Bessel van der Kolk: The Body Keeps the Score

Hi everyone

The Body Keeps the Score, by Bessel van der Kolk is the latest book I read about the topic of trauma and healing. It has been one of the things I've become quite interested in and this book was mentioned by other books on the topic so I wanted to read it too.
I read this on my e-reader.

"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."

I was really, really interested and impressed by 70% of the book. The first 70% mostly. It reads as if there's real science behind his words. I am a midwife by training and we obviously learned a lot about the human body. So the anatomy and neurology discussed were not new. I could follow his writing and his interpretations of the consequences. I found hisfirst therapies insightful and interesting.

But the last few chapters? That's where van der Kolk lost me. Those last forms of therapy really felt like they would be as effective and science-backed as chanting in the forest. Only for the real believers.

Happy reading!
Helena