Some of Chelsea's Favorite Somatic Recovery Resources
It's true — this humaning thing really takes a village! And while I firmly believe there is no "one-size-fits-all" path in recovery, I've found that having a well-stocked toolbox of support is essential — especially for those moments when my inner critic starts to get loud. I'm particularly drawn to resources I can reach for throughout the day: ones that gently remind me of who I truly am beneath the noise of my trauma patterns. Because I learn best through the body, the voices I can attune to and co-regulate with (through both the written word and the world of podcasts) matter deeply. So here are a few of my favorites. I hope they offer a little glimmer to help light your way…
Letter from Love Substack – with Elizabeth Gilbert
Two-Way Prayer is said to have been the foundational practice of AA's Bill Wilson. Elizabeth Gilbert — fellow recovering human, beloved author, and inspiration to many — shares that she has been using this practice for over 20 years. Rather than writing to and from "God," she calls this gracious, all-encompassing force "the Spirit of Unconditional Love" — or simply, "SOUL." Each week, Liz reads her letter from Love aloud, and it never fails to feel like a soothing balm to my ever-watchful inner child. Her Substack also includes weekly writing prompts to inspire your own dialogue with the higher power of your choosing, as well as letters from delightful guest contributors — from the heartfelt to the wonderfully funny, including meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg, botanist and poet Robin Wall Kimmerer, and the hilarious Mike Birbiglia.
Holistic Life Navigation Podcast — with Luis Mojica
I’m a HUGE fan of podcasts! I first fell in love with Luis's work through his monthly Somatic Addiction groups (sound familiar?). His podcast masterfully weaves together somatic practice, nutrition, and self-inquiry — alongside brilliant guests — to explore what it means to recover from stress and trauma in a truly holistic way. There's something deeply grounding about his voice; within it, I can sense the steadiness of his own regulated nervous system, which has a way of inviting mine to settle as well. With episodes ranging from ADHD as dopamine deficiency, the connection between a dysregulated nervous system and the menstrual cycle, to empathy as a trauma response, this podcast has a gift for lighting up those neural pathways that lead straight to Aha! moments — and to that quiet, clarifying sense of feeling truly seen.
The Mind-Body Guide to the 12 Steps — by Nina Pick
As a longtime 12-Step lady, I've had the privilege of working through the Steps in three different programs. Each time, I learned to befriend, reckon with, and make a little more peace with a different facet of my shadow. And while the process wasn't always comfortable, I emerged feeling cleansed and newly free. So when that familiar itch returned for another go, revisiting the same structure of reading, writing, and talking felt a little flat. I craved something more enlivening — something I could feel in my bones.
So when my friend Jessi recommended this gem, I followed the breadcrumbs. In the introduction, Nina describes the book as “a guide that expands and deepens the Twelve Steps with somatic and Earth-based practices to help people heal not only the active addiction but the underlying wounds.” Very Resilient, if you ask me. 😉
I've been savoring it slowly, paragraph by paragraph — like poetry — and delighting in the generous buffet of somatic, artistic, and spiritual practices offered at the end of each chapter. I hope it serves your journey as beautifully as it has mine, and I genuinely can't wait to hear what you think!
