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Introducing a new online course from Donna Jackson Nakazawa

“Donna Jackson Nakazawa’s new course comes just in time to soothe our minds and bodies.”
—Jane Stevens​, ​founder, publisher​, ​
ACEs Connection, California

Your Healing Narrative: Write-to-Heal With Neural Re-NarratingTM

A powerful Neural Re-Narrating™️ program using science-based writing-to-heal and mindfulness techniques to help you recognize and override your brain’s old thought patterns, creating a new, transformative healing narrative to help you flourish in your life, even in the face of adversity.

For Healing Professionals

For Individuals

For Young Women and Girls

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The Angel and the Assassin
The Tiny Brain Cell That Changed the Course of Medicine

“A fascinating deep dive into the unsung heroes (and villains) inside our skulls ….Donna Jackson Nakazawa has a journalist's eye for story, a scholar's understanding of the research, and patient's appreciation for how high the stakes truly are.”
–Susannah Cahalan, New York Times bestselling author of Brain on Fire

“An inspiring account…will provide a game-changing view of health for generations of researchers, clinicians and citizens for years to come. Bravo!”
—Dan Siegel, MD, Clinical Professor, UCLA School of Medicine, author of Mindsight
“The Angel and the Assassin is riveting, engaging. Nakazawa's work is visionary."
–Terry Wahls, MD, author The Wahls Protocol
“Few non-fiction writers can tell the tale of scientific inquiry so vividly the reader can feel the excitement of discovery with every word. Donna Jackson Nakazawa is one of those writers, and this book tells the tale of one of the most intriguing and groundbreaking discoveries in all of medicine.”
-Shannon Brownlee, Senior Vice President of the Lown Institute, author of Overtreated
“[This] is the rarest of books, a combination of page-turning discovery and remarkably readable scientific journalism. A book to both savor and share.”
-Mark Hyman, MD, Director, The Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine, New York Times bestselling author of Food
“The Angel and the Assassin is one of those astonishing medical yarns that you almost can’t believe ... It is especially essential reading for women, who face depression, Alzheimer’s and autoimmune disorders at higher rates than men.”
-Peggy Orenstein, New York Times bestselling author of Girls & Sex
“Colorful, page-turning, and accessible…. I have great hope for the practical application of what [Jackson Nakazawa] reveals.”
-Amy Myers, MD, New York Times bestselling author of The Autoimmune Solution
“Jackson Nakazawa puts forth a revolutionary new way of thinking about the brain’s immune system and its interactions with [the] rest of the body….Much of the information here was new to me, and has made me more optimistic about the future of medicine.”
-Andrew Weil, MD, New York Times bestselling author of Healthy Aging
“A deft, scientific story about the ‘Cinderella’ cell of the brain, microglia . . . Jackson Nakazawa explains the possible translation of the science into solutions for brain disorders, health and disease.”
-Thomas Insel, MD, Former Director, National Institute of Mental Health 2002 - 2015
“A captivating, page-turning story of the scientific discoveries that overturn centuries of medical dogma. The Angel and the Assassin offers extraordinary promise and heralds new hope … paradigm shifting reading for us all.”
—Christina Bethell, PhD, MBH, MPH, Professor, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
“An impressive, inspiring, timely call to arms.”
—Susannah Tye, PhD, Director of the Translational Neuroscience Laboratory, Mayo Clinic
“A captivating look at the new science altering our understanding of a range of conditions that especially affect women.”
—Maya Dusenbery, author of Doing Harm
“Provocative and eloquent of the cutting-edge research that proves the intimate connection between mind and body… Sets the stage for a paradigm shift for clinicians and researchers in the decades to come.”
—Ruth Lanius, MD, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry University of Western Ontario, coauthor of The Impact of Early Life Trauma on Health and Disease
“The Angel and the Assassin is a must read for everyone interested in the new science of brain health.”
—Louann Brizendine, MD, author of The Female Brain and The Male Brain

A page-turning story of scientific detective work and thrilling medical potential, The Angel and the Assassin illuminates the newly-understood role of microglia—an elusive type of brain cell that is vitally relevant to our everyday lives.

Donna Jackson Nakazawa

Donna Jackson Nakazawa is an award-winning journalist and internationally recognized speaker exploring the intersection of neuroscience, immunology and human emotion. She is the author of six books, including her latest, The Angel and the Assassin: The Tiny Brain Cell that Changed the Course of Medicine. Her mission is to translate the latest science to help those suffering from chronic conditions find hope and healing.

About Donna | Speaking

More Books by Donna Jackson Nakazawa

  • Childhood Disrupted
  • The Last Best Cure
  • The Autoimmune Epidemic
  • Does Anybody Else Look Like Me?

Donna Jackson Nakazawa

Donna Jackson Nakazawa
Donna Jackson Nakazawa2 days ago
Hi! There are a lot of new people around here so I thought I would introduce myself again and tell you 5 little know facts about me!

I'm Donna Jackson Nakazawa. I've written six books, won a few awards, written articles for WIRED, Bostonglobe STAT , give talks for universities and orgs, and explore the intersection of neuroscience, immunology, and human emotion. My mission is to translate emerging science in ways that help individuals find new hope and avenues for healing. I also recently launched my new course, Your Healing Narrative: Write-to-Heal with Neural Re-Narrating™️. Learn more here: http://bit.ly/35Wxxnv

Facts about me:
I can't write without a dog in the room.
I deliver writing-to-heal courses on trauma and calming the nervous system to educators and health care workers who are helping us all on the frontlines of the pandemic.
When I'm deep into writing (right now I'm on deadline for a new book on stress and the female adolescent brain for Random House!) I write in my attic. My dog Winnie cheers me on.
I manage quite a few autoimmune issues and chronic pain. When I was in my 40s I was paralyzed twice. My family has faced a number of severe health issues which have been really stressful. I dedicate a lot of my heart and mind to being calm and well. Self-care is still hard for me, even given everything I know. Every single day, I'm a self-care work in progress.
The world is chaotic now and I'm feeling more anxiety than I have in a long time. And sad for the world as it is. I call this feeling "sanxious." Doing this work to help all of you helps calm me a little, too.
Donna Jackson Nakazawa
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Donna Jackson Nakazawa
Donna Jackson Nakazawa2 days ago
Important reminder given all the stress we are all under. Psychological therapy helps reduce chronic inflammation in body. Important paper in JAMA Psychiatry by the brilliant George Slavich Ph.D. @uclastresslab. In a meta-analysis of 56 studies, Slavich and colleagues showed that psychotherapy is consistently associated with improvements in the health of our immune system. Patients randomly assigned to receive psychotherapy showed reductions in inflammation that lasted for up to 6 months post-treatment. One implication, says Slavich, "is that psychotherapy may be potentially helpful in reducing risk for inflammation-related disorders, such as #depression, #heartdisease, #asthma, certain cancers, and #Alzheimer's disease." This study argues for greater accessibility to therapy for all individuals, especially those who suffer from social-environmental threats due to race, socioeconomic status, gender, and trauma across the lifespan, and especially given these traumatic times. #COVID https://bit.ly/2MxcGgu
Donna Jackson Nakazawa
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Donna Jackson Nakazawa
Donna Jackson Nakazawa3 days ago
Honored and excited that my book, The Angel and the Assassin, is on the bookshelf for new and recommended paperbacks at the Harvard online bookstore! http://bit.ly/2XWYpPP #brain #inflammation #covid #neuroscience
Donna Jackson Nakazawa
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Donna Jackson Nakazawa
Donna Jackson Nakazawa4 days ago
Today is a big day for me! My book The Angel and the Assassin comes out in paperback.
Grab your copy here: https://bit.ly/3qwXfa6
Random House
"Donna Jackson Nakazawa’s newest book is a scientific detective story – in it, she tells the tale of one of the most ground-breaking discoveries in the history of medicine and science: how a new understanding of the tiniest cell in our brains – microglia (remember that name!) – sheds startling new light on the mind-body connection, rewriting our understanding of brain health and illness. A paradigm-shifting, game-changing page-turner, THE ANGEL AND THE ASSASSIN ushers in a profound new era of hope for patients everywhere." #brainhealth #inflammation #covid #neuroscience
Donna Jackson Nakazawa
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Donna Jackson Nakazawa
Donna Jackson Nakazawa4 days ago
Today is the last day to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a paperback copy of my new book The Angel and the Assassin! Enter here: https://bit.ly/3qwXfa6 Random House #brainhealth #mentalhealth #inflammation #neuroscience #Covid
Donna Jackson Nakazawa
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Donna Jackson Nakazawa
Donna Jackson Nakazawa5 days ago
So excited about the release of my book The Angel and the Assassin in paperback version on January 19!! Grateful for the support of Amy Myers MD and the entire community. Go HERE (https://bit.ly/3qwXfa6) to pre-order now, or HERE (http://bit.ly/35DwybG) to read the prologue! Random House #brain #trauma #mentalhealth #anxiety
Donna Jackson Nakazawa
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Donna Jackson Nakazawa’s Blog:

Paperback Release of The Angel and the Assassin: The Tiny Brain Cell that Changed the Course of Medicine - When I sat down in my attic to write THE ANGEL AND THE ASSASSIN: The Tiny Brain Cell that Changed the Course of Medicine, I never imagined that it would be so needed in our world! 2020 has been chock-full of adversity, uncertainty and distress on so many levels: the worst pandemic in a hundred … Continue reading Paperback Release of The Angel and the Assassin: The Tiny Brain Cell that Changed the Course of Medicine →
Quiet Your Body and Mind - Hello Friends. As a SciComm journalist with 30 years of reporting and 6 books under my belt, which focus on how our stress response governs our immune health, I’ve been thinking about what I have learned, and how I might help you quiet your body and mind during this #pandemic.
Big Women, Little Women, Small Oscars - The Oscars are this Sunday, and as war movies and films about repressed male feelings take center stage, I’ve been thinking about why Greta Gerwig’s Little Women had me wiping away tears during the last 30 minutes of the film – something that also happened to me while watching another Gerwig film, Lady Bird.
The Angel and the Assassin: The Tiny Brain Cell that Changed the Course of Medicine – now available everywhere! - Dear Readers, Friends, All,  I’m thrilled to announce that THE ANGEL AND THE ASSASSIN: The Tiny Brain Cell that Changed the Course of Medicine in now on bookshelves and available everywhere! When I first told you, my readers, that I was setting out to tell the story of these tiny brain cells, microglia (remember that name!) … Continue reading The Angel and the Assassin: The Tiny Brain Cell that Changed the Course of Medicine – now available everywhere! →
The Angel and The Assassin: Book Launch and Tour Info - Dear all, The Angel and the Assassin: The Tiny Brain Cell that Changed the Course of Medicine will be out in just 6 days! If you haven’t yet, I hope you’ll consider pre-ordering from your local bookstore or seller of your choice! You can also check out this review in Kirkus, or read the prologue … Continue reading The Angel and The Assassin: Book Launch and Tour Info →
The Angel and the Assassin: The Tiny Brain Cell that Changed the Course of Medicine - My new book, THE ANGEL AND THE ASSASSIN: THE TINY BRAIN CELL THAT CHANGED THE COURSE OF MEDICINE will be out in just 2 months, on January 21st, 2020! After two years of reporting, researching, writing, factchecking, I can’t wait to share it with you!
Why We Need to Talk About the Unique Biological Effects of #ToxicChildhoodStress and #FemaleAdversity on Women’s Bodies and Brains. - The Female Body and Brain on Toxic Stress (CRUCIAL NOTE HERE BEFORE YOU READ: Boys’ immune systems become dysregulated in response to #toxicstress too, and that leads to disease and changes to the brain that we also need to talk about more openly AND compassionately. Today I’m focusing on girls’ unique immune response to #toxicstress.) … Continue reading Why We Need to Talk About the Unique Biological Effects of #ToxicChildhoodStress and #FemaleAdversity on Women’s Bodies and Brains. →
Why Girls Who Face Toxic Stress are More Vulnerable to Adult Illness: The Shocking Relationship Between Being Female, #ACEs, Autoimmune Disease and Depression - Hi All, This blog is about WHY Adverse Childhood Experiences are a #METOO ISSUE. I want to talk about how and why toxic childhood stress – also as #ACEs — is a #metoo issue of the greatest magnitude. For girls and for the adult women they become. One thing readers know about the work I … Continue reading Why Girls Who Face Toxic Stress are More Vulnerable to Adult Illness: The Shocking Relationship Between Being Female, #ACEs, Autoimmune Disease and Depression →
Female Adversity: The Female Body and Brain on Toxic Stress - Hi All, Three things I wanted to let you know about: later this weekend I’ll be posting a three part essay about women, toxic stress, and the female immune system — and why this topic matters now more than ever (more on that below!); an update on my next book, The Angel and the Assassin; and … Continue reading Female Adversity: The Female Body and Brain on Toxic Stress →
Hope You’ll Come Say Hi at One of My Upcoming Talks - Hi Friends: First I want to say a heartfelt thank you to the hundreds of women who reached out to me, offering to be interviewed for my next book, THE ANGEL AND THE ASSASSIN: The Tiny Cell That Changed the Course of Medicine, and Gives us a Radically New Way of Looking at Human Well-Being, which … Continue reading Hope You’ll Come Say Hi at One of My Upcoming Talks →
Want to Be Part of My Next Book Project? - Hello friends: For my next book, I’m interviewing women and young adults experiencing mood, anxiety and/or learning/cognitive issues, who are curious about the concept that brain based symptoms have neurobiological, immunological, physical roots. If you are, or know, a woman in mid-life, for whom this resonates, and are in an extended family that faces depression, … Continue reading Want to Be Part of My Next Book Project? →
How to Win The Doctor Lottery - Hi All, and Happy Spring! I’m proud to share this very personal essay I wrote for the April 2017 issue of the journal, Health Affairs, “How to Win The Doctor Lottery: Not every doctor-patient encounter is healing, and it can seem a game of chance. One patient explores what it takes to win.” Or, if … Continue reading How to Win The Doctor Lottery →
Childhood Trauma Leads to Lifelong Chronic Illness — So Why Isn’t the Medical Community Helping Patients? - Hi All, I hope you’ll enjoy this essay I wrote for Huffington Post, “Childhood Trauma Leads to Adult Chronic Illness — So Why Isn’t the Medical Community Helping Patients?” I put my heart into it. My team has also gathered some of readers’ favorite articles and video clips in which I address the link between … Continue reading Childhood Trauma Leads to Lifelong Chronic Illness — So Why Isn’t the Medical Community Helping Patients? →
Updates and Reader Feedback! - Hi All, I wanted to update you on recent events, and ask for a bit of advice as my team gears up for the paperback release of Childhood Disrupted: How Your Biography Becomes Your Biology, And How You Can Heal — which will be out on July 26th. Earlier this week I was happy and … Continue reading Updates and Reader Feedback! →
Paperback Giveaway! - In two weeks (July 26th) Childhood Disrupted will be out in paperback! To help spread the word about how the book can help individuals who are suffering find healing, our team is offering a free book giveaway! Three winners will receive a free signed copy and a second free copy for a friend! Here’s how … Continue reading Paperback Giveaway! →
Early Trauma and Adult Chronic Illness — VoiceAmerica Talk Radio - Why do childhood traumas — like being frequently put down, losing a parent, living with a mom or dad who is depressed, or alcoholic, emotional neglect, and other early adversities — leave permanent physical “fingerprints” on our brains? In this VoiceAmerica Talk Radio interview, I share my thoughts with host Katherine Vox about the link … Continue reading Early Trauma and Adult Chronic Illness — VoiceAmerica Talk Radio →
How Adverse Childhood Experiences Affect Adult Illness - Hi All, Here is a recent video interview, in which I share my thoughts on How Adverse Childhood Experiences Affect Adult Illness, why our new understanding of this science must change the way we do medicine, and why I wrote my book, Childhood Disrupted. Produced by Studio4. Hope you’ll enjoy! Donna
Childhood Disrupted – Pub Date Has Arrived! - I can’t believe it’s finally here: Childhood Disrupted: How Your Biography Becomes Your Biology, and How You Can Heal hit stores yesterday and has been steadily climbing on Amazon (as of this afternoon, it was the #1 best-seller in Developmental Psychology and #787 overall!) and gaining traction on Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, and various news outlets, … Continue reading Childhood Disrupted – Pub Date Has Arrived! →
Is depression caused by inflammation? - Increasingly doctors are looking at depression as an inflammatory reaction, rather than a standalone neurological disorder — and in some cases depression may even be exacerbated by an allergic reaction. This theory could lead to never-before-prescribed methods that can be used in conjunction with traditional antidepressants to combat inflammation. This new understanding of depression could … Continue reading Is depression caused by inflammation? →
Come Join Me For Talks & Booksignings in July 2015 on Childhood Disrupted: How Your Biography Becomes Your Biology, and How You Can Heal! - Hope you can come join me on Tuesday July 7th at 7:00 at Baltimore’s lovely Ivy Bookshop for a talk, chat, and booksigning! Tuesday, July 7th, 2015 7:00 p.m. Childhood Disrupted: How Your Biography Becomes Your Biology, and How You Can Heal — a Discussion & Book Signing with Donna Jackson Nakazawa http://www.theivybookshop.com/ Or, come … Continue reading Come Join Me For Talks & Booksignings in July 2015 on Childhood Disrupted: How Your Biography Becomes Your Biology, and How You Can Heal! →
My Next Book! Childhood Disrupted: How Your Biography Becomes Your Biology, and How You Can Heal - Every once in a while, as a writer, I sort of “disappear” — taking a break from blogging and social media to fully immerse myself in finishing a new book. I’m happy to say, in 2015, you’ll be able to see what I’ve been so busy working on (and why I’ve been so quiet)!
The Art of Doing Everything Twice - My mom said something recently that really stuck with me. She’s 82. “It used to be that we did everything once, and now we have to do everything twice!” I kind of brushed it off as a subtle sign of aging, but then I noticed, over the next forty eight hours: the washing machine/dryer repair … Continue reading The Art of Doing Everything Twice →
Come Join Me on June 8th at Breathe Bookstore! - Hope you can come join me on Sunday June 8th at 1:00 at Baltimore’s lovely Breathe Bookstore and Cafe for a chat and booksigning! Sunday, June 8th, 2014 1:00 to 2:30 The Last Best Cure — a Discussion & Book Signing with Donna Jackson Nakazawa
What is the Green Solution for Toxic Thinking? - Is Someone Driving you Nuts? Fifteen insights on how to stop thinking about someone who’s driving you crazy. Have you ever found that you just can’t stop thinking about someone and what they did or said, and how bewildered or hurt you were by their actions? When someone hurts us, our children, or someone we … Continue reading What is the Green Solution for Toxic Thinking? →
A Q. and A. with “Between the Covers” on What Compelled me to Write The Last Best Cure - I recently spoke with Melanie Brevis, blogger at Baltimore County Public Library System, and we had a great chat! Between the Covers with Donna Jackson Nakazawa Baltimore author Donna Jackson Nakazawa discusses her latest book, The Last Best Cure, on Wednesday, April 16 at 7 p.m. at the Perry Hall Branch, sponsored by the Friends … Continue reading A Q. and A. with “Between the Covers” on What Compelled me to Write The Last Best Cure →
Not Cured, But Healing - Hi All, I wrote this for the PBS website, Next Avenue, and have recently had a number of requests to share it. So, I’ve included the essay here, and a link to the original below. I’m Not Cured, but I Am Healing After years of pain and chronic illness, an author finds relief through breakthrough … Continue reading Not Cured, But Healing →
Thank You Readers – The Last Best Cure hit #10 in Bestselling Books in Health Memoir - Thank you readers, I just found out that last night THE LAST BEST CURE hit #10 on AMAZON in BESTSELLING BOOKS IN HEALTH MEMOIR! That made me smile, and I realize I have all of you to thank for spreading the word, one woman, one reader at a time! In gratitude, I thank you.http://amzn.to/1dIIyVd
Talking on NPR about The Last Best Cure - I really enjoyed a great discussion today with Dan Rodricks, the host of the NPR show, Midday, on WYPR, Baltimore’s Public Radio station. Dan is smart, genuine, and asks great questions. We really delved into why I wrote The Last Best Cure, the science behind it, and how I hope it can help readers with … Continue reading Talking on NPR about The Last Best Cure →
From Point A to Point A - We all grow up thinking that a successful life is about trying to get from Point A to Point B. From right here where we are to some distant point or goal in the future. And yes, having goals and aspirations is important. That’s why we set so many resolutions in the New Year. But … Continue reading From Point A to Point A →
Two Wise Teachers - I spent this weekend at a two day meditation event with one of my dearest friends, and together we soaked in the amazing wisdom of Syliva Boorstein and Sharon Salzberg, who came together to teach as a duo on this snowy, rainy weekend in Washington DC. My favorite nuggets: Sylvia Boorstein’s teaching, “May I meet … Continue reading Two Wise Teachers →