Calm Your Body, Heal Your Mind - By David Hanscom, MD

Who among us has not experienced periods of high anxiety, persistent stress, obsessive ruminations, or recurrent intrusive thoughts? The longer these “repetitive unpleasant thoughts” (RUTs) go untreated, the greater the intensity and number of associated painful symptoms, which can lead to more serious illness.

In Calm Your Body, Heal Your Mind—drawing from the fields of neurology, psychology, basic science, social psychology, and clinical medical research—best-selling author Dr. David Hanscom explains the physiology of mental pain and presents a unique four-part “dynamic healing” program to help your brain regenerate and repair. The key is learning to regulate your nervous system by cultivating what he calls “safety physiology.” Instead of being overwhelmed by your thoughts, you can gain a greater capacity to enjoy life and live it on your own terms.

Methods and techniques include:

• Separating from negative thoughts through mindfulness, meditation, and expressive writing.  
• “Turning down the heat” of anger, which is hyperactivated anxiety and neuroinflammation. 
• Softening the ego and its cognitive distortions.
• Nurturing creativity and joy to rewire neural circuitry.

With uncommon clarity and compassion, Dr. Hanscom explains the science behind these interventions and offers practical tools and an integrated plan for rewiring the brain to relieve pain. Illustrating the scientific research with case studies from his own practice, along with stories from his own recovery from “the abyss” of RUTs, Calm Your Body, Heal Your Mind offers effective strategies and tremendous hope for healing.