The Circulatio

“The Circulatio is a richly textured exploration of transformation, inviting readers into the deepening of embodied lived experience. Drawing on extensive clinical expertise and years of devoted practice, the author artfully weaves psychological insight, somatic wisdom, and poetic imagination into a clear yet nuanced tapestry. Through evocative images, probing questions, and resonant stories that gently expand what feels possible, this book stands as a wise and trustworthy companion for clinicians, creative arts therapists, group leaders, and those seeking to enrich their journey of soulful, embodied transformation.”

“Rather than presenting spirituality as abstraction or belief, this work grounds transformation in the body, the breath, and the relational field. It speaks to the necessity of disciplined initiation, ethical responsibility, and the courage required to stand in service—without bypassing the shadow or romanticizing the path. What emerges is a vision of healing that is neither performative nor hierarchical, but relational, alive, and earned through practice. This is not a book meant to be consumed quickly.” 

“In this remarkable and groundbreaking work, Dr. Shannon Simonelli brilliantly integrates somatic, individual, group movement, and dance into a unique system that is surprisingly easy to follow. The general reader and professional alike will benefit greatly from this much-needed healing experience. This book will be useful for therapists of all persuasions as well as their patients and is destined to find a home in the most cutting-edge approaches to somatic therapy today.”

“The Circulatio is a beautiful practice engaging us with a compelling mix of art, movement, dance, breathwork, shamanistic journeys, ceremony, writing, and myth. The reader is invited to circle around through each level of being—body, nature, emotion, imagination, spirit, ancient wisdom, sharing/intersubjectivity—to follow the author’s own personal journey along with those of other witnesses. The experience of thus inhabiting one’s unique, embodied and autonomous self is at once breathtaking and lifegiving.”

“This was a mythic read!  Enjoy - just a fraction of the words I would like to use to describe this experience:

This, I can now see in hindsight, feels like confirmation that we have a holographic aspect within each of us, one that holds our wholeness and calls us to bring its expression into form.

So beautiful! Clear and healing. And this….

I deeply believe that we are each faced with challenges to foster our unique expression in the world. That we are designed to transform into the image of our wholeness, already lying within, waiting for our drive to awaken.

Mahalo for this quality of knowing. Wholeness awakens us! Just that one thought brings us to the mana of our embodied heart essence, actualized by free will. Mahalo for the beauty of your practice and care you have shown us by sharing it. Hoʻoulu aku hoʻoulu mai. Our growth is collective.”

“The Circulatio is a compelling and original work that masterfully integrates neurobiology, psychology, biology, Indigenous wisdom, as well as somatic practices, art, movement, and talk therapy into a cohesive and deeply humane system of healing. Writing with rare clarity and depth, Dr. Simonelli makes complex ideas accessible to both seasoned professionals and anyone seeking to understand how healing truly unfolds. The reader is guided through an experience that is as intellectually rigorous as it is emotionally resonant, seamlessly weaving theory, clinical practice, and vivid client stories. In doing so, The Circulatio illuminates the inherently circular, rather than linear, nature of growth and transformation. Grounded in a profound understanding of human suffering and our innate capacity to heal, this book offers an integrative framework that is both practical and profoundly hopeful.”

“Dr. Shannon Simonelli has been my friend and advisor for many years. As a consultant, author and colleague, her insights on healing and community wellness are so right-on-the-money. I recommend her writing to my colleagues in social work, law, psychology, and the arts. She is a resource, a treasure. Her work is medicine.”

“The Circulatio is the culmination of over 20 years of exploration, study, and professional practice and provides a useful, multi-disciplinary approach to Healing Neuroemotional Trauma while vastly deepening the Mind-Body (Sulfur-Salt) Connection. Dr. Simonelli takes you into a Philosophical Cavern of her own making, one inspired by walking many different paths in life and informed by her experiences interacting with many different cultures. It is a valuable approach and provides perspectives and context that may not otherwise be easily ascertained. This book is ideally suited for those in the fields of psychosomatics, art therapies, imaginal therapies, movement therapies, etc; but anyone can benefit from it and it is written in a very down-to-earth way that makes the work approachable and light."