestible tools and practices to help you find a sense of safety in your body and connection with others. It’s a must-read for everyone who knows or wants to know ‘home’ in themselves and in the world.” —Pat Ogden, PhD, founder and CEO of Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute

“Deb Dana's wonderful workbook guides you step-by-step through learning about your nervous system and how to bring it back into balance when life is challenging. The tools and practices in this...


Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9781649631923
PRICE $22.99 (USD)
PAGES 192

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Average rating from 14 members


Featured Reviews

Highly recommend this workbook! I love Deb Dana and everything about her work. Though I had prior knowledge/passion around polyvagal theory when starting this workbook, I would say that, as intended, this workbook is accessible to anyone, no matter their level of understanding of polyvagal theory. Deb Dana has a very poetic way of writing and the science is explained intuitively. I really appreciated the flow and progression of the questions/prompts. The embodiment of the prompts also helped me integrate the concepts more deeply. This workbook is more of a bottom-up approach, whereby you're looking at how the nervous systems impacts your emotions/thoughts (versus a top-down approach, which might focus more on your thoughts). As a clinician, I can see this being very useful in session with clients.

Thank you NetGalley and Sounds True Publishing for this ARC!

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Really loved the breakdown of the surveillance system and examination of our physical response to stress and our environment. The book leaves readers with a great and digestible toolkit for stress and self regulation

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This is such a great workout to help with nervous system regulation and learning more about the Polyvagal Theory. Thanks to NetGalley and Sounds True Publishing for the eARC. As someone who is in therapy this has been a helpful addition to do on my own as "homework." I found this workbook to really informative, while also allowing me to really step back and think about my answers and how I would respond. I really appreciated that the author, Deb Dana, filled in her own examples on the blanks. This really helped me get a feel for how to get into the mind frame for each question. This is a book I plan to keep on hand not only for the information, but to revisit as my answers change in the future!

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If you're ready to ease anxiety, cultivate safety, and deeply connect with yourself, The Nervous System Workbook by Deb Dana is your ultimate guide. This powerful resource breaks down Polyvagal Theory into practical exercises that help you regulate your nervous system and find a sense of calm in everyday life. Through insightful reflections and hands-on activities, you’ll learn to harness the wisdom of your body, manage stress, and invite more peace into your daily experience. Whether you're healing from trauma or simply seeking balance, this workbook offers invaluable tools to navigate life's challenges with ease. I highly recommend it for anyone looking to build resilience and reconnect with their inner calm!

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So I've been reading a lot of arcs through Netgalley recently, but none of them have touched me in the soul like this one. It probably helps that one of my special interests is nervous system regulation, but because of that I can be also really harsh on nervous system workbooks. This one is 5 stars for me. I really took my time with it over the past few weeks I've had the arc.


This workbook did a really good job not to demonize any states of regulation. I particularly enjoyed the writing a letter thanking my flight or flight system for keeping me safe in moments I truly needed it. It's nice to see that function in that light when you have a sensitive nervous system.


My only critique is that for some of the exercises I got examples from the writer and some I did not get examples. And the activities I did not get examples left my brain a little blank which is common with people with dysregulated nervous systems. So, definitely my only frustration.


That being said I 1000% plan on actual buying this with my real money. I work at a library where I am swimming in books, so I don't buy books often. This one just felt really helpful for me the last couple of weeks as I went back to it. I'd love to sit down with my own copy, and fill out the pages.

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A really nice tool to have for clients! Informative and helpful! The fact that it gives an in depth background then breaks it down into two parts is clever.

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I really enjoyed this workbook. As a naturally anxious person trying to navigate this stressful world I can appreciate the practical application found in this book. The activities were engaging yet simple, thought-provoking and insightful. As a human body biologist I can also appreciate the science that backs the approach. I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy to really dive in.

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Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and the author for this ARC! A great resource for guided “homework” on bettering yourself.

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If you're like me and have a general understanding of the nervous system but don't exactly know how it works - this workbook provides a great overview of what the nervous system is and how to manage it. As someone who is anxious, utilising a workbook such as this is beneficial in feeling 'in control' and developing an understanding behind the reasoning. Whilst I didn't read this book cover to cover, I took the information I felt was beneficial to my understand and used it to understand how to regulate the nervous system. Understanding the perspective of the author and the foundational knowledge / research she has contributed is important in a non-fiction, to ensure you're knowledgable about potential bias. Deborah Dana explains her education and exposure to the topic early on in the workbook and references back to the Polyvagal theory as the foundation for this workbook. Whilst I believe this workbook is useful and has definitely developed my understanding of the nervous system, I felt the activities could have been more varied. I found myself describing and drawing a lot and sometimes didn't find this to be beneficial. Perhaps it's just my preference or style of learning but I believe incorporating various different approaches to activities could be a great way to hold attention and encourage learning.
Overall, a great, approachable workbook with well thought-out/researched discussion.

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Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Deb Dana’s The Nervous System Workbook is an invaluable resource for anyone looking to understand and regulate their nervous system using the principles of Polyvagal Theory.

This practical guide is designed to help readers ease anxiety, find safety, and reconnect with themselves through a series of accessible exercises and reflections.

Dana, a leading expert in Polyvagal Theory, begins with a layperson-friendly overview of the theory, making complex concepts approachable and understandable. She explains how our nervous systems respond to stress and trauma, and how these responses affect our emotions, behaviors, and relationships. This foundational knowledge sets the stage for the workbook’s practical exercises, which are designed to help readers tune into their body’s signals and develop strategies for self-regulation.

The workbook is structured around more than 50 short practices and exercises that cater to different learning styles and needs. These exercises range from simple breathing techniques to more involved reflections on personal experiences and relationships. Dana emphasizes that there is no one-size-fits-all approach; instead, she encourages readers to explore and discover what works best for their unique nervous systems.

The Nervous System Workbook excels in its interactive nature. QR codes throughout the book link to bonus audio practices guided by Dana herself, providing an additional layer of support and engagement. This multimedia approach enhances the learning experience, making it easier for readers to integrate the exercises into their daily lives.

Dana’s writing is compassionate and encouraging, creating a sense of safety and trust that is essential for this kind of work. She acknowledges the challenges of dealing with anxiety and stress, and offers practical, evidence-based tools to help readers navigate these difficulties. Her approach is both scientific and deeply human, reflecting her extensive experience as a clinician and consultant.

The Nervous System Workbook is a comprehensive and user-friendly guide that empowers readers to take control of their mental and emotional well-being. Deb Dana has crafted a resource that is both informative and practical, with exercises that are easy to follow and effective.

For anyone interested in Polyvagal Theory or looking for ways to manage anxiety and stress, this workbook is a must-have.

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