By: Marisa Collins

In a culture that often prioritizes mindset over embodiment, The Body of Change: Using Your Body to Heal, Love, and Empower Yourself offers a different starting point for transformation—one that begins not in thought, but in sensation. Written by Dr. Lisa Cooney, the book invites readers to reconnect with the body as an intelligent ally rather than something to override, fix, or ignore.

The Nervous System and the Four Ds

At the heart of Cooney’s work is the idea that many habitual responses to stress, fear, and trauma originate in the nervous system rather than conscious choice. In the book, she introduces what she calls the “four Ds”—denying, defending, disconnecting, and dissociating—patterns that commonly appear in everyday life. As Cooney explains, “The Four Ds are survival strategies our nervous system adopted when safety wasn’t available. We deny our truth, defend against vulnerability, disconnect from our emotions, and dissociate when we feel overwhelmed.”

From Survival to Conscious Awareness

Rather than framing these responses as personal shortcomings, Cooney emphasizes their intelligence. “These aren’t flaws — they’re intelligent adaptations,” she notes. However, what once helped people survive can later limit their ability to live fully. Awareness, she says, is the turning point: “When you can name the pattern — ‘I’m defending right now’ — you step into consciousness instead of reaction. That’s where transformation begins.”

Learning to Listen to the Body’s Wisdom

A central theme throughout The Body of Change is learning to listen to and trust the body’s wisdom. For readers who feel disconnected or numb, Cooney encourages simplicity and patience. “Start small: Place a hand on your heart or belly, take a breath, and simply ask: ‘Body, what do you need right now?’” she advises. Silence, she adds, is not failure but part of rebuilding trust. “Trust grows through consistent presence, not perfection. The body begins to speak again when it feels safe to do so.”

The Roar® Technique and Somatic Release

One of the book’s most distinctive contributions is the Roar® Technique, a process designed to help people safely release stored emotional and energetic charge. According to Cooney, “The Roar® Technique is a somatic process designed to help people safely release stored trauma and emotional charge from the body. It integrates breath, sound, and movement — the body’s natural languages — to restore flow and vitality.” ROAR stands for Radical Release of Authentic Revelation, and its purpose is not emotional explosion but reclamation. “It’s not about rage; it’s about reclamation,” she explains.

Bridging Science and Spirituality

Cooney’s work is often noted for its ability to bridge scientific understanding and spiritual awareness, a balance she sees as essential. “Science grounds us; spirituality expands us,” she says. Drawing on neuroscience, embodiment practices, and energy principles, she aims to explain how trauma lives in the body while honoring the deeper nature of healing. “The body itself is the bridge — matter and energy working as one.”

Why Embodiment Resonates with Creatives and High Performers

That embodied focus appears to resonate with a wide range of readers and clients, including creatives and high performers who have explored many personal growth modalities. As Cooney observes, “High performers and creatives often live in their heads. They’ve done the mindset work, the therapy, the retreats — but the body still holds the story.” Experiencing release at the physical level, she says, allows for change that feels lasting rather than conceptual. “It’s not about ‘fixing’ themselves; it’s about finally feeling themselves.”

Discomfort as a Pathway to Growth

A recurring message in The Body of Change is the importance of leaning into discomfort rather than avoiding it. “Discomfort is the teacher. When we avoid it, we avoid growth,” Cooney explains. By meeting discomfort with compassion instead of resistance, the nervous system learns to trust again. “Each time you breathe through discomfort instead of escaping it, you rewire your nervous system to trust life again.”

Everyday Practices for Nervous System Regulation

To help readers integrate this approach into daily life, Cooney includes accessible embodiment practices, such as the Three-Breath Gratitude Reset. “Breathe in gratitude for your body — for carrying you. Breathe in gratitude for your breath — for keeping you alive. Breathe in gratitude for your awareness — for noticing.” Though brief, she notes, the practice can shift internal state quickly. “Gratitude signals the nervous system that it’s safe to rest, receive, and return to presence.”

Healing as a Relational Journey

Developing and teaching The Body of Change has also shaped Cooney personally. “I’ve learned to surrender,” she reflects. “I’ve become softer, more open, more trusting. I no longer see vulnerability as a weakness but as a portal to authenticity.” That perspective informs her view of healing as relational rather than linear—a shared journey rather than a fixed endpoint.

A Somatic Renaissance

Looking ahead, Cooney sees growing momentum for body-based approaches to wellness. “We’re entering what I call a somatic renaissance,” she says, envisioning embodiment becoming foundational across education, medicine, and leadership. The message she hopes readers carry forward is simple yet profound: “You are not broken. Everything you’ve done to survive was brilliant — and now it’s time to live.”

The Body of Change: Using Your Body to Heal, Love, and Empower Yourself is available now on Amazon.

Disclaimer: The content of this article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical or psychological advice. Readers are encouraged to seek appropriate professional guidance for any specific health, psychological, or personal concerns.