Clinical psychologists Tony Iezzi, Ph.D., and Melanie P. Duckworth, Ph.D., have released their new book, Reenactments: Break the Behavior Patterns That Keep You Stuck in Trauma, Stress, and Everyday Life. The publication provides a clear, practical framework for recognizing and changing the brain-body-behavior patterns that keep people looping through the same reactions in both traumatic and everyday situations.
The authors define a "reenactment" as a person's specific pattern of brain, body, and behavioral responses to experiences, and explain why breaking these patterns requires new actions, not just new thoughts. This distinction represents a significant shift from traditional approaches that focus primarily on cognitive restructuring. The book's release comes at a time when mental health awareness has increased globally, yet many individuals continue to struggle with persistent patterns that affect their daily functioning and quality of life.
Drawing on decades of clinical, research, and teaching experience, Iezzi and Duckworth introduce the Reenactment Decision Matrix, a two-axis, evidence-informed tool that helps readers evaluate awareness and action so they can choose different responses and build healthier habits. The matrix represents a structured approach to behavioral change that could have implications for both individual therapy and broader mental health interventions. The book includes case scenarios and end-of-chapter tasks that guide readers to identify themes, increase awareness, and practice change in real life.
Iezzi brings three decades of front-line experience in a large medical hospital's behavioral medicine service, including five years in a bariatric surgical program, while Duckworth previously taught at the University of Houston and the University of Nevada, Reno, where she directed a health risk and traumatic injury research program. Their combined expertise in chronic pain, trauma, and injury research informs the book's approach to addressing complex behavioral patterns.
The book's importance lies in its potential to provide accessible, evidence-based tools for individuals struggling with persistent patterns that traditional approaches may not adequately address. By focusing on the integration of brain, body, and behavior, the framework could help bridge gaps between different therapeutic approaches and offer practical solutions for those who have found limited success with other methods. The publication is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook formats, making it accessible to diverse audiences with different learning preferences.
Readers seeking additional information about the book can visit https://tonyiezzi.com for updates and resources related to the publication. The availability of multiple formats and the practical nature of the content suggest the book could reach a broad audience seeking to understand and change persistent behavioral patterns that impact their mental health and daily functioning.
