Introduction
For many trauma survivors, the symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) can feel overwhelming, confusing, and deeply frustrating. Despite therapy, self-help efforts, and time, some may find that the effects of trauma persist in ways they don’t fully understand.

Dr. Bessel van der Kolk’s book, The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma (2014), is one of the most influential works on trauma recovery. Based on decades of research, the book explores how trauma affects the brain, nervous system, and body, and why traditional talk therapy alone is often not enough for healing.

This blog post provides a comprehensive summary of the key ideas from The Body Keeps the Score, with a focus on how these insights can help PTSD and CPTSD survivors navigate their own recovery journey.

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Understanding Trauma: How It Changes the Brain and Body

Van der Kolk explains that trauma is not just a psychological wound—it physically alters the brain and nervous system. Trauma survivors often feel stuck in distressing emotional and physiological states because their bodies continue to react as if the trauma is still happening.

Key findings from the book:

• The Brain’s Alarm System Gets Stuck
  • The amygdala, the brain’s fear center, becomes hyperactive after trauma.
  • Survivors may experience heightened anxiety, emotional reactivity, or an inability to feel safe, even in non-threatening situations.
• The Prefrontal Cortex Shuts Down
  • The prefrontal cortex, which helps with reasoning and emotional regulation, becomes less active.
  • This makes it difficult to rationalize fears, control emotional reactions, or process trauma logically.
• Trauma Affects Memory Processing
  • The hippocampus, responsible for organizing memories, is disrupted.
  • This explains why trauma memories often feel fragmented, intrusive, or disconnected from time and place.
• The Body Holds Trauma
  • Trauma is stored not just in the mind, but in the nervous system, muscles, and organs.
  • This can lead to chronic pain, digestive issues, tension, or dissociation.

These neurological changes explain why trauma survivors may struggle with emotional regulation, flashbacks, and feeling disconnected from their bodies—even if they cognitively understand that they are no longer in danger.

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Why Traditional Talk Therapy is Not Always Enough

One of the book’s most important contributions is explaining why traditional therapy approaches, like talk therapy or cognitive processing therapy, may not be effective on their own for trauma survivors.

Key challenges of talk therapy for PTSD and CPTSD:

• Talking about trauma does not always resolve physiological symptoms, like hypervigilance or dissociation.
• Trauma survivors may intellectually understand their experiences but still feel emotionally triggered and dysregulated.
• Some survivors experience increased distress from retelling their trauma story if their nervous system is not properly regulated first.

Van der Kolk argues that for true healing, trauma treatment must engage both the mind and body.

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Healing Trauma: Mind-Body Approaches

Because trauma is stored in the nervous system, effective trauma treatment requires body-based healing approaches. The book highlights several evidence-based therapies that can help survivors regulate their nervous system and process trauma in a healthier way.

1. Somatic Therapy: Releasing Trauma from the Body

Somatic therapies focus on how trauma is physically held in the body and use movement and awareness to help survivors feel safe in their bodies again.

• Somatic Experiencing (SE) helps survivors slowly release stored trauma through gentle body awareness techniques.
• Trauma-Sensitive Yoga encourages survivors to regain control over their body and reduce dissociation.

2. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)

EMDR is one of the most researched trauma therapies. It uses bilateral stimulation (eye movements, tapping, or sounds) to help the brain reprocess trauma memories so they no longer feel overwhelming.

• Studies show that EMDR can reduce PTSD symptoms faster than traditional talk therapy (Shapiro, 2018).
• It is especially effective for survivors who struggle with intrusive thoughts or distressing memories.

3. Neurofeedback: Rewiring the Brain

Neurofeedback is a therapy that helps train the brain to regulate its own activity using real-time monitoring.

• It has been shown to help trauma survivors regain control over emotions and reduce hypervigilance.
• Some research suggests that neurofeedback may help strengthen the prefrontal cortex, improving emotional regulation (van der Kolk, 2014).

4. Mindfulness and Meditation for Nervous System Regulation

Mindfulness and breathwork can help trauma survivors regulate their autonomic nervous system, shifting from a fight-or-flight state to a calmer, more balanced state.

• Deep breathing exercises help activate the vagus nerve, promoting relaxation.
• Meditation practices can improve emotional awareness and self-compassion.

5. Safe Relationships and Social Connection

One of the most powerful healing tools for trauma survivors is safe, trusting relationships.

• Trauma often causes isolation and difficulty trusting others, but positive relationships can help regulate the nervous system.
• Support groups, therapy groups, and connecting with others who understand trauma can be essential for recovery.

Van der Kolk emphasizes that healing cannot happen in isolation—finding safe, supportive relationships is an essential part of trauma recovery.

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Key Takeaways for Trauma Survivors

The Body Keeps the Score is not just an academic book—it provides practical insights for survivors on how to navigate their own healing journey.

1. Trauma changes the brain and body, but healing is possible.
   • Trauma is not a personal failure—it is a biological response to overwhelming stress.
2. Talk therapy alone may not be enough.
   • Mind-body approaches are often needed to truly heal.
3. Healing is not about forgetting—it’s about integration.
   • Recovery means learning how to live with past trauma without it controlling daily life.
4. Self-regulation strategies can help survivors regain control.
   • Practices like breathwork, grounding techniques, and somatic movement can help calm the nervous system.
5. Safe relationships are critical for healing.
   • Connection with safe, understanding people helps survivors rewire their nervous system for trust and security.

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Conclusion

The Body Keeps the Score is a foundational book for understanding how trauma affects the brain and body, why some therapy methods work better than others, and how survivors can take active steps toward healing.

For those recovering from PTSD and CPTSD, this book provides both validation and practical strategies for healing beyond traditional talk therapy. By integrating body-based therapies, self-regulation techniques, and safe relationships, trauma survivors can begin to reclaim control over their emotions, their bodies, and their lives.

If you have PTSD or CPTSD and feel stuck in your healing journey, exploring mind-body approaches may be the key to unlocking deeper recovery. Healing is not about erasing the past—it’s about learning to live fully in the present, free from the constant grip of trauma.

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References

• van der Kolk, B. A. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma.
• Shapiro, F. (2018). Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy: Basic Principles, Protocols, and Procedures.
• Levine, P. A. (2010). In an Unspoken Voice: How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness.