Understanding Trauma in the Body — The Body Keeps the Score
- nolongersilentlife
- Nov 12, 2025
- 2 min read
Author: Bessel van der Kolk, M.D.
⚠️ Trigger Consideration
This book contains vivid clinical examples and survivor stories describing abuse, violence, and trauma-related symptoms. If you choose to read this book, please read slowly and pause to ground whenever needed.
Recommended For
Survivors wanting to understand the physical imprint of trauma
Clinicians and helpers seeking compassionate, science-based insight
Anyone curious about the mind–body connection in healing
Key Themes & Relevance to Trauma
The deep connection between trauma and the body
How trauma is stored both physically and emotionally
Body-based healing practices like neurofeedback, EMDR, and mindfulness
“Trauma is not just an event in the past; it is the imprint left on mind, brain, and body.” — Bessel A. van der Kolk
Understanding Trauma in the Body and Why It Matters
If you’re working on understanding trauma in the body, this book is a steady companion.
Dr. van der Kolk reveals how trauma lives in breath, posture, and the nervous system—and how practices such as EMDR, yoga, and mindfulness restore safety.
By reading with pacing and curiosity, survivors begin recognizing sensations not as flaws but as protection.
How The Body Keeps the Score Deepens Understanding Trauma in the Body
Drawing from decades of research, van der Kolk shows that trauma is stored not only in memory but throughout the body.
Healing, he writes, requires movement, awareness, and safe connection—the body must be invited back into the conversation.
“Being able to feel safe with other people is probably the single most important aspect of mental health.” — Bessel A. van der Kolk, The Body Keeps the Score
Reflection
When I first read this book, I felt both seen and shaken.
It was the first time science gave language to sensations I had carried for years—the racing heart, the sudden numbness, the startle that came from nowhere.
Dr. van der Kolk’s compassion helped me recognize that my body wasn’t betraying me; it was protecting me.
The body doesn’t lie—it remembers. And through that remembering, healing can begin.
When my body speaks—through tension, fatigue, or emotion—what might it be trying to tell me about what it still holds?
Grounding Reminder
If you notice emotion rising while reading about trauma,
Pause and take a slow breath.
Look around your space.
Name five things you see.
Feel your feet on the ground.
You are safe to rest and return later.
📚 For Additional Reading
For more trauma-informed book suggestions, visit our Bookshelf Resource Guide — a growing library of titles that help you understand, heal, and reconnect at your own pace.
We’ll also continue adding new book reflections here on the No Longer Silent Blog, so you can explore insights, grounding practices, and survivor-centered stories all in one place.
