I started this book with the hope of finding more insight into how trauma affects the mind and body and I was not disappointed. Decades after growing up with violent—and often sadistic—physical and emotional abuse, I continue to struggle with bouts of depression and anxiety. We all know that the mind and body are inextricably connected, but The Body Keeps the Score taught me precisely how trauma affects mental and physical health at a deeper level. It opened my eyes to new treatments for overcoming toxic stress and trauma-based fears that are far beyond psychiatry’s “assembly line” practice of doling out pills to every patient.

Using a combination of neuroscience, empathy, and compassion, Bessel van der Kolk presents methods for becoming attuned to our minds and bodies through such methods as EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing), neurofeedback, mindfulness, use of language (speech and writing), honing our self-regulation and emotional intelligence, and enhancing our social connections. Further, van der Kolk’s voice and writing style are captivating, turning what could otherwise have been a dry, stultifying academic textbook into an engaging and enlightening read.