Transforming Trauma with Jiu-Jitsu

A Guide for Survivors, Therapists, and Jiu-Jitsu Practitioners to Facilitate Embodied Recovery

By: Jamie Marich PHD, Anna Pirkl LMFT

Narrated by: Marissa Ghavami

Heal from trauma and PTSD with the martial art of jiu-jitsu--written for survivors, mental health therapists, and trauma-informed martial arts instructors.


This groundbreaking book introduces jiu-jitsu as a powerful embodied modality for trauma survivors in recovery, and includes 10 grounding practices, self-defense techniques, and 30 instructional photos.

Unhealed trauma--from “little t” traumas to complex PTSD--leaves a lasting imprint on the bodies and minds of survivors. And in the aftermath of trauma, many people experience shifts in how they feel, connect with others, and interact with the world at large. This embodied, whole-person approach will help you heal the wounds of traumatic stress and how it shows up within yourself and your relationships, from disembodiment and numbness to anger, fear, anxiety, confusion, and dissociation.

As part of a martial arts trauma recovery program, you’ll learn about:

• Trauma, embodiment, and the transformative power of jiu-jitsu

• Self-defense skills that can help survivors of violence define boundaries and feel safe, secure, powerful, and at home in their bodies

• Creating a welcoming, responsive practice space as a studio owner

• Integrating jiu-jitsu practice into a safe, accessible recovery protocol for survivors--and how therapists can recommend them to clients or build them into a treatment plan

Written for trauma survivors, mental health clinicians, and martial arts practitioners and studio owners who want to create a safe, empowering, and trauma-sensitive space, Transforming Trauma with Jiu-Jitsu is a unique and vital guide to healing trauma’s invisible wounds.

Incredible resource for the students, instructors, and therapists

I was looking so forward for this book to come out. I have purchased both the book and the audio so I could take in this information from anywhere and everywhere. It was so helpful in not only my journey, but in the journey of my training partners and students. Thank you Anna and Jamie for being absolutely amazing!

Starts Good, Gets kinda "meh."

I started off enjoying it, but it started getting a little woke-ish which was a turn off. The reader was a bit flat and had bit of a biting voice which made it hard to listen to. I am very passionate about the subject matter, and did find a lot of useful information in it which is why I gave it 3 stars. If I had to do it over, I would still give it a listen despite the things I didn't care for.

Absolute stunner

I was able to take an outside looking in review of how I have felt about BJJ over the last years. The change it leads to physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. 100% recommend to folks like me!

Decent but woke

Decent advice here, but too tainted with woke nonsense. A lot of it is common sense and decency shrouded in academic gobbledygook speak.

Great book about a great art

This books breaks down what so many us in jiu-jitsu have known for so many years: this art can not help you physically but also help you mentally.