Waking the Tiger

Waking the Tiger is a self-help book by Peter A. Levine which presents therapeutic advice for healing past traumas. The techniques presented in the book are based on Somatic Experiencing, the naturalistic therapy developed by Levine. The book uses metaphors from classical mythology to illustrate how one could deal with trauma without being overwhelmed by facing head-on, not the trauma, but its "reflection" in our nervous system. The book asserts that animals in the wild are persistently subject to threats yet rarely exhibit symptoms of trauma. The book's title alludes to the belief embraced by the author that resolving trauma will result in increased physical and psychological energy.