In a narrative packed with decades of findings and case studies, he traces the evolution of treatments from the ‘chemical coshes’ of the 1970s to neurofeedback, mindfulness and other nuanced techniques.” Psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk argues, moreover, that severe trauma is ‘encoded in the viscera’ and demands tailored approaches that enable people to experience deep relief from rage and helplessness. “War zones may be nearer than you think, as the 25 percent of US citizens raised with alcoholic relatives might attest. he struggle and resilience of his patients is very moving.” Packed with science and human stories, the book is an intense read. Van der Kolk draws on thirty years of experience to argue powerfully that trauma is one of the West’s most urgent public health issues.

“The trauma caused by childhood neglect, sexual or domestic abuse and war wreaks havoc in our bodies, says Bessel van der Kolk in The Body Keeps the Score.

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. 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. 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. Bessel van der Kolk, one of the world’s foremost experts on trauma, has spent over three decades working with survivors. 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. “Essential reading for anyone interested in understanding and treating traumatic stress and the scope of its impact on society.” -Alexander McFarlane, Director of the Centre for Traumatic Stress StudiesĪ pioneering researcher transforms our understanding of trauma and offers a bold new paradigm for healing in this New York Times bestseller

Van der kolk the body keeps the score