THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE BY BESSEL VAN DER KOLK

Key Concepts 

• Trauma as a Biological Change: Van der Kolk demonstrates through brain imaging that trauma physically alters the "threat detection" system of the brain (the amygdala), making people hyper-reactive to perceived danger.
• The Speechless Terror: The book explains that during a traumatic event, the brain’s "Broca’s area" (responsible for speech) often shuts down, which is why survivors often find it impossible to put their experiences into words.
• The Body’s Memory: Even when the mind tries to suppress a memory, the body continues to react with muscle tension, digestive issues, and "fight-or-flight" hormones as if the event is still happening.
• The Loss of Agency: A core symptom of trauma is the feeling that you have no control over your body or your life. Healing requires "re-inhabiting" the body and reclaiming a sense of self-mastery.
• Neuroplasticity and Healing: The book emphasizes that the brain is remarkably "plastic" and can be rewired through specific treatments that bypass the rational mind, such as EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing).
• The Power of Mirror Neurons: Trauma often breaks our ability to connect with others. Van der Kolk explores how rhythmic activities—like yoga, theater, and communal drumming—can help repair social bonds and emotional regulation.
• The Developmental Impact: It examines how "Adverse Childhood Experiences" (ACEs) set the stage for adult health issues, proving that the environment we grow up in dictates the baseline of our nervous system.
• Bottom-Up vs. Top-Down Processing: Traditional therapy is "top-down" (using the mind to calm the body), but Van der Kolk argues that true healing often requires "bottom-up" approaches (using the body to calm the mind).