The Body Keeps The Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel Van Der Kolk M.D.

“The emotions and physical sensations that were imprinted during the trauma are experienced not as memories but as disruptive physical reactions to the present”

Dr. van der Kolk’s book about trauma is not just for people who’ve experienced trauma. It’s important to know certain facts presented on the back sleeve: “one is five Americans has been molested; one in four grew up with alcoholics; [and] one in three couples have engaged in physical violence.” Shocking statistics like these are presented throughout the book and remind us that even if we haven’t personally experienced trauma we still feel its effects through friends, family, co-workers, or students.

TBKTS is a combination of narrative storytelling, description of historical and modern understandings of trauma, and practical therapeutic applications. It’s not meant to be a handbook of diagnoses, and actually these are something van der Kolk is weary to put much credence in. His focus is much more on the root causes of trauma which are grounded in some fundamental principles as he reminds us, “More than anything else, being able to feel safe with other people defines mental health; safe connections are fundamental to meaningful and satisfying lives” (p. 354). The importance of human connection is a central theme throughout the book and almost every chapter begins with an account of real people Dr. van der Kolk has worked with. These stories alone make TBKTS worth reading–most of which are grief laden and some downright excruciating to read as they dive deep into the depths of human depravity. “How can one human do that to another?” is a question I frequently asked myself. Not all is lost, however, as van der Kolk includes moments of patient success throughout. You won’t remember every detail about brain anatomy but these human stories will stick with you.

As the title implies the human stories and corresponding treatments highlight how trauma is embedded as much in our bodies as in our minds. Historically, psychiatric care has focused mostly on the mind. There’s obviously value for therapists in studying these innworkings, however, it’s lacking in scope. Van Der Kolk professes, “In order to change, people need to become aware of their sensations and the way their bodies interact with the world around them. Physical awareness is the first step in releasing the tyranny of the past (p. 103).

Van der Kolk moves fluidly through a vast array of trauma-related issues like relevant brain chemistry, infant-parent attunement and attachment, PTSD, the idiocy and greed behind pharmaceutical-based treatments, the loss of physical senses due to trauma, dissociation of emotional/physical awareness, our sense of personal agency, childhood trauma’s impact on future relationships, trauma as our world’s “hidden pandemic,” repressed memories, bipolar disorders, the shortcomings of language to heal from traumatic experiences, and much more.

The second half of TBKTS dives into specific treatments, and like the first half Dr. van der Kolk integrates firsthand accounts into each approach, giving them a very human touch. I had never heard about the eye movement desensitization and reprocessing treatment which is a method that still seems to be too good to be true–utilizing methodic breathing, a simple set of questions, and your eyes following an object. There’s also applied neuroscience brain/computer interface technology–an approach that retrains your brain to process external stimuli with healthy brainwave patterns. And there’s the effectiveness of Yoga and Theater which are a natural progression for working through trauma since they heighten our physical awareness–something diminished because of trauma. I found one of the most powerful approaches to be the method of reconstructing our “inner maps” onto physical entities. In essence for this process you project your trauma onto real people and even inanimate objects around you. It requires extreme group vulnerability, but the reading about the process nearly brought me to tears.

Teachers, social workers, foster parents, school counselors, and religious leaders will find TBKTS particularly relevant and helpful. I’d even suggest it to professional therapists even though some of the therapeutic approaches might be old news to them. I think Dr. van der Kolk’s clear and fluid style and poignant stories with corresponding treatments might enliven some despondent therapists who need some fresh ideas; or at the very least, they could be re-inspired by some success stories.

Highest Score - 5 Trophies

Writing: 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆

Readability: 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆

Argument: 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆

Overall: 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆

September 6, 2020