#1 New York Times bestseller
“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 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 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. Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, one of the world’s foremost
experts on trauma, has spent over three decades working with survivors.
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.
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. Based on Dr. 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.
