Book details

  • Genre:self-help
  • Sub-genre:Abuse
  • Language:English
  • Pages:296
  • eBook ISBN:9798317817343
  • Paperback ISBN:9798317817336

Embodied Betrayal Healing

Healing What the Body Remembers

By Ann Michelle, PT, CLT

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Overview


"Embodied Betrayal Healing" is a groundbreaking guide for those struggling with the physical aftermath of betrayal. Written by a seasoned physical therapist and survivor, this trauma-informed book explores how deep emotional wounds can live in the body—and what to do when your body won't forget. Through validation, science, and body-based tools, this book offers hope, clarity, and healing for anyone navigating the invisible injuries of betrayal trauma—and gives voice to those whose pain has too often gone unseen or unheard.
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Description


When betrayal shatters your world, it doesn't just break your heart—it rewires your entire body. "Embodied Betrayal Healing: What to Do When Your Body Won't Forget" is a trauma-informed guide to healing the physical effects of betrayal. Written by licensed physical therapist and betrayal survivor Ann Michelle, PT, CLT, this groundbreaking book bridges clinical insight with lived experience to validate what so many feel but can't explain—betrayal lives in the body. From disrupted sleep and chronic tension to gut issues, hormonal imbalance, and nervous system shutdowns, this book reveals how trauma from betrayal can manifest physically—and why it so often gets dismissed by others. It gives voice to those who have been silenced, minimized, or pressured to "move on," offering language for what the body has been trying to say all along. While not every betrayal is legally defined as abuse, the physical and emotional impact often mirrors it. This book is categorized accordingly to reflect that reality—and to honor those whose pain has too often gone unseen. With compassion, science, and practical tools, Ann guides readers through the body's survival responses and offers concrete strategies for moving from crisis to recovery. Inside you'll find: • Clear explanations of how betrayal affects the nervous system. • Validation for the physical symptoms you're experiencing. • Simple tools for grounding, regulation, and body-based healing. • A survivor-centered approach that does not ask you to fix what someone else broke. • Support for reclaiming safety, identity, and embodied strength. Whether you're newly betrayed, struggling with long-term symptoms, or supporting someone in crisis, "Embodied Betrayal Healing" is a steady companion and an essential resource for recovery that begins in the body.
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About The Author


Ann Michelle, PT, CLT, is a practicing physical therapist with over 30 years of experience, specializing in pelvic health and lymphatic therapy. She has served as both a clinician and clinical educator, written professional continuing education courses, and currently works in private practice in Colorado, where she helps clients reconnect with their bodies after injury and trauma. She earned her master's in physical therapy (MPT) from Northwestern University in 1993 and has since worked across clinical, educational, and private settings. Ann is also a survivor of deep betrayal—and much of what she shared in this book comes from lived experience. Her personal healing journey had profoundly shaped her clinical work with survivors, deepening her empathy and refining her ability to treat the physical manifestos of emotional pain. Ann is endlessly curious about the body's capacity to recover and brings that same curiosity to her work with others on their healing path. She believes the body holds wisdom, that healing is never linear, and that resilience begins when we stop remaining silent and stop expecting ourselves to forget. Ann is the creator of EmbodiedBetrayalHealing.com, a blog-based resource for survivors of betrayal trauma. Her work bridges science, lived experience, and body-based tools to support survivors in reclaiming their physical and emotional well-being after betrayal. She shares ongoing insights through her Instagram and Substack, both under the same name: @EmbodiedBetrayalHealing.
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Book Reviews

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Michele
A brave and compassionate guide for navigating betrayal Embodied Betrayal Healing is a courageous and compassionate guide that turns lived experience into wisdom. Ann writes with striking vulnerability, inviting readers into her own journey through betrayal while illuminating the body’s role in both holding pain and charting a path to repair. She offers practical, grounded tools that honor the nervous system, restore a sense of safety, and help readers reclaim agency step by gentle step. Read more