The Narrowing - by Alexandra Shaker (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

An exploration of the connection between anxiety and the body by a clinical psychologist, drawing from the latest research alongside historical and cultural insights, arguing that only through understanding anxiety's grasp on us can we transform it into resilience

Most of us are intimately familiar with anxiety, and with its increasing hold on our minds, our hopes and plans, and our bodies. But how well do we really understand it, and what can we do to transform it into something new--into resilience, or courage, or creativity?

In this extraordinary book, Dr. Alexandra Shaker, a clinical psychologist, takes us on a journey through the body--from brain to blood to heart to guts--to examine the connections between our emotional, psychological, and physical lives. She unravels what the body can teach us about anxiety, and what we can learn from our long cultural history of the anxious impulse.

Melding psychology, neuroscience, history, and literature, she considers why--despite all the checklists and scientific advancements--we are still struggling to outrun our oldest terrors, and how a new approach focused on accepting anxiety as part of the human condition can help revolutionise our relationship with it.

Review Quotes

"The Narrowing is a transformative and compassionate exploration of anxiety. Integrating rigorous science with therapeutic insights, Shaker demystifies the intricate workings of anxiety, offering readers new perspectives on their mental landscape. For those ready to reclaim their calm, The Narrowing is an intelligent guide to a life of resilience."
--Galit Atlas, PhD, author of Emotional Inheritance, faculty of the New York University Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy & Psychoanalysis

"The Narrowing is a compassionate and accessible exploration of anxiety, illuminating how the body's threat responses can be gently reoriented toward safety and resilience. Consistent with the polyvagal theory, Alexandra Shaker empowers readers to understand anxiety as a dynamic, physiological process, fostering self-awareness, healing, and growth."
--Stephen W. Porges, PhD, author of The Polyvagal Theory

"The Narrowing is a profound and powerful reframing of anxiety, full of passion and depth of knowledge made accessible. In a world that can often feel chaotic, Shaker's words help us regain a sense of safety within ourselves."
--Anna Mathur, author of The Uncomfortable Truth

"Compassionate, thoughtful, and nuanced, Alexandra Shaker asks astute and refreshing questions, and weaves rich and fascinating ideas in this much-needed enquiry into anxiety, the body, and the world. I loved this beautiful, brilliant book."
--Lucy Jones, author of Matrescense

"Dr. Alexandra Shaker speaks directly to our internal struggles and gives language to the paradoxes of our ever-growing anxieties in a time where we "know" so much more than we ever did. She reminds us that while anxiety can feel incredibly personal and of the moment, it is also a historical struggle that is part of the fabric of humanity. This is a must-read for anyone interested in better understanding themselves and the challenges that we all face."
--Lia Okun, PhD

"The Narrowing is a must read for anyone who has experienced anxiety, which is to say all of us! Dr Shaker expertly strikes the difficult balance of synthesizing research based information and illustrating with a relatable personal narrative. Her voice is a call forward; a much needed integration of the body to how we conceptualize and approach anxiety."
--Meredith Carlisle, LCSW

"Alexandra has created a balm for your anxiety. Rather than the frustration of "quick fixes" which can often make you feel incapable when they don't work, this unflinching immersion into a fellow anxious person is deeply soothing and, coupled with Alexandra's genuine curiosity about anxiety's roots and origins, provides one with what I believe to be the most important sentiment: "You are not alone, and there is something you can do." Thank you, Ali."
--Anya Taylor-Joy, actor

"Dr. Alexandra Shaker's work is captivating, and comforting, too. She moves gracefully between the personal and social dimensions of anxiety, and gets insightfully at universal human paradoxes. With an eye toward both science and art, this is a book for everyone-those who know anxiety firsthand, and those who may come to know it."
--Ari Aster, film director and screenwriter

"Shaker masterfully weaves her own lived experience with a wide range of cutting-edge research to tell a story that is undeniably familiar yet also refreshingly unique. She normalizes anxiety as being fundamentally human, emphasizing the way it manifests both cognitively and physically, guiding us system by system. She highlights the ever-present nature of anxiety through the centuries, in art, in narrative, and in myth. Simultaneously, the narrative serves as a call to action - a recognition that, though anxiety is ubiquitous and can be enigmatic, it is not unmitigable. With an evocative title and powerful prose, this book is a must read for anyone who has or knows someone who has dealt with anxiety."
--Aimee Milliken, PhD, RN, HEC-C

About the Author

Alexandra Shaker, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist with a background across inpatient and outpatient treatment settings. She has experience in research, teaching, and clinical practice. Dr. Shaker's writing is an interdisciplinary exploration of the human condition: she integrates psychology, literature, history, anthropology, and language to speak to the meaning and vitality we find in the stories we tell one another and ourselves. Dr. Shaker received her PhD in clinical psychology from The New School for Social Research and conducted her doctoral research at the Brief Psychotherapy Research Program at Mount Sinai Beth Israel. She completed her clinical training at Columbia University Medical Center. Dr. Shaker also completed a postdoctoral fellowship in perinatal mental health at The Motherhood Center of New York, where she held a position as a clinical psychologist and is now a clinical consultant.