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

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What were your overall impressions of the book’s approach to trauma? Did the blend of personal anecdotes, scientific research, and historical context enhance your understanding, or did you find certain aspects more compelling than others?

2. Van der Kolk challenges conventional psychiatric treatments and the over-reliance on medication for trauma. Did you find his critique of the mental health industry persuasive? Why or why not?

3. How does The Body Keeps the Score compare to other books on trauma and mental health, such as What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing by Oprah Winfrey and Bruce Perry? Does Van der Kolk’s emphasis on the body’s role in trauma recovery provide new insights?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences. 

1. Both The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk and The Deepest Well by Nadine Burke Harris examine the long-term impact of trauma, particularly childhood adversity, on physical and mental health. While Van der Kolk focuses on how trauma is stored in the body and treated through innovative therapies, Burke Harris explores the connection between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and chronic illness.