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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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Learn More About the Programs

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

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY WIRED.

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

“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

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 Nakazawa7 hours ago
Looking forward to keynoting this conference on creating a resilient community from #trauma to #healing for the Peace & Justice Institute on April 20th! Follow link to register >>> http://bit.ly/2PijrYk #neuroscience #immunology #brain
Valencia College Peace and Justice Institute
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Donna Jackson Nakazawa1 day ago
As a science journalist I love nerding out on the latest research. But way back in college I majored in English Lit (and Public Policy) and even decades later, reading literary fiction is as necessary to my well-being as breathing. That's especially true during these isolating times. I'm looking for some good transporting reads. Any recommendations?
My fave authors of the past decade include Hilary Mantel (Wolf Hall), Georges Saunders (Lincoln in the Bardo), Amor Towles (Gentleman in Moscow), Elizabeth Strout (Olive Kittredge, My Name is Lucy Barton), Madeline Miller (Circe), Marilynne Robinson (Lila, Gilead, Housekeeping), Kazuo Ishiguro (Never Let me Go), Suzannah Clarke (Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrel, Piranesi), Maggie O'Farrell (Hamnet), Emily St. John Mandel (Station Eleven), Ann Patchett (Dutch House). Would LOVE suggestions from like-minded readers! #bookclub #bookrecommendations
Hilary Mantel Amor Towles Elizabeth Strout Madeline Miller Marilynne Robinson Kazuo Ishiguro Maggie O'Farrell Emily St. John Mandel Parnassus Books #georgesaunders #susannaclarke
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Donna Jackson Nakazawa2 days ago
A new study just out highlights the protective power of family connection for promoting children's well-being in adulthood. Bob Whitaker, M.D., M.P.H., director of research at the Columbia-Bassett Program, a track within Columbia University’s Medical School, found that adults who reported having experienced high levels of childhood family connection growing up – safe, stable, nurturing relationships with caregivers – had higher levels of flourishing in adulthood. This was true even for individuals who faced early adversity (#ACEs) as well as for those who faced socioeconomic disadvantages growing up. Whitaker underscores: "This means that positive experiences in childhood don't just lead to the absence of poor outcomes, or surviving; family connection in childhood actually promotes thriving in adults decades later." http://bit.ly/3lC8FIv #familyconnection #flourishing #trauma #healing #chronicillness #developmentaltrauma #adversechildhoodexperiences #earlychildhoodadversity #childhoodtrauma #flourishing #resiliency #traumarecovery #brain #neuroscience #mentalhealth #wellness #stress #adversity #chronicstress #pandemic #covid #healing #caregivers
Donna Jackson Nakazawa
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Donna Jackson Nakazawa3 days ago
𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝐮𝐧𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐱𝐢𝐜 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐔𝐓𝐒: The unpredictable #stress you grow up with. If you never know when the next stressful event is coming, you get stuck in the first half of the stress cycle, living in a low-grade, constant state of alertness, hypervigilance—essentially a low-grade state of fight, flight, or freeze. Over time, the inflammatory stress hormones and chemicals that the body pumps out in the face of chronic unpredictable #toxic stress can cause epigenetic shifts to genes that oversee the stress response and how able you are to regulate your #emotions. — Donna Jackson Nakazawa
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Donna Jackson Nakazawa4 days ago
So grateful for this review of my new course, Your Healing Narrative: Write to Heal With Neural Re-Narrating™ from my friend Eileen over at Phoenix Helix! "In addition to the traumas of our past ... globally we’re going through a long-term shared trauma due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Pressures are intense, losses are great, and emotional reactivity is high... This course is a form of self-paced trauma therapy... a powerful form of self-care." - Eileen Laird #brain #inflammation #trauma #ACE #ACEs #writetoheal https://bit.ly/3b3GwVM
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Donna Jackson Nakazawa5 days ago
My favorite spot in my house to meditate is in a corner of my living room. I call it my Zen Den. I love to look out over the fields and watch the birds flittering, the fox loping along, the geese flocking together. It helps calm my nervous system before I close my eyes, breathe, and dive within. Do you have a special place in your home where you can go to relax, unwind, journal, or meditate? Let me know about it in the comments! Can you describe what makes this spot so special? What is it about it that makes you feel safe? Better yet, share a picture of your Zen Den! #meditation #calm #zen
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Donna Jackson Nakazawa’s Blog:

How adverse childhood experiences or ACEs impact your current wellbeing - Often, people who have a history of trauma in childhood find themselves struggling to flourish in adulthood. Trauma affects the brain in ways that can make you more likely to experience difficulty when faced with emotionally stressful and demanding situations in your relationships, at work, and as a parent. Throughout my life, both growing up and as … Continue reading How adverse childhood experiences or ACEs impact your current wellbeing →
How to care for yourself during difficult times - Many people with #ACE’s (Adverse Childhood Experiences) are finding that the early #trauma and sense of unsafety they endured growing up are being re-triggered during these fear-laden times, amidst the #Covid #pandemic, political upheaval, and feeling isolated. Stress and uncertainty can trigger old, sticky feelings of fear, anxiety, or loss from long ago and bring … Continue reading How to care for yourself during difficult times →
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 →