By: Lisa Patrick
Healing is often perceived as a mental process—shifting thoughts, reframing beliefs, and working through emotions intellectually. However, in The Body of Change: Using Your Body To Heal, Love, and Empower, Dr. Lisa Cooney offers an approach that draws on the body’s natural wisdom to support lasting transformation. Drawing from her healing journey, she gives readers practical tools to reconnect with their bodies, release emotional blocks, and enter a more empowered and authentic life.
A Personal Journey to Healing
Cooney’s inspiration for The Body of Change comes from her transformative experiences. She discovered that true healing happens in the mind, and when we tune into the body’s signals, we learn to trust its wisdom.
“My healing journey showed me the power of listening to the body to overcome life’s challenges,” she explains. “This book extends that experience, offering the tools I used to reclaim my health and life, empowering others to do the same.”
Through somatic techniques, energy release practices, and deep self-awareness, The Body of Change provides a framework for readers to reconnect with themselves profoundly.
Breaking Free from Survival Mode: The Four Ds
One of the book’s core insights is the identification of the “four Ds”—denying, defending, disconnecting, and dissociating. These patterns trap people in survival mode, preventing them from embracing change and personal growth.
“These patterns emerged through years of observing how people avoid confronting emotional and physical pain,” Cooney shares. “Identifying and addressing them is crucial in breaking free from the past.”
By recognizing these survival mechanisms, readers can shift from avoidance to awareness, creating space for healing and transformation.
Trusting Your Body’s Wisdom to Overcome Fear
Fear often manifests physically before we consciously acknowledge it. Cooney encourages readers to start their healing journey by noticing the physical sensations accompanying fear—tightness, tension, or anxiety.
“Grounding exercises, such as deep breathing or mindful movement, help reconnect with the body and neutralize fear,” she advises. “Trusting the body’s wisdom helps transform fear into a powerful source of aliveness and growth.”
Rather than suppressing fear, The Body of Change teaches readers to embrace and move through it, using it as a catalyst for personal empowerment.
The Roar® Technique: Releasing Stuck Energy
A key aspect of the book is the Roar® Technique, a method created by Cooney to help individuals release negative emotions and trauma stored in the body.
“The Roar® Technique allows you to vocalize energy, clearing emotional blockages that restrict healing,” she explains. “It uses the power of sound and movement to release stuck emotions and traumas in the body.”
This technique offers an immediate and profound relief, enabling individuals to free themselves from past burdens and move forward with greater clarity and confidence.
The Power of Gratitude in Transformation
Beyond somatic techniques, Cooney emphasizes the role of gratitude in healing and personal growth. Cultivating gratitude shifts the focus from what is lacking to what is abundant, creating an open and receptive mindset.
“Gratitude is transformative—it shifts the focus from scarcity to abundance, creating a mindset of positivity,” she says. “It helps rewire the brain to recognize what’s working, encouraging openness to change.”
She recommends simple daily practices, like writing down or speaking three things you’re grateful for each morning. Over time, this tiny habit may contribute to emotional and mental well-being shifts.
A Roadmap for Lasting Change
At its core, The Body of Change offers a guide to reconnecting with the body’s wisdom and personal power. By addressing survival patterns, overcoming fear, and incorporating techniques like the Roar® Technique and gratitude practices, readers may find greater freedom, joy, and self-trust opportunities.
As Cooney puts it:
“True transformation begins by reconnecting with your body and listening to its wisdom. By trusting your body’s guidance, you can release limiting beliefs, heal, and create a life of greater joy, freedom, and purpose.”
For anyone seeking a profound, body-centered approach to healing, The Body of Change provides the tools to transform themselves and inspire a ripple effect of growth in their communities.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. The techniques and practices discussed, including the Roar® Technique and somatic exercises, should be approached with caution and may not be suitable for everyone. Readers are encouraged to consult a healthcare professional before starting any new healing practices, especially if they have pre-existing conditions. Results from the methods mentioned may vary from person to person.
Published by Mark V.
