Reviews - The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma

The Body Keeps the Score is an amazing look at how trauma lives in your body and mind. The author uses science and stories to show the reader paths to recovery. As a person who has an ACE score of 6/10, I found this book very helpful. I also work with children who are actively experiencing the worst time of their young lives. For over a month, I’ve been reading this. I purchased three copies (2 physical and 1 audiobook). I keep one at home, another at work, and the audiobook for my vehicle just in case I need a quick reference. The statistics and stories are very helpful.

My only criticism is that I don’t feel like the people who practice science in this field give much attention to people with PTSD living in areas surrounded by drugs, violence, and poverty. Some people refer to it as “Hood PTSD.” There are so many people who fall into this category. This book talks a lot about soldiers, but some people in these neighborhoods have seen way more violence and death than soldiers in combat. I grew up in the hood, served 8 years in the Army, and I’m currently on my 16th year in law enforcement. And I’ve experienced more trauma growing up on the south side of Chicago than the other two combined. Let that sink in.

I need a book that dives deeply into systemic or community-level trauma in urban neighborhoods. My next read in this genre will probably be Dr. Joy DeGruy’s Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome.

jzeff22's review

dark informative slow-paced

shelbynv's review against another edition

4.0

This book offers so many perspectives and stories. I really appreciated the rawness of the delivery. I could relate to a lot of the cases (awesome!!!

louck_hannah's review

3.75

informative inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

Really lays out the history of trauma research in the psychology space within the last 40 years or so. It’s interesting to hear about how treatment for things such as PTSD and CPTSD have changed as we learn more and how new age treatments work. A healthy dose of distrust for the DSM—which I personally like to see in all my psychology reads.

Content Warnings

raccoonstiel's review against another edition

5.0

Very insightful. Another reminder that society often lacks on empathy, with the way they’ve been treating troubled youths or traumatized adults.

flamyjamiee's review against another edition

4.0

hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

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