The Brain, Mind, and Body in the Treatment of Trauma
Mental trauma exists everywhere in our society. Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States has shown that the most significant public health issue is mental trauma. Traumatic experiences affect human biology and identity and have devastating social consequences, such as physical illnesses, problems in school and work, substance addiction, and mental disorders. The repercussions are catastrophic for the sufferers, their families, and future generations.
Drawing from his thirty years of experience at the forefront of scientific research and clinical practice, Bessel van der Kolk demonstrates in his current work that terror and isolation, the primary consequences of mental trauma, literally reshape the brain and body. The author develops a bold therapeutic paradigm that differs from conventional pharmacological and psychotherapeutic practices and explains a comprehensive approach that heals the mind, brain, and body.
He examines innovative therapies—from neurofeedback and meditation to sports, theater, and yoga—that open new avenues in the effort to recover from mental trauma, harnessing neuroplasticity, the brain's inherent adaptive capacity. Through this book, readers will discover the greatness of human resilience.
Bessel van der Kolk demonstrates the terrifying power of interpersonal relationships to cause both harm and healing—and offers hope for a return to life for all.
Bessel van der Kolk, MD, has founded and directs the Trauma Center in Brookline, Massachusetts, and is a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School in Boston, as well as the director of the National Network of the USA for the Treatment of Complex Trauma.
The book "The Body Keeps the Score" has become a global bestseller and holds the No. 1 position in the Psychology book category on Amazon.
