Thursday, July 29, 2021

The Body Keeps the Score


 "Competence is the best offense against the helplessness of trauma." 

This is quite a "hot" book right now. I found the first part a lot of review for me having read Hardwiring Happiness and Anatomy of the Soul which deals with a lot of the same issues. I found the last half about EMDR and Neurofeedback fascinating. It gave me a lot to ponder about the violence we see in our world today. 

A pioneering researcher and one of the world's foremost experts on traumatic stress offers a bold new paradigm for healing.


Trauma is a fact of life. Veterans and their families deal with the painful aftermath of combat on a daily basis; one in five Americans have been molested; one in four grew up with alcoholics; one in three couples have engaged in physical violence. Such experiences inevitably leave traces on minds, emotions, and even on biology. Sadly, trauma sufferers frequently pass on their stress to their partners and children.

Renowned trauma expert Bessel van der Kolk has spent over three decades working with survivors. In The Body Keeps the Score, he transforms our understanding of traumatic stress, revealing how it literally rearranges the brain's wiring--specifically areas dedicated to pleasure, engagement, control, and trust. He shows how these areas can be reactivated through innovative treatments including neurofeedback, mindfulness techniques, play, yoga, and other therapies.

Based on Dr. van der Kolk's own research and that of other leading specialists, The Body Keeps the Score offers proven alternatives to drugs and talk therapy--and a way to reclaim lives.

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