Transforming Trauma with Jiu-Jitsu: A Guide for Survivors, Therapists, and Jiu-Jitsu Practitioners to Facilitate Embodied Recovery

Heal from trauma and PTSD with the martial art of jiu-jitsu--written for survivors, mental health therapists, and trauma-informed martial arts instructors.

This groundbreaking book introduces jiu-jitsu as a powerful embodied modality for trauma survivors in recovery, and includes 10 grounding practices, self-defense techniques, and 30 instructional photos.

Unhealed trauma--from ＂little t＂ traumas to complex PTSD--leaves a lasting imprint on the bodies and minds of survivors. And in the aftermath of trauma, many people experience shifts in how they feel, connect with others, and interact with the world at large. This embodied, whole-person approach will help you heal the wounds of traumatic stress and how it shows up within yourself and your relationships, from disembodiment and numbness to anger, fear, anxiety, confusion, and dissociation.

As part of a martial arts trauma recovery program, you’ll learn about:

- Trauma, embodiment, and the transformative power of jiu-jitsu
- Self-defense skills that can help survivors of violence define boundaries and feel safe, secure, powerful, and at home in their bodies
- Creating a welcoming, responsive practice space as a studio owner
- Integrating jiu-jitsu practice into a safe, accessible recovery protocol for survivors--and how therapists can recommend them to clients or build them into a treatment plan

Written for trauma survivors, mental health clinicians, and martial arts practitioners and studio owners who want to create a safe, empowering, and trauma-sensitive space, Transforming Trauma with Jiu-Jitsu is a unique and vital guide to healing trauma’s invisible wounds.

JAMIE MARICH, Ph.D. (she/they) speaks internationally on topics related to EMDR therapy, trauma, addiction, dissociation, expressive arts, yoga, and mindfulness, and maintains a private practice in her home base of Warren, OH. She founded and directs The Institute for Creative Mindfulness and developed the Dancing Mindfulness approach to expressive arts therapy as well as Yoga for Clinicians. Marich has written numerous books, notably Trauma and the 12 Steps: An Inclusive Guide to Recovery (recent edition with North Atlantic Books, 2020). She has won numerous awards for LGBT] and mental health advocacy. In 2017, she earned her Women Empowered Pink Belt through Gracie University of Jiu-Jitsu. Learn more about Marich’s work at http: //www.jamiemarich.com.
ANNA PIRKL, MFT specializes in recovery from complex trauma, addiction, and anxiety disorders. She has worked with a wide range of clients from adolescents at Los Angeles Central Juvenile Hall, to men in recovery at sober livings, to pregnant to parenting teens. She is the author of 12 Creative Experiencesfor Personal Growth in Recovery and is a seasoned presenter, booking speaking engagements in community and high school mental health events, mental health conferences and for corporate wellness events. Pirkl earned her Women’s Empowered Pink Belt, Combatives Belt, and Blue Belt at Gracie University Jiu-Jitsu. Learn more about Pirkl’s work at https: //www.oneheartcounselingcenter.com.