“The body keeps the score” by Bessel van der Kolk

The author 🖋

Dr. Bessel van der Kolk is a New York Times bestselling author, psychiatrist, researcher and educator whose work has profoundly influenced the understanding and treatment of trauma.

He's also the founder of the Trauma Center in Brookline, Massachusetts and a professor of psychiatry at Boston University School of Medicine.

Key takeaways 🎓

1. Trauma stays in the body

Trauma isn’t just an emotional memory - it’s stored in the body as physical responses.

People who’ve experienced trauma often have physical symptoms like tension, pain or hyper-alertness because even though the hard times are over, the body sometimes acts like it’s still happening.

This physical impact can continue long after the trauma itself.

2. Healing requires more than talking

While traditional talk therapy can be helpful, trauma often requires therapies that engage the body to help rewire how the brain and body respond to triggers and stress.

Trauma-sensitive therapies allow people to regain control over responses and reduce automatic reactions tied to past experiences.

3. Love and friends help us heal

Trauma often isolates people, making us feel misunderstood or disconnected from others.

Spending time with trusted people like friends or family provide a sense of safety that allows the brain and body to lower their defenses and heal.

Closing thoughts 🧠

The book is considered seminal work in the field of trauma, exploring how traumatic experiences can affect individuals not just psychologically but also physiologically.

Bessel van der Kolk demonstrates that with the right therapeutic interventions the brain can forge new pathways to cope with and ultimately recover from traumatic experiences.