The Body Keeps the Score - Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma (Paperback)

Reviews

"Indeed a perception shifter" by AshB - 29 January 2024

Dr. Bessel van Der Kolk honestly hits it on the head every single time. I haven't completely finished reading the book as I'm soaking up each page as much as possible. For me personally, who've also battled with mental health for many years and a decade later all in the clear; I officially stand on the supporters' side. I completely resonate with what Dr. Bessel van der Kolk wrote, how he explains what he saw - both sides to mental institutions etc. If you're looking for an excellent read delving into both the negative side but also the positive side of mental institutions; if you're looking for a specialist in his field digging deep into trauma and how it get stored in your body; how often we only need an ear to listen, someone to resonate with, someone to understand us, etc. then this book is surely for you. Psychiatrist, professor, world-class researcher, and traumatologist Bessel van der Kolk MD requires no introduction to trauma psychotherapists. He is 100% world-class in his field and knows what he is talking about. Parts One and Two provide a substantial review of the neuropsychology of trauma's impact on a person. Part Three surveys childhood development, attachment experience, and the hidden epidemic of developmental trauma. Part Four focuses on memory. Part Five he gets right to it: we cannot undo the trauma, but we CAN undo its effect on us, and so get our "self" back. It's crucial to understand what you're going through. Educate yourself, be it you're the one suffering or be it you're the one supporting. Commit to being an advocate for children as well as for adults impacted by trauma. They all deserve the chance to be healed, and we can now do that. Van der Kolk shows us how.