Witnessing
In the Realm of Wounding & Healing
1: Check out Family Constellations work for witnessing and healing ancestral connections while in a group setting
1: Books 📚
- Connecting to Our Ancestral Past : Healing Through Family Constellations, Ceremony, and Ritual – by Francesca Boring: pragmatic, spiritual journey that introduces a variety of specific rituals and conversations in connection with Constellations work, an process that explores one’s history and powerful events of the past in order to understand and resolve problems of the present.
-
Healing Trauma through Family Constellations and Somatic Experiencing – by Efu Nyaki: integrating ancestral tribal wisdom with a fusion of two Western healing systems: Somatic Experiencing and Systemic Family Constellations Therapy.
- It Didn’t Start With You – by Mark Wolynn: A compelling understanding of inherited trauma and fresh, powerful tools for relieving its suffering.
- The Body Keeps the Score – by Bessel van der Kolk: A real classic – transforms our understanding of traumatic stress, revealing how it literally rearranges the brain’s wiring—specifically areas dedicated to pleasure, engagement, control, and trust. He shows how these areas can be reactivated through innovative treatments including neurofeedback, mindfulness techniques, play, yoga, and other therapies.
- The Healing Power of Empathy – by Mary Goyer: Empathy is a learnable skill. With mindfulness, empathy has de-escalated conflicts, combated loneliness, and built human connections in the most unlikely places.
Audio 🎶
- Free Family Constellations Meditations – on Insight Timer
- The Power of Listening (AUDIOBOOK) – by Damian Blair: Improve relationships by becoming an active listener.
Podcasts 🎧
- Family Constellations and Ancestral Healing Podcast: lots of great episodes here on many aspects of family constellations practice.
2: Explore self-compassion resources as you support yourself through the practice of mindfully seeing.
Books 📚
- Radical Compassion – by Tara Brach: A game changer… Each step in the meditation practice (Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture) is brought to life by memorable stories shared by Tara and her students as they deal with feelings of overwhelm, loss, and self-aversion, with painful relationships, and past trauma. Discover step-by-step the sources of love, forgiveness, compassion, and deep wisdom alive within all of us.
- Self-Compassion Books by Dr. Kristin Neff: there are several really good books with tangible self-compassion practices by Dr. Neff here.
- It Didn’t Start With You – by Mark Wolynn: A compelling understanding of inherited trauma and fresh, powerful tools for relieving its suffering.
- The Healing Power of Empathy – by Mary Goyer: Empathy is a learnable skill. With mindfulness, empathy has de-escalated conflicts, combated loneliness, and built human connections in the most unlikely places.
Websites & Courses 📝
- Online Mindful Self-Compassion Course: 10-week online course from Center for Mindful Self-Compassion. Suitable for the general public, mental health and healthcare professionals, meditation and mindfulness instructors, yoga teachers, wellness coaches, and educators at all levels.
- Center for Mindful Self-Compassion: Info, resources, courses, retreats, certifications and more…
Podcasts 🎧
- How to Develop Fierce Self-Compassion – Podcast Episode of VeryWellMind: with Dr. Kristin Neff
- Grow Yourself Up Podcast: Many of us did not get our needs adequately met in childhood. The devastating legacy of childhood trauma, wounding and traumatic stress lives on in our brains, our bodies, our nervous systems and our behavior/reactions. This podcast is a companion as you travel on your own road of healing and recovery.
- Tara Brach’s Podcast: feels like compassion and self-compassion are woven into the many spiritual and healing approaches of this podcast. Enjoy!
3: Use art, music, or movement for deeper witnessing and expression. Tune into your body with somatic exercises.
Websites & Articles
- Expressive Writing for Healing Guide: Writing to heal, inspire and create your legacy. A guide from expressive writing to crafting your memoir.
- International Expressive Arts Therapy Association: international community of artists, therapists, educators, consultants, advocates, and practitioners. If you believe in the power of the expressive arts to heal, grow, teach, and transform… Resources, training, events, and much more.
- American Art Therapy Association: Advancing art therapy as a regulated mental health profession and building a community that supports art therapists throughout their careers. Many many resources here and pathways to follow.
- American Music Therapy Association: increasing access to quality music therapy services in a rapidly changing world. Research, books, careers, advocacy and more…
Videos 🎦
- 10-Minute Body Scan Meditation on Youtube: 10-minute calming body scan meditation.
- 30-Minute Body Scan Meditation on YouTube: another, longer calming body scan meditation.
- Chakra Balance Guided Meditation on YouTube: 15-minute quality guided meditation.
- 10-Minute Chakra Meditation (Daily Recharge): instructive and ideal for quickly opening, cleansing and recharging your chakras daily. Really good daily meditation.
Podcasts 🎧
- The Yoga Nidra Podcast: Yoga Nidra means “yogic sleep” and is a state of consciousness between waking and sleeping. A powerfully restorative practice to restore your mind, body, and soul.
- Yoga Nidra and Beyond Podcast: Here, you will discover the REST you deserve and need to RESTORE your nervous system on the road to a better sleep and life.
- Somatic Healing Meditations Podcast: Every episode contains a guided meditation specifically designed to help you be more present in your body (and your life) by connecting to your physical sensations and awakening your inner knowing in a gentle and healing way.
4: Learn how to inquire about and be a witness for another’s experience while maintaining healthy boundaries for yourself and for them.
Books 📚
- The Healing Power of Empathy – by Mary Goyer: Empathy is a learnable skill. With mindfulness, empathy has de-escalated conflicts, combated loneliness, and built human connections in the most unlikely places.
- The Art of Active Listening – by Heather Younger: Want to build stronger relationships, avoid misunderstandings, and anticipate problems before they surface at work?
- Active Listening Techniques – by Nixaly Leonardo: True active listening isn’t just about hearing words; it’s about understanding the message behind them. In a world overflowing with noise, Active Listening Techniques offers a proven roadmap for creating genuine connection, clarity, and trust.
- Set Boundaries, Find Peace – by Nedra Tawwab: So needed. End the struggle, speak up for what you need, and experience the freedom of being truly yourself.
- The Book of Boundaries – by Melissa Urban: Actionable tools for setting boundaries in natural ways that feel kind, yet effective. Includes usable scripts.
Websites & Courses 📝
- The Power of Sharing Our Story with an Empathetic Witness – article by Koelle Simpson: When listening to others it’s very important to shift away from trying to find a solution or fix things for one another. Instead, it’s much more effective and healing to become fully present to listen and offer empathic reflections in order to understand the other person’s experience.
- WISEHEART – Mindful Compassionate Dialogue: We LOVE Wiseheart and all the amazing tools/resources/courses they share and hold. MCD is a powerful practice for showing up, listening, showing true empathy, witnessing and being witnessed.
Podcasts 🎧
- Listening Skills Podcast from 2020: what a great series of listening skills that is easy to listen to and start practicing.