Book Prelude..!!
Title: It’s All in Your Head . . . and Also Your Neck, Back, and Gut
[How Beliefs and Emotions Sneak into the Body, Why It Matters, and How We Can Heal]
Author: Dr Shalini Poddar
Pages: 190
Genre: Self-Help
Publication date: 30 Sep 2025
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
About the Author..!!
Dr. Shalini Poddar is a distinguished clinical psychologist and the visionary founder of Sprihaa Wellness. She earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Calcutta University, in collaboration with the University of California, Berkeley, where her research focused on innovative therapeutic interventions for holistic well-being.
With over a decade of professional experience, Dr. Poddar has dedicated her career to integrating traditional psychological practices with alternative healing modalities. Her expertise encompasses hypnotherapy, family constellations, and energy healing, enabling her to address complex emotional and psychological challenges. As the founder of Sprihaa Wellness, she has created a sanctuary for individuals seeking transformative healing, offering personalized sessions and workshops that promote self-awareness and personal growth.
Book Description..!!
It’s All in Your Head . . . and Also Your Back, Neck, and Gut explores the profound and often overlooked connection between the mind and the body, revealing how our beliefs, emotions, and subconscious patterns can deeply influence physical health. Blending scientific insight with practical guidance and compelling case studies, this transformative guide illuminates the subtle psychological forces―such as fear, self-sabotage, and emotional fragmentation―that quietly shape our well-being and behaviour.
Through a rich tapestry of real-life stories and accessible frameworks, readers will discover how stress and inner conflict manifest in the body, how to engage with the ‘inner child,’ the ‘feminine self,’ and other fragmented parts of the psyche, and how imagination and storytelling can become powerful pathways to deep and lasting healing. The book also examines the unique emotional burdens carried by healers and healthcare professionals, while emphasising the vital role of connection, community, and support networks in the healing process.
So, whether you are a therapist, healer, or someone on a healing journey, this book offers valuable insights and practical ways to help you understand your whole self and access healing that goes beyond the surface.
To Start…!!
Dr. Shalini Poddar’s “It’s All in Your Head . . .” is a lucrative connection between mind and body. This pre-therapeutic guide is a self-assessment checklist for every individual who is undergoing body ailments resulting from the abandoned psyche dumps. Although we offload the bad energies from our minds, our body retains a copy of these omens in our respective body parts, which makes the recuperation pace substantially sluggish.
Book précis…!!!
Being a victim of trauma and inner conflicts at every phase of my life, I personally felt that the recovery process is something to be dealt with from the mind and emotions. However, Dr. Shalini made me look at this illness from the angle of my body parts. She rightly calls anxiety the body’s protest, but not a disorder. Through this book, the author breaks the age-old, lousy beliefs and paves a golden way towards positive healing.
My Preamble…!!!
With her hypnotherapy expertise, Dr. Shalini offers pivotal tools not to FIX, but to understand what our body tries to convey to us. Through this book, she rightly emphasizes the importance of understanding physical sensations, symptoms, and patterns that our body channels to communicate with us. While each of us strives to rebuild broken relationships and heal shattered affinities, Dr. Shalini highlights the need to rejuvenate the connection between the body, mind, and soul.
Book Prelude..!!
With the central theme of understanding the HUMAN BODY, Dr. Shalini presents this work in THREE distinct chunks. Each section carries its own elemental depth and significance, spreading awareness all the way from recognition to renewal. There are truly zowie moments for every reader. Beyond physical and emotional patterns, Dr. Shalini also speaks about the significance of the spiritual dimension in observing the healing motif and acting upon it, while she aptly refers to the body as a “constellation” comprising many components, including the “Inner Child”, the “Achiever”, and the “Wounded Protector”, and their purposeful integration.
Book accolades…!!!
The crux of this work lies in its abundant case studies, as a hypnotherapist, Dr. Shalini generously shares her personal experiences and treasured learnings for the benefit of readers. I could deeply relate to the author’s clients, Naina’s emotional and psychological impact triggered by childhood trauma, and Riya’s marked regression and fatigue, accompanied by hysterical outbursts. However, the profound remedies and interventions offered in the book gave me refreshing hope, while also highlighting the need to unite the self and tenderly care for the inner child
contd..!!!
I call this book a guided Yoga Nidra journey to rediscover the ‘Thee‘, closely observe body patterns, and support inner healing by adhering to the PAIP and SOAP mechanisms. Thanks to the author’s expertise, it uncovers both clinical and healing efficacies and supports the journey of recoup and rejuvenation. A special mention to the author’s storytelling ability, which kept me hooked until the very end of the book.
My Pick(s)..!!
My two favorite picks from this book are “Feminine-Self,” where the author unveils aspects that make room for therapeutic comprehension to address personal and emotional nuances, and “Healing through Fiction,” which uses a unique storytelling approach to harness the potential for healing and personal growth.
Inquisitive Emphasis..!!
For me, the missing piece in this book is a summary at the end of each chapter, capturing the gist and key highlights so readers can quickly revisit the core learnings. It would also help to have more exercises or to-do tasks linked to each topic, offering practical ways to apply the insights. The reference glossary at the end, however, is very useful for readers to dive further.
End Note..!!!
With a bunch of tips, tricks, and techniques, Dr. Shalini shares her expertise as a clinical psychologist and spiritual mentor for the benefit of every reader on the journey of self-healing. She helps readers realize the importance of channeling physical well-being and understanding subconscious patterns, emotions, and beliefs to bridge the gap between mind and body.
This book is truly the need of the hour, as we(most of us) are on a journey of mental convalescence.
Pro tip: I recommend that you do not just give this book a one-time read. Instead, handpick one of the case studies and annotate the client’s journey to find any underlying motifs, then reflect on the learnings and suggested solutions accordingly.
Quote(s)..!!
- The body never lies. It whispers until we listen.
- Our journey begins not in the mind but in the body.
- The body speaks in the poetry of symptoms.
Links & FootNote..!!
My Handle: Kiran_Kumar_Adharapuram
You can also explore my works -> Here
My Non-Fiction Book Reviews -> Here
My Fiction Book Reviews -> Here
My Self-Help Book Reviews -> Here
