The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma

“Essential reading for any individual interested in understanding and treating traumatic stress and the scope of its have an effect on on society.” —Alexander McFarlane, Director of the Centre for Traumatic Stress Studies

A pioneering researcher transforms our understanding of trauma and offers a bold new paradigm for healing in this New York Times bestseller

Trauma is a fact of life. Veterans and their families handle 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. Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, one of the crucial world’s foremost experts on trauma, has spent over three decades working with survivors. In The Body Assists in keeping the Score, he uses contemporary scientific advances to show how trauma literally reshapes both body and brain, compromising victims’ capacities for pleasure, engagement, self-keep watch over, and believe. 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 accordance with Dr. van der Kolk’s own research and that of other leading specialists, The Body Assists in keeping the Score exposes the tremendous power of our relationships both to hurt and to heal—and offers new hope for reclaiming lives.