Scan barcode
A review by andibutts
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk
challenging
informative
slow-paced
3.5
It's clear that van der Kolk knows what he's talking about. The amount of information that he packs into this book is impressive, and most of the time, he communicates this information effectively. The level of detail he includes regarding his research makes sense considering the book's target audience: fellow mental health clinicians, much of whose day-to-day job is treating people with trauma. As a trauma survivor and a future teacher who is passionate about creating a trauma-sensitive classroom, this book will stick with me for many, many years if not for the rest of my life.
With that said, van der Kolk's descriptions of the traumatic incidents his past clients endured are so graphic that this book often read like trauma porn. I was often unsettled (and even triggered a time or two) by these moments of what I would categorize as voyeurism. I also despised his disregard for the people his clients had harmed, abused, and murdered. (These clients were almost always men and were frequently veterans.)
He also failed to acknowledge the cultural histories of practices and treatments he recommends, a prime example of this being yoga. I wanted to read more about the role of oppression in the development of trauma and less about his various accolades. I also got the sense that van der Kolk does not take emotional abuse and neglect as seriously as other forms of abuse despite mounds of evidence that show that he should.
Despite the many issues I took with the book, I would still give it four stars. It was a life-changing read, and I will most likely go back and read sections again, such as the section about internal family systems and the epilogue where he discusses what his research means for teachers. This book was a challenge to get through, but I am grateful to have read it. If you decide to read it, go slowly and check in with your mind and body, especially if you're a trauma survivor yourself.
With that said, van der Kolk's descriptions of the traumatic incidents his past clients endured are so graphic that this book often read like trauma porn. I was often unsettled (and even triggered a time or two) by these moments of what I would categorize as voyeurism. I also despised his disregard for the people his clients had harmed, abused, and murdered. (These clients were almost always men and were frequently veterans.)
He also failed to acknowledge the cultural histories of practices and treatments he recommends, a prime example of this being yoga. I wanted to read more about the role of oppression in the development of trauma and less about his various accolades. I also got the sense that van der Kolk does not take emotional abuse and neglect as seriously as other forms of abuse despite mounds of evidence that show that he should.
Despite the many issues I took with the book, I would still give it four stars. It was a life-changing read, and I will most likely go back and read sections again, such as the section about internal family systems and the epilogue where he discusses what his research means for teachers. This book was a challenge to get through, but I am grateful to have read it. If you decide to read it, go slowly and check in with your mind and body, especially if you're a trauma survivor yourself.