The Body Keeps the Score

Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma

The Body Keeps the Score examines how traumatic experiences affect the brain, body, memory, and relationships. Psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk draws on research and clinical work to explain why trauma can persist long after the original event and how it can disrupt trust, self-regulation, and engagement with life. The book also surveys therapeutic approaches intended to help survivors process trauma and recover a sense of safety and agency.

by Bessel van der Kolk

Viking · First published 2014 · 443 pages