The Body Wisdom Genre: An (Incomplete) Literature Search into Somatic Clinical Psychotherapy
This is an incomplete literature search as I purposely focused on books with “body wisdom” in their titles or implied in their titles. I have purposely left out the modalities of Gestalt Therapy, Hakomi, Bioenergetics, Reichian Orgonomy, dance therapy, Somatic Therapy, and the like although these should be included for a full picture of contemporary Somatic Clinical Psychotherapy. One could argue that structural and functional bodywork modalities like Yoga, Rolfing, Hellerwork, Postural Integration, Feldenkrais Method, Alexander Technique, Trager Mentastics, and others should also be included given their physical effects on the human heart and soul, but I remain undecided at the moment.
I’ll get around to them one of these days, God willing. And I’ll be updating this list in the future as I come across new titles.
In thinking about the concept of body wisdom, I see several themes of meaning and opportunity surrounding it. I believe the notion of “body wisdom” originates in the principle of organismic self-regulation as coined by Paul Goodman (1911-1972) in Gestalt Therapy: Excitement and Growth in the Human Personality (1951) who most likely got the idea from the homeostasis principle of Walter B. Cannon (1871-1945). Goodman also used the synonymous term, autonomous criterion of value, because he felt that the organismic principle transcended mere body functioning and was a lamp or compass leading the way to mental health, psychological development, and personal freedom.
The second theme I see here is that a variety of modalities—psychotherapy, movement, yoga, tai chi ch’uan, dance, breathwork, bodywork, meditation, etc.—are subsumed under the greater umbrella of “Somatic Clinical Psychotherapy.” This field originates from Wilhelm Reich (1897-1957) and his colleagues Elsworth Baker (1903-1985) and Alexander Lowen (1910-2008) and obliquely by Fritz Perls and Laura Perls who with Goodman founded and spread Gestalt therapy. There is a good history of body psychotherapy written by Young (2006) that is worth reading.
A third aspect that comes to mind when looking at this list is that of philosophy. Obviously, a lot of people over the years–and here I trace the roots of Somatic Clinical Psychotherapy back to the psychosomatic studies into clinical hysteria by Jean-Martin Charcot (1825-1893) and Pierre Janet (1859–1947) in France and Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) in Austria at the turn of the nineteenth-century–yet the field lacks a philosophical foundation. The clinical world has had only the most ephemeral of ties to the world of philosophy and the situation remains unchanged today. For example, I don’t see the theory of Embodied Cognition or even the philosophy of mind in general taught in academic psychology programs, clinical training courses, or bodywork schools. And I think that’s a grave weakness which leaves many interesting questions left unaddressed. For example, is there a difference between body knowledge and body wisdom? I believe so and going down this path would most likely lead to a Somatic Epistemology as part of a greater Philosophy of Embodiment; a project I am currently working on. I have proposed and continue to advocate for the concept of a Neurophilosophy based on theories of embodiment. (See the blog-lecture: “I Just Love A Good Theory I: Five Key Theories of Embodiment” or the first three chapters in my textbook, “Principles of Somatic Psychology.”)
In any event, here is a list of trade books about body wisdom I like to think of this list as the fruits of our historical predecessors as evidence that we are the heirs to giants.
* * * *
Cannon, W. (1932). The Wisdom of Your Body. W.W. Norton & Company.
McKenna, M. (1977). The Serenity Book: Sensory Awareness Training and How it Can Change Your Life. New York, NY: Rawson Associates.
Masters, R. & Houston, J. (1978). Listening to the Body: The Psychophysical Way to Health and Awareness. New York, NY: Delacorte Press.
Lessac, A. (1981). Body Wisdom: The Use and Training of the Human Body. New York, NY: Drama Book Specialists.
Dychtwald, K. (1986). Bodymind. New York, NY: Tarcher/Putman.
Lidell, L. & Thomas, S. (1987). The Sensual Body: The Ultimate Guide to Body Awareness and Self-fulfilment. London, UK: Gaia Books.
Shapiro, D. (1990). The Bodymind Workbook: Exploring How the Mind and the Body Work Together. Longmead, Shaftesbury, Dorset, UK: Element Books Limited.
Brewer, S. (1994). The Body Awareness Proramme. Ealing, London, England: Transworld Publishers Ltd.
Northrup, C. (1994). Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom: Creating Physical and Emotional Health and Healing. New York, NY: Random House.
Hartley, L. (1995). Wisdom of the Body Moving: An Introduction to Body-Mind Centering. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books.
Knaster, M. (1996). Discovering the Body’s Wisdom: A Comprehensive Guide to More Than Fifty Mind-Body Practices That Can Relieve Pain, Reduce Stress, and Foster Health, Spiritual Growth, and Inner Peace. New York, NY: Random House.
Ruhnke, A. & Würzberger, A. (1996). BodyWisdom: An Easy-to-Use Handbook of Simple Exercises and Self-Massage Techniques for Busy People. North Clarendon, VT: Tuttle Publishing.
Harper, J. (1997). Nine Ways to Body Wisdom: Blending Natural Therapies to Nourish the Body, Emotions and Soul. Hammersmith, London, UK: Thorsons.
Nuland, S. (1997). The Wisdom of the Body: Discovering the Human Spirit. New York, NY: Knopf.
Welfeld, R. (1997). Your Body’s Wisdom: A Body-Centered Approach to Transformation. Naperville, IL: SourceBooks, Inc.
Putnoi, J. (2000). Senses Wide Open: The Art and Practice of Living In Your Body. Berkeley, CA: Ulysses Press.
Colangelo, J. (2003). Embodied Wisdom: What Our Anatomy Can Teach Us about the Art of Living. Bloomington, IN: iUniverse, Inc.
Whitehead, J. & Whitehead, E. (2003). Wisdom of the Body: Making Sense of Our Sexuality. Spring Valley, NY: Crossroad Publishing Company.
Cobb, E. (2008). The Forgotten Body: A Way of Knowing and Understanding Self. Mumbai, Maharashtra, India: Satya House Publications.
Gibson, R. (2008). My Body, My Earth: The Practice of Somatic Archaeology. Bloomington, IN: iUniverse, Inc.
Rytz, T. (2009). Centering and Connectedness: A Therapeutic Approach to Mind-Body Awareness. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books.
Scurlock, S. (2010). Full Body Presence: Learning to Listen to Your Body’s Wisdom. Novato, CA: Novato, CA: New World Library.
Berman, L. (2012). Your Body Awakens: 7 Steps to Wholeness. Bloomington, IN: Balboa Press.
Kaparo, R. (2012). Awakening Somatic Intelligence: The Art and Practice of Embodied Mindfulness. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books.
Sato, C. (2013). Infinite Body Wisdom: Using Your Body’s Signals to Heal Yourself and Your Life. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Prendergast, J. (2015). In Touch: How to Tune in to the Inner Guidance of Your Body and Trust Yourself. Louisville, KY: Sounds True.
Ray, R. (2016). The Awakened Body: Somatic Meditation for Discovering Our Deepest Life. Boulder, CO: Shambhala Publications.
Abrams, R. (2016). Body Wise: Discovering Your Body’s Intelligence for Lifelong Health and Healing. New York, NY: Rodale.
Francis, E. (2017). The Body Heals Itself: How Deeper Awareness of Your Muscles and Their Emotional Connection Can Help You Heal. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Publications.
Valters-Painter, C. (2017). The Wisdom of the Body: A Contemplative Journey to Wholeness for Women. Notre Dame, IN: Sorin Books.
Todhunter-Brode, A. (2018). A Guide to Body Wisdom: What Your Mind Needs to Know About Your Body. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Publications.
Ray, R. (2020). Somatic Descent: How to Unlock the Deepest Wisdom of the Body. Boulder, CO: Shambhala.
Roscher, E. (2020). The Embodied Path: Telling the Story of Your Body for Healing and Wholeness. Minneapolis, MN: Broadleaf Books. Boulder, CO: Shambhala Publications.
Shonstrom, E. (2020). Wisdom of the Body: What Embodied Cognition Can Teach Us about Learning, Human Development, and Ourselves. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.
Kite, L & Kite, L. (2021). More Than A Body: Your Body is an Instrument, Not an Ornament. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
McBride, H. (2021). The Wisdom of Your Body: Finding Healing, Wholeness, and Connection Through Embodied Living. Ada, MI: Brazos Press.
McNamara, S. (2022). Trusting Your Body: The Embodied Journey of Claiming Sacred Responsibility for Your Health & Well-Being. Southampton, MA: The Farm at Avalon Press.
Cobb, D. (2003). The Forgotten Body: A Way of Knowing and Understanding Self. Hardwick, MA: Satya House.
Briggs, S. (2023). How to Change Your Body: The Science of Interoception & Healing Through Connection to Yourself and Others. Santa Fe, NM: Synergetic Press.
Keeton, A. (2023). The Body Revelation: Physical and Spiritual Practices to Metabolize Pain, Banish Shame, and Connect to God with Your Whole Self. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books
Kudelia, B. (2023). Somatic Therapy: The Wisdom of the Body. Self-Published: Psyche Masters Publishing.
Lauricella, J. (2023). Miracle of Body Wisdom: How to Break Through Anxiety and Reclaim Your Mind, Body and Heart. Nyack, NY: SureShot Books.
Cooney, L. (2024). The Body of Change: Using Your Body to Heal, Love, and Empower Yourself. Lisa Cooney, Publisher, https://www.drlisacooney.com/boc.
* * * *
Paul Shane, Ph.D., LMT
Director, Academic Content
References
Baker, E. Man in the Trap. Princeton, NJ: The American College of Orgonomy Press.
Perls, F., Hefferline, F., & Goodman, P. (1951). Gestalt Therapy: Excitement and Growth in the Human Personality. New York, NY: Julian Press.
Lowen, A. (1958). The Language of the Body. New York, NY: Macmillan.
Reich, W. (1949). Character Analysis. Rangeley, ME: Orgone Institute Press.
Young, C. (2006). One hundred and fifty years in: The history, significance and scope of body psychotherapy today. Body, Movement and Dance in Psychotherapy 1(1), p. 17-28.
Revised 03-18-25