Episode 95 – The Body Keeps the Score: Bessel van der Kolk on Healing Trauma

This episode delves into the groundbreaking and essential work of psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk, "The Body Keeps the Score," which has revolutionized our understanding of trauma and its profound impact on the mind, brain, and body. Van der Kolk's central argument is that trauma is not just an event that took place sometime in the past; it is also the imprint left by that experience on our entire being. This means that for many survivors, the trauma is not over; it continues to live on in their nervous systems, their emotional responses, and their physical sensations, often in ways they don't consciously understand.

The episode unpacks the complex neurobiology of trauma, explaining how overwhelming experiences can fundamentally alter the brain's alarm system, leaving survivors in a constant state of hypervigilance or shutdown. This makes it incredibly difficult to feel safe in the present moment, as the body is still reacting as if the danger is ongoing. Van der Kolk argues that traditional "talk therapy," while often helpful, is frequently insufficient on its own because it primarily engages the rational, thinking parts of the brain, which are often offline during a traumatic flashback. True healing, therefore, must involve the body; it must be an embodied, experiential process that helps to regulate the nervous system and restore a sense of physical safety and agency.

Ultimately, "The Body Keeps the Score" is a message of profound hope. It highlights a range of innovative, body-centered therapies—such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), yoga, and neurofeedback—that have shown remarkable success in helping survivors rewire their trauma responses. By learning to befriend their bodies, to listen to their internal sensations with curiosity and compassion, and to gently release the stored energy of the past, individuals can move from a state of being defined by their trauma to one of empowered, integrated wholeness. It is a powerful testament to the human capacity for resilience and a vital guide to the transformative journey of rewriting the score that the body has kept.