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  • The Body Keeps the Score

  • Mind, Brain and Body in the Transformation of Trauma
  • By: Bessel van der Kolk
  • Narrated by: Sean Pratt
  • Length: 16 hrs and 16 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (3,168 ratings)

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The Body Keeps the Score cover art

The Body Keeps the Score

By: Bessel van der Kolk
Narrated by: Sean Pratt
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Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

THE NEW YORK TIMES AND AUDIBLE BESTSELLER

The effects of trauma can be devastating for sufferers, their families and future generations. Here one of the world's experts on traumatic stress offers a bold new paradigm for treatment, moving away from standard talking and drug therapies and towards an alternative approach that heals mind, brain and body.

This inspiring and timeless audiobook is read by Sean Pratt.

©2019 Bessel van der Kolk (P)2019 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

Fascinating, hard to put down, and filled with powerful case histories. . . . the most important series of breakthroughs in mental health in the last thirty years (Norman Doidge, author of The Brain That Changes Itself)
Dr. van der Kolk's masterpiece combines the boundless curiosity of the scientist, the erudition of the scholar, and the passion of the truth teller (Judith Herman, M.D., author of Trauma and Recovery)
A masterpiece of powerful understanding and brave heartedness, one of the most intelligent and helpful works on trauma I have ever read. . . a brilliant synthesis of clinical cases, neuroscience, powerful tools and caring humanity, offering a whole new level of healing (Jack Kornfied, author of A Path With Heart)

What listeners say about The Body Keeps the Score

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    3 out of 5 stars

Good advice but hard to relate to

This book commences with examples of traumatic experiences and personal experiences. although it is useful to illustrate and describe what brings the author to certain conclusions it is hard to relate to. Particularly as it describes a lot of terrible experiences his patients suffered in the Vietnam war. Most people cannot relate to extreme war situations or terrible sexual abuse. And although the author explains that a large ratio of people have some type of trauma in their lives he then goes on to describe these extreme scenarios. Not helpful, as it undermines the impact of everyday trauma that is, bullying, abuse, fatal accidents, bereavement and watching a loved one suffer. This is how the book begins but it kind of sets the scene and I didn't find it very helpful.

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149 people found this helpful

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  • Wd
  • 19-02-20

Changed my life

If you've had significant trauma in your life you need to read this, it deals with some pretty triggering topics but it's definitely impacted my life for the better

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69 people found this helpful

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A treasure!!!

If you had traumatic childhood or life experiences or simply there was something missing in your family that made you feel alone and unprotected- this book will help you to start accepting what happen to you and move on.

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55 people found this helpful

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A book for professionals, but still accessible

Full of science and the latest theory. Very interesting even for the lay person. I would recommend to professionals and amateur psychologists alike.

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31 people found this helpful

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Great Insight into Trauma and Ways to Deal wit it.

It's a brilliant book which is very informative and insightful on Trauma and possible ways of dealing with it. It's very holistic and Dr Van Der Kolks vast experience and insights make it very valuable.

I'm in the process of training to be a Counsellor, and I know this book will have a very positive and lasting impact on my practice.

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29 people found this helpful

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Essential reading for anyone working in health and social care and education

I wish the psychiatrists, therapists and nurses that I have been treated by over the last 15 years had read this book and were trauma informed. I felt like I was finally understanding and joining the dots in relation to my own difficulties. I hope that with the knowledge of why I feel, think and act in these ways I am now able to start finding ways to resolve the trauma and start feeling connected and safe I. The world. There’s a thorough review of the biology of trauma responses as well as discussion of the impact of post-traumatic stress on the individual and society followed by the ways in which people can heal and leave their trauma in their past. An interesting and well researched book by a pioneer and leading professional in trauma therapy and research. Highly recommend

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21 people found this helpful

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A master key for understanding trauma

Essential reading for anyone dealing with, or working with children or adults dealing with trauma. Informative, thorough, inspiring and engaging. Both complex, yet accessible to a wide audience. This key work on trauma will provide listeners with a comprehensive understanding of the wide-ranging effects of trauma on the body and mind. More importantly it offers real hope in varied and innovative solutions to working through and resolving the scars of trauma. For those with a trauma history the content can be triggering in places and self-care and patience are essential to work through it at a safe pace. However, the level of understanding and sense of hope gained will be well worth the challenge. This should frankly be required reading/listening for anyone working in fields such as social work, health care and education.

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18 people found this helpful

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A must read

Brilliant book. Fascinating, interesting, thought provoking. Reorientates your views on trauma. Just a must read.

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9 people found this helpful

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Absolutely brilliant!

This book was / is amazing! Highly recommend. Enlightening, inspirational, educational... a must have book.

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7 people found this helpful

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A Psychiatrist not afraid to Explore


Brilliant Book A+++ I definitely recommend it to anyone with trauma and distress.

My HIV & Endocrino Doctor recommended this book because I managed to restart many internal organs using unorthodox methods calculated by me, for me. After two major accidents, with permanent brain damage, 3 permanent spinal cord damage at C3-C4 C5- C6 & L5-L6. I was in a coma and workup blind, parelised, unable to breathe, lost 50% of sensation, no able to produce vital steroids for life and many more. But today, I have evolved and can see, walk and so on...
This book is very close to what I did such as Neuroplasticity but also what I call Bio-plasticity in cells and discovered the brain is not in charge and recovery is split un two. indeed, the body keep the Score. The inconscience is faster to evolve to the new you . so how do you tell your inconscience to evolve, without being conscient of it? I had no help but I did and so simple...

Gilles Guichard

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6 people found this helpful

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  • Amazon Customer
  • 18-06-21

A piece of art.

An amazing piece of art. I am strugling with several personal problems and this book helped see myself in a different light. Why I am judgmental, why I habe outbursts of anger an so on. A must read for those on the path of self alchemy.

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4 people found this helpful

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  • PM Ruiz A
  • 07-09-20

Must read for health practioners.

Understanding that pain and suffering can be explained and treated from a traumatic point of view is really helpful and insightful. This text opened my eyes to new ways to approach psychological pain in my own healing process as well as in my therapeutic process.

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  • Ingryd
  • 25-05-21

Life changing, but really life changing!

Finally I saw a realistic and efficient set of tools to deal with ptsd 😄. Great book

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  • Henry R
  • 01-09-22

Not what I expected. Brilliant

I expected a new age type narrative. This is definitely not that. A very interesting and insightful book.

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  • Leevania Naicker
  • 06-03-22

One of the best books I’ve ever listened to

All people should read this book. I have learnt so much about children, adults and myself. I feel privileged to have reading this profound book. I express my deep gratitude to Dr. van der Kolk for changing how I see the world and how I can have a positive impact on it.

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  • B.
  • 10-07-23

A book everyone should read!

I loved this book, it puts so much that I've come to learn throughout life together with what I've intuitively felt to be true, only here it's blacked up scientifically as well. I feel like this is an essential read for everyone who cares about their physical or mental health, or anyone who has or interacts with children. It's one of those books that bring an aha-moment into your life and you're still gratefull for reading it 10 years later because of that! (Would only add a possible trigger warning for people with a traumatic past.)

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  • Nathalie Peral
  • 16-06-21

An amazing journey on understanding trauma

The body keeps the score brought so much needed light on the profound impact trauma has in life...

I loved the detailed narrative of the psychiatric, psychological ramifications and the holistic approach of how trauma should be address (the medication focused treatments that only address symptoms and not the underlying trauma on many diagnosis, let me speechless) was mind-blowing for me.

As a trauma survivor with a sister with diagnosed bipolar disorder (which luckily found solace in yoga), this book puts in words the long lasting effects of the early trauma we suffered, but also highlights the extraordinary resilience we have to overcome adversity... specially with the right knowledge at hand.

I strongly recommend this reading to everyone because it won't leave you untouched...either you will find explanations to sensations you deal with daily, or will provide you with tools to be compassionate and helpful to those who need either guidance to seek professional support, or kindnesses to be able to hold their hand in the path to recovery.

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  • Sveta
  • 19-08-23

Recommend it to anyone, who is interested in people

Recommend it to anyone, who is interested in people. The book shares a great knowledge of trauma and ways to overcome it

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  • Amazon Customer
  • 24-07-23

Amazing book!!!

Well organized. A lot of practical information, and the story unfold very interestingly. Recommended book for everyone who deals with psychology or wants to gain insights about dealing with trauma.
Well done Bessel, god bless your work ❤️

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  • Anonymous User
  • 02-07-23

A must-read for everyone

If more people read & learn from this book, I truly believe the world will be a better place alleviated from so much suffering

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