In “The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma,” Dr. Bessel van der Kolk introduces readers to the mental and physical consequences of trauma and how to work through them. Inspiring real-life stories back up the volumes of research to help survivors of all types of injury overcome their pasts. Many leading therapists have come to rely on the concepts in this guide in their work with their patients. One important detail that readers will learn is that traumatic experiences can occur in all aspects of life.

Abuse and neglect both affect the body in many ways due to the stress that they cause, especially in a young mind. No matter where or when it happens, trauma often settles in for the long haul and even rewires the brain. The pioneering aspect of the book is that it goes beyond the author’s primary field of psychiatry. The book teaches readers and professionals alike how to use physical activities and therapies, such as art and yoga, in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. Meanwhile, you will still learn about procedures such as neurofeedback and cognitive behavioral therapy and the role that they can play in recovery.

Just about anyone who is suffering from a painful past can feel validated and uplifted from reading this book. This author oversaw most of the studies that he cites, and he gives firsthand details about the methods. He pulls from a wealth of data that he has available to him as a leading clinician, researcher, and professor. If some past experiences haunt you, Dr. van der Kolk’s research and his patients’ remarkable recoveries may offer you hope along with strategies for healing both your mind and body. This way, you can get the cycle of trauma to end with you instead of passing the effects on to your children or other loved ones.