Falling Awake

Dr. Kathy Shafer is a consummate clinician who is well versed in the therapies she describes here. I am fortunate to know her from her work in Brainspotting Therapy and greatly appreciate her attunement to clients which is key no matter what type of therapy one utilizes. You will get a wonderful feel of what each method she describes holds from the way Dr. Shafer writes of these therapies about which she is passionate and knowledgeable. She has an engaging sense of humor that makes some of the more detailed concepts easy to understand and digest. As a Brainspotting Trainer, I hope you may be moved to train in one of these therapies to enhance what you already do so well. You will be richer for it and gain some wonderful new tools that work at a deep brain-body level to benefit your clients.

A fun combination of treatment approach, history, user-friendly techniques, case examples, and self-disclosure.

Dr. Kathryn Shafer is passionate about teaching the brain-body connection for optimal functioning. A book filled with fascinating and empowering information that educates and inspires all on a journey of healing and transformation.

Kathryn Shafer's book emphasizes the most important, often missed, neurological components of psychotherapy by introducing readers to several important, and diverse therapies that stimulate and/or calm different parts of the brain. I recommend this book to anyone searching for ways to help clients or themselves to become calm, mindful, trauma-free, and present. This is the perfect book for graduate students or new therapists seeking direction in this complex field.

Helping people to have FUN™ in their trauma recovery journey is what Kathy shares through her extensive education, trainings, self-care, self-practice and client experiences. This book, an introduction to complementary practices, is filled with exercises and case examples for the reader, especially a trained therapist, on how integrating several evidence-based treatment modalities and knowing what techniques might be teamed together can assist the therapist to help someone fall but continue to remain awake and alert during their treatment, especially with trauma.

Dr. Kathryn C. Shafer's book is a remarkable and transformative work that bridges the worlds of trauma therapy and spiritual growth. I am deeply impressed by Dr. Shafer's ability to integrate EMDR, Brainspotting, and Yoga Nidra, providing a comprehensive approach to healing and self-regulation. Her book is a beacon of hope for those seeking profound healing and personal growth. Dr. Shafer's commitment to well-being and her ability to communicate complex concepts in an accessible manner make this a must-read for mental health professionals, trauma survivors, and seekers of self-knowledge alike.

Dr. Kathy Shafer's book is a compendium of clinical wisdom and healing stories that both inform and inspire. Dr. Shafer writes from the heart and the head, clearly passionate about the important, timely information she is conveying. As the founder and developer of Brainspotting, I believe Dr. Shafer has done a wonderful job of conveying the foundation and nuance of Brainspotting theory and practice. This book is a must read!

Refresh your clinical practice and have more fun in the treatment room! There is much richness in Falling Awake for mental health professionals: how Dr Shafer's Fun Program "Brainbody" practices are applied in compassionate ways to empower the clients to establish goals and reach them; how EMDR can unlink those "touchstone" events in our lives to free us from emotional repetition; how Brainspotting works on a subcortical level to release emotional blocks without the need for words; how Yoga Nidra and other therapeutic yoga interventions can restore emotional balance, how to match the therapeutic intervention with the client's needs and how the modalities might be integrated for the client's healing. But the true gifts of Falling Awake are the case stories that moved this reader to tears more than once. Dr Schafer knows when a personal sharing might be what the client needs to move forward in their healing, and she shows us how and when to combine EMDR or Brianspotting with Yoga Nidra. Falling Awake will give you the confidence to integrate the "Brainbody" practices into your own healing work with clients and expand your self-care toolbox.