Book Review: The Body Keeps the Score — Bessel van der Kolk
The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk explores how trauma is stored not just in the mind, but in the body.
The book explains that overwhelming experiences can continue to shape how the nervous system responds long after the event has passed.
These patterns often show up as:
Hypervigilance or heightened reactivity
Shutdown or disconnection
The book explores that these responses are not random, but are adaptations for survival.
🌿One of the key takeaways is that insight alone is not enough to create change. Because regulation is physiological, healing often requires bottom-up approaches like breath, movement, and sensory awareness.
The book also emphasizes that safety is felt in the body. Feeling calm or connected depends on how the nervous system perceives safety through internal sensations, relationships, and environment.
This book is a valuable resource for understanding the connection between trauma and the body. For readers with lived experience, it may be helpful to engage with this material alongside additional support.
The team at RCS recommend this book for anyone interested in understanding how experiences affect the nervous system.
🌿Head to the RCS Book List to explore our collection of books to support you at any stage of your journey.