The Body Keeps the Score
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.
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Psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk pulls together thirty years of trauma research and clinical work, showing how trauma reshapes the brain and body, and walking through therapies from EMDR to yoga to neurofeedback.
Bessel van der Kolk is a respected trauma researcher and the book draws on contemporary clinical work. Some specific claims and treatment endorsements have been challenged by other clinicians, but the broad framework remains widely accepted in trauma-informed practice.
Both. The Body Keeps the Score is widely read by both clinicians and general readers. It is more accessible than typical academic writing while still containing technical material. It has been on the New York Times bestseller list for over five years.
The Body Keeps the Score was written by Bessel van der Kolk, published in 2014 by Penguin Books.
The Body Keeps the Score is 520 pages in standard print editions, though page counts vary slightly between hardcover, paperback, and large-print formats.
At an average reading pace of about 250 words per minute, The Body Keeps the Score takes most readers 8 to 11 hours to finish.
The Body Keeps the Score is a standalone novel by Bessel van der Kolk, not part of a series.
The Body Keeps the Score is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats from Amazon, Bookshop.org, ThriftBooks, and most major bookstores.