Books › The Body Keeps the Score
The Body Keeps the Score
Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
736 pages
A profound, paradigm-shifting exploration of how our deepest wounds live inside our physical selves, offering a compassionate roadmap back to wholeness.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like sitting with a deeply empathetic, brilliant clinician who is finally explaining the invisible forces that have shaped your life. The pace is steady and deliberate, demanding that you take your time to digest its dense, illuminating blend of neuroscience and human storytelling. The mood is undeniably heavy at times, as it unflinchingly examines the devastating realities of abuse, neglect, and combat. Yet, a profound undercurrent of hope and grounding resilience carries you through the darker passages. The prose is accessible but rigorous, translating complex brain science into deeply felt human truths. It is a transformative, validating experience for anyone seeking to understand the physical weight of memory and the tangible pathways to reclaiming their own body and mind.
- Mood
- heavy
- illuminating
- grounding
- hopeful
- Tone
- compassionate
- authoritative
- empathetic
- clinical
- urgent
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- the physical weight of memory · mind-body connection · the long shadow of the past · pathways to healing · resilience and recovery
- The writing
- The writing blends rigorous scientific explanation with deeply empathetic, narrative-driven case studies.
- The arc
- The journey moves from the heavy, often overwhelming reality of trauma's devastating impact to a grounded, expansive sense of hope and actionable healing.
- Who it's for
- Readers seeking to understand the profound ways our experiences shape our biology, whether for personal healing or professional insight.
Content notes
- descriptions of trauma
- sexual abuse
- physical violence
- child abuse
- combat trauma
About the book
Trauma is a fact of life. Veterans and their families deal with the painful aftermath of combat; one in five Americans has been molested; one in four grew up with alcoholics; one in three couples have engaged in physical violence. Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, one of the world’s foremost experts on trauma, has spent over three decades working with survivors. In _The Body Keeps the Score_, he uses recent scientific advances to show how trauma literally reshapes both body and brain, compromising sufferers’ capacities for pleasure, engagement, self-control, and trust. He explores innovative treatments—from neurofeedback and meditation to sports, drama, and yoga—that offer new paths to recovery by activating the brain’s natural neuroplasticity. Based on Dr. van der Kolk’s own research and that of other leading specialists, _The Body Keeps the Score_ exposes the tremendous power of our relationships both to hurt and to heal—and offers new hope for reclaiming lives.
Description from Open Library.
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