The Body Keeps The Score - opinions sought

[Associate of Daniel]

I bought myself a Christmas gift this year that, for once, wasn't food. Food's too expensive...

I finally bought the book "The Body Keeps The Score".  It's been on my radar for several years.  So far I've read 3 chapters and I'm really appreciating it.  I've actually shed several tears.

I'm interested to know people's opinions of the book.

Did you find it helpful?  Did you learn anything new about yourself or your abusers?  Did you learn anything new about trauma itself?  Was there anything you didn't like about the book, or anything you didn't agree with?

What advice, if any, can you give before I continue reading, since it covers such a heavy topic?

I'd really appreciate your opinions.

Thanks in advance.

AOD

[Call Me Cordelia]

In the back of the book is a chapter on theater and trauma that I especially loved. I only really started acting and directing as an adult and in very limited ways, but the whole chapter resonates with me about how good and powerful the experience of learning emotional intelligence vicariously is for survivors especially, but really for everyone. I've worked with children in pre-adolescence and I think this is an especially sensitive period for acquiring this kind of empathy and self-confidence in one. Even escaping into literature had this effect for me throughout my childhood and gave me so much that I draw on in adulthood, but that's a solitary experience. Theater you are doing your own work, then bringing it together to create with others, and giving and receiving feedback to make a beautiful or otherwise effective performance, and then receiving validation from the audience, director, and other cast. Really it's a sandbox for real life relationships and of course involves real relationships that can last beyond the show's run.

I think you've been around enough that most of the content will at least feel familiar to you, AOD, but yes it's such a good book!

[SeaBreeze]

It's been a few years since I read it, but it was definitely eye-opening. I nodded my head throughout reading, with some a-ha lightbulb moments, but mostly thoughts of quiet but resounding "Yes." A few chapters were triggering, so I took breaks from reading here and there to process and absorb my emotions. It helped me better understand my lifelong issues with anxiety and chronic pain, and how those two conditions interconnect.

 I rank The Body Keeps the Score right up there with Stop Walking on Eggshells, The Verbally Abusive Relationship, and From Surviving to Thriving as recommended reads in the healing journey. But also suggest intermittent breaks to work through any triggers. Take a walk, watch TV, listen to music, or read a lighter fiction book in between.



 

[Associate of Daniel]

I had no idea there was a section on theatre in the book!  As soon as I read your reply I immediately picked it up and started reading.  And - incredible - pretty much the first reference was to my 2nd favourite show, "West Side Story", and one of its characters, Officer Krupke.

Let me indulge, I'm so excited to see this!

My father's career was in theatre - mainly administration and entrepreneurship.  But he started off in acting and stage management.  He played Officer Krupke and stage managed the original professional production of the show in my country in 1960-61.  In fact, he was on stage performing in that show on the night of his wedding.  I'm not sure that my parents even had a honeymoon!  And the stories he tells from that production are so interesting.

West Side Story was so ground breaking in its day and it comes only a close second to my favourite, "Sweeney Todd".  Both of them have such cathartic qualities - the story lines, the melody lines, the original stage directions, the orchestrations, the fiendish demands on the stage performers and pit musos, even the lighting plots.  I could go on...

I spent my childhood holidays in my dad's theatre(s) and was surrounded by original cast recordings of any number of musicals.  Unfortunately my voice today is not as co-operative as it once was, but I still get so much from (trying to) singing along to these two shows especially. Ah!

I'm so overjoyed to see theatre being recognised for its health and educative benefits in this way.

I think I've just completely side tracked my original intent for this thread but Call Me Cordelia, you have absolutely made my day.  And it's not even 9am.  Thank-you!

AOD

[Associate of Daniel]

Sea Breeze, thank-you for the heads regarding the importance of taking breaks while reading the book.  I've been very surprised so far by how easy it is to read.  It's not a heavy text book, so I was wondering if I might forget to pace myself.  And thank-you for the list of similar quality books.

I'm reading "The Body Keeps the Score" as I'm planning to study counselling from next year, with a view to focus on trauma and grief.  This isn't one of the texts for the course but I figured it would be informative nonetheless.

AOD

[Rebel13]

I've tried to read this several times and stopped after a chapter or two. It seems like it's going to be a heavy read for me. I have it on my list for 2025 so I'm glad to hear others' opinions about it!

There's a link for a PDF copy on this page if anyone needs it.  https://www.pdfdrive.com/bessel-a-van-der-kolk-a290396.html

[Cascade]

I started reading this book but found it difficult to read, it was too technical if I recall correctly.

[Rebel13]

Emma McAdam has a new video up on Youtube where she summarizes this book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eP83QSAf2A&ab_channel=TherapyinaNutshell

[losingmyself]

I listened to this book on audio. There were boring parts which, had it been a book, I would have put it down. I found parts of it interesting, as psychology is interesting to me, but I'm not sure I found it relevant to me.

[SonofThunder]

I bought myself a Christmas gift this year that, for once, wasn't food. Food's too expensive...

I finally bought the book "The Body Keeps The Score".  It's been on my radar for several years.  So far I've read 3 chapters and I'm really appreciating it.  I've actually shed several tears.

I'm interested to know people's opinions of the book.

Did you find it helpful?  Did you learn anything new about yourself or your abusers?  Did you learn anything new about trauma itself?  Was there anything you didn't like about the book, or anything you didn't agree with?

What advice, if any, can you give before I continue reading, since it covers such a heavy topic?

I'd really appreciate your opinions.

Thanks in advance.

AOD

Hi AOD,

I also read the book a while ago. I found the book to be very detailed, but enjoyed learning. Personally, i believe the helped me to further accept myself as I am, understanding that my trauma past shows up in many ways in the present and will also in the future. 

On a similar vein, I also enjoyed reading the book 'When the Body Says No': Exploring the Stress-Disease Connection, by Gabor Mate, MD.

SoT

[bloomie]

I am enjoying reading through this thread, AOD. Makes me wonder... would we enjoy an Out of the FOG book club?

[Deby64]