The Narrowing

A Journey Through Anxiety and the Body

De: Alexandra Shaker PhD

Narrado por: Alexandra Shaker PhD

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.

©2025 Alexandra Shaker (P)2025 Penguin Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

“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