The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk is a seminal work in understanding the deep effects of trauma on a person’s physical, emotional, and psychological well-being.
This book explores the complicated interaction between your brain, bodies, and traumatic experiences, which offers deep insights into how trauma reshapes your biological and emotional landscape.
The quotes derived from this influential text provide not just a peek into the nature of trauma but also illuminate routes toward healing, resilience, and healing.
Top The Body Keeps the Score Quotes
The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk delves into the profound impact of trauma on the body and mind. These quotes encapsulate key insights from his groundbreaking work on understanding and healing from trauma:
“Being able to feel safe with other people is probably the single most important aspect of mental health; safe connections are fundamental to meaningful and satisfying lives.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“The body keeps the score: If the memory of trauma is encoded in the viscera, in heartbreaking and gut-wrenching emotions, in autoimmune disorders and skeletal/neuromuscular problems, and if it is re-enacted in interpersonal relationships, then it stands to reason that the healing of trauma needs to take place in the body as well.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Trauma victims cannot recover until they become familiar with and befriend the sensations in their bodies.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Our capacity to destroy one another is matched by our capacity to heal one another.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“As long as you keep secrets and suppress information, you are fundamentally at war with yourself.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“The greatest sources of our suffering are the lies we tell ourselves.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“One does not need to be a combat soldier, or visit a refugee camp in Syria or the Congo to encounter trauma. Trauma happens to us, our friends, our families, and our neighbors.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“While trauma keeps us dumbfounded and speechless, it also compels us to communicate with others the nature of our pain.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“We have learned that trauma is not just an event that took place sometime in the past; it is also the imprint left by that experience on mind, brain, and body.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Neuroscience research shows that the only way we can change the way we feel is by becoming aware of our inner experience and learning to befriend what is going inside ourselves.” – Bessel van der Kolk
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The Body Keeps the Score Quotes on Trauma and the Body
Understanding the connection between trauma and physical response is crucial for healing. These quotes from “The Body Keeps the Score” provide profound insights into how trauma affects the body and the importance of addressing these physical aspects in therapy:
“The body continues to defend against a threat that belongs to the past.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Many people who are diagnosed with various psychological disorders are actually living in a body that has become very good at warding off enemies, but is terrible at feeling pleasure, relaxation, and attachment.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“For real change to take place, the body needs to learn that the danger has passed and to live in the reality of the present.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Our bodies are programmed to control and fend off these invisible assaults, but we’re not programmed to recognize them as traumas.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“The challenge of recovery is to reestablish ownership of your body and your mind—of your self.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Trauma results in a fundamental reorganization of the way mind and brain manage perceptions. It changes not only how we think and what we think about, but also our very capacity to think.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“When our senses become muffled, we no longer feel fully alive.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“If the fight/flight/freeze response is successful and the person escapes the threat, they usually return to normal. However, when the threat is overwhelming, often it is stored in the body and the body keeps the score.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Movement therapy, like yoga, can help people get back into their bodies while also processing trauma.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Feeling this embeddedness in your body is incompatible with having PTSD. As long as you keep feeling your body, you cannot feel dead.” – Bessel van der Kolk
The Body Keeps the Score Quotes on Healing from Trauma
Healing from trauma is a profound journey of reconnecting with oneself and reconstructing a sense of safety. These quotes from “The Body Keeps the Score” highlight therapeutic approaches and the transformative power of understanding and addressing trauma:
“Healing from trauma involves (re)connecting with our fellow human beings.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“The critical issue is allowing yourself to know what you know. That takes an enormous amount of courage.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“As long as you keep secrets and suppress information, you are fundamentally at war with yourself… The critical issue is allowing yourself to know what you know. That takes an enormous amount of courage.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Our capacity to destroy one another is matched by our capacity to heal one another.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Being able to feel safe with other people is probably the single most important aspect of mental health.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Self-leadership is developed by observing and reflecting, rather than reacting and being at the mercy of one’s environment.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“The challenge of recovery is to reestablish ownership of your body and your mind—of your self.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Recovery from trauma involves (re)connecting with our fellow human beings.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Trauma robs you of the feeling that you are in charge of yourself. The challenge of recovery is to re-establish ownership of your body and your mind—of your self.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Integration of the traumatic memories is achieved by bringing an unassailable sense of safety to the foreground, while approaching the pain of the past.” – Bessel van der Kolk
The Body Keeps the Score Quotes on Memory and Trauma
Memory plays a critical role in how trauma is experienced and processed. These quotes delve into the complex relationship between memory and trauma, illustrating how past events shape our present and future selves:
“Memories are living organisms. They grow, evolve, and breathe. When they are stuffed away, out of sight, they smolder; they become malignant.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Trauma results in a fundamental reorganization of the way mind and brain manage perceptions. It changes not only how we think and what we think about, but also our very capacity to think.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“The body keeps the score, and it always wins.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Trauma affects the entire human organism—body, mind, and brain. In PTSD the body continues to defend against a threat that belongs to the past.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Memory is the canvas on which the story of our lives is painted.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Traumatic memories are not like normal memories. They are imprinted in our minds and bodies with the urgency and intensity of life-threatening emergencies.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“When we talk about trauma, we are talking about life and death situations stored in our bodies as non-verbal memories.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“The imprint of trauma doesn’t sit in the verbal, understanding part of the brain but in much deeper regions – amygdala, hippocampus, hypothalamus, brain stem – which are only marginally affected by thinking and cognition.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Our brains are built to help us function as members of a tribe. It is our tribal connections that determine our sense of safety and our capacity to relax and create.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“If the memories and sensations of past trauma are not integrated into one’s personal narrative, they may spontaneously ‘flash back’ into consciousness, precipitating a reliving of the event.” – Bessel van der Kolk
The Body Keeps the Score Quotes on Neuroscience and Trauma
The interplay between neuroscience and trauma provides critical insights into how traumatic events impact our brain and body. These quotes from “The Body Keeps the Score” highlight the neurobiological effects of trauma:
“The brain is shaped by experience. And is itself a major player in organizing experience.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Trauma results in a fundamental reorganization of the way mind and brain manage perceptions. It changes not only how we think and what we think about, but also our very capacity to think.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Trauma in early childhood can lead to remodeling of the brain, which may result in predispositions to recurrences of trauma.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Neuroscience research shows that very few psychological problems are the result of defects in understanding; most originate in pressures from deeper regions in the brain that drive our perception and attention.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“When trauma occurs, the brain is hijacked. The survival brain takes over and alters its physical structure and function.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“The impact of trauma on the brain is profound and enduring. Areas involved in threat perception and emotional regulation undergo significant changes.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“The brain’s alarm system, the amygdala, is responsible for detecting fear and preparing for emergency events, but trauma can keep it activated.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Trauma compromises the brain area that communicates the physical, embodied feeling of being alive.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“These brain scans show us that trauma literally reshapes both body and brain, compromising sufferers’ capacities for pleasure, engagement, self-control, and trust.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Understanding the profound neurobiological changes involved in trauma helps us understand why trauma symptoms are not just something that can be ‘talked away’ or reasoned away.” – Bessel van der Kolk
The Body Keeps the Score Quotes on Psychological and Physical Health
The connection between psychological trauma and physical health is undeniable. These quotes from “The Body Keeps the Score” explore how trauma affects not just our minds but our entire bodily systems:
“If the mind cannot find a way to make sense of the terror, the body continues to keep the score.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Trauma is a fact of life. It does not, however, have to be a life sentence.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“As the scans show, trauma is not just an event that took place sometime in the past; it is also the imprint left by that experience on mind, brain, and body.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Illness in the body is the end point of a process that begins with trauma and the feeling of being helpless and profoundly unsafe.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Traumatic stress is a disease of not being able to be fully alive in the present.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“People can learn to control and change their behavior, but only if they feel safe enough to experiment with new solutions. The body keeps the score: it keeps a physical tally of all our traumas.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“The challenge of recovery is to reestablish ownership of your body and your mind—of your self.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Physical self-awareness is the first step in releasing the tyranny of the past.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“In order to change, people need to become aware of their sensations and the way that their bodies interact with the world around them.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Only by getting in touch with your body, by connecting viscerally with yourself, can you regain a sense of who you are, your priorities and values.” – Bessel van der Kolk
The Body Keeps the Score Quotes on Therapeutic Practices
Therapeutic practices play a critical role in addressing and healing trauma. These quotes from “The Body Keeps the Score” shed light on various therapeutic approaches that help integrate traumatic experiences:
“The goal of treatment of trauma is to give patients a sense of ownership over their own bodies and their destinies.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“The challenge is not just to manage symptoms but to reestablish self-leadership.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Mindfulness and meditation practices are proven strategies for helping people regulate their emotions and focus their attention.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Yoga, dance, and other forms of bodywork can serve as powerful paths to reintegrate the functioning of the mind and the body.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Neurofeedback is like giving the orchestra a tuning fork… helping traumatized parts and systems to function as a harmonious whole.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) facilitates the accessing of the trauma network, so that information processing is enhanced.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Play, whether it’s through art, games, or acting out scenarios, is the natural way that we learn about ourselves and our relationships.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Art therapy is another way to help people express what they cannot comprehend or talk about.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Trauma-focused therapy is about helping patients transform the traumatic memories so that they can live in the present.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Drama therapy provides a stage where the drama of dissociation and reassociation can be enacted safely and gain coherence.” – Bessel van der Kolk
The Body Keeps the Score Quotes on Resilience and Recovery
Resilience and recovery are fundamental to overcoming the long-lasting effects of trauma. Here are ten insightful quotes from “The Body Keeps the Score” that highlight the journey to resilience:
“Resilience is the product of agency: knowing the difference between what you can control and what you cannot.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Recovery from trauma involves (re)connecting with our fellow human beings.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Trauma survivors need experiences that directly contradict the helplessness, rage, or collapse that result from trauma.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“The ability to feel safe with other people is probably the single most important aspect of mental health.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“The body needs to learn that the danger has passed and to live in the reality of the present.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Resilience is not just for a few lucky individuals. It is potentially available to everybody.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Being able to feel safe with other people is probably the single most important aspect of mental health; safe connections are fundamental to meaningful and satisfying lives.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“True resilience fosters well-being, an underlying sense of happiness, love, and peace.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Our capacity to destroy one another is matched by our capacity to heal one another. Restoring relationships and community is central to restoring well-being.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Sometimes the most healing thing we can do is remind ourselves over and over and over, ‘Other people feel this too.'” – Bessel van der Kolk
The Body Keeps the Score Quotes on Relationships and Trauma
Relationships play a crucial role in both the infliction and healing of trauma. These quotes from “The Body Keeps the Score” emphasize the impact of interpersonal dynamics on traumatic experiences:
“Being able to feel safe with other people is probably the single most important aspect of mental health; safe connections are fundamental to meaningful and satisfying lives.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Trauma almost invariably involves not being seen, not being mirrored, and not being taken into account.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Our relationships with others, and their influence on us, literally shape our brains.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“The body keeps the score, and it does so with the help of relationships and through relationships.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Attachment is the foundation of both the mind’s functioning and its healing.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Trauma drives us to the brink of breakdown, while relationships hold us back from the abyss.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“In the absence of an empathetic witness, trauma becomes a hidden wound that festers in the mind and the body.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Being heard and seen, having somebody bear witness to our struggles as well as our recoveries, are vital elements of healing.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Relationships are the agents of change and the most powerful therapy is human love.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Trust is built in very small moments, which I call ‘sliding door’ moments, after the movie ‘Sliding Doors.’ Each is a decision point, where we can choose to build trust or erode it.” – Bessel van der Kolk
The Body Keeps the Score Quotes on Childhood Trauma
Childhood trauma has long-lasting effects that can pervade adulthood. These quotes explore the significance of early experiences and their profound impact on lifelong health and behavior:
“The greatest sources of our suffering are the lies we tell ourselves.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Children are like wet cement. Whatever falls on them makes an impression.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Trauma during childhood does not merely cause temporary distress, it fundamentally alters the development of the mind and the brain.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Our culture teaches us to focus on personal uniqueness, but at a deeper level we barely exist as individual organisms.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Early trauma influences how we learn to feel what we feel and know what we know.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“If you’re stuck in the past, you’re really in the present.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“The body keeps score, and the score is tallied in the hearts and minds of our children.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Childhood trauma is a stark reality that we pay for into adult life. It doesn’t just go away.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“The child may not remember, but the body remembers.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Recovery from childhood trauma involves relearning trust, relearning safety, and relearning to love and be loved.” – Bessel van der Kolk
The Body Keeps the Score Quotes on Society and Trauma
Society plays a significant role in both the genesis and healing of trauma. These quotes from “The Body Keeps the Score” explore how societal structures and norms impact individuals suffering from trauma:
“Our increasingly busy schedules and the ever-present societal pressures often mean that we overlook the traumas that shape our lives.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Society’s neglect of trauma victims is a major cause of suffering and the propagation of mental health issues.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“The societal stigma around trauma creates a silence that exacerbates the pain and isolation felt by sufferers.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“We are not just the sum of our individual experiences but also the product of our culture.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Trauma is a public health issue, as pervasive as it is silent; it is the backdrop against which our social interactions play out.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Healing from trauma in a society requires collective recognition and a shift towards supportive, empathetic community actions.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Societal change is necessary to address the root causes of trauma and to provide a supportive framework for recovery.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“When society ignores or misrepresents trauma, it perpetuates a cycle of distress and dysfunction.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Our societal structures often force trauma survivors to adapt to a world that doesn’t recognize their pain.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Creating environments in our communities that promote safety, understanding, and connection is essential for healing the wounds of trauma.” – Bessel van der Kolk
The Body Keeps the Score Quotes on Self-Care and Management
Self-care is crucial for managing and recovering from trauma. These insightful quotes from “The Body Keeps the Score” emphasize the importance of self-management and care practices:
“Taking care of oneself is not just about physical health; it is also about cultivating an inner sanctuary of safety and tranquility.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Self-care is the non-negotiable heart of trauma recovery. Our bodies need time and space to repair.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Healing from trauma requires attention to the body and the physical sensations it experiences, not just the mind.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Practices like mindfulness, yoga, and meditation can significantly aid in managing the physiological dysregulation caused by trauma.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“The practice of being fully present in the moment, without judgment, helps break the cycle of trauma.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Taking time each day to listen to your body and mind is an essential self-care strategy for trauma survivors.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Routine is a refuge, and the predictability of a daily structure can provide comfort to a traumatized nervous system.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Self-management in trauma recovery is about recognizing our triggers and learning ways to cope with them effectively.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“Healing doesn’t just occur in therapy but also in the spaces between sessions, where self-care practices cement the gains.” – Bessel van der Kolk
“To foster resilience, one must build a lifestyle that incorporates self-care, connection, and mindfulness.” – Bessel van der Kolk
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Final Thoughts
The quotes from “The Body Keeps the Score” reflect a profound understanding of the various nature of trauma and the comprehensive approach needed for healing.
Bessel van der Kolk’s work brings out the importance of addressing the physical manifestations of trauma, alongside psychological therapies, to promote recovery and strength.
These insights emphasize the need for a supportive, compassionate societal framework that can stimulate healing and help people reclaim their lives from the shadows of their past.