The Body Keeps the Score Summary

“Trauma is a fact of life. It does not, however, have to be a life sentence.” – Bessel van der Kolk

1. Trauma is more widespread than we think

Trauma is often associated with war veterans or victims of extreme violence, but it exists across all aspects of society. Any experience that overwhelms an individual’s sense of safety and control can lead to trauma. Events like car accidents, bullying, natural disasters, or abandonment can leave deep psychological scars.

In the U.S. alone, millions of people experience traumatic events each year. For example, in 2014, more than 12 million women were victims of rape, with the majority under the age of 15 at the time of the assault. Furthermore, over three million cases of child abuse are reported annually in the United States. This prevalence shows that trauma affects individuals and families across all demographics.

The effects of trauma ripple outward, impacting relationships and mental health. People suffering from PTSD often build barriers, mistrust those who haven’t shared their pain, and struggle to maintain close relationships. Family connections often disintegrate, leaving trauma victims feeling isolated and misunderstood.

Examples

• Veterans exclude others who didn’t experience combat trauma.
• Survivors of childhood abuse often report difficulties trusting romantic partners.
• High divorce rates are common among trauma sufferers.

2. Flashbacks trap trauma victims in the past

People experiencing trauma relive their horrifying memories involuntarily. Triggered by reminders, their minds reconstruct the past as though it's happening in the present, causing immense emotional and physical stress.

Flashbacks are more than mental recollections; they involve the full activation of the body’s stress systems. For instance, in experiments, trauma patients re-experiencing an event demonstrated physiological changes such as increased heart rates, higher blood pressure, and spikes in stress hormones. During episodes, areas of the brain that process rational thought often deactivate, leaving sufferers unable to distinguish between reality and memory.

The compounding pain from flashbacks can feel as real as the initial trauma. For Marsha, a patient who lost her children in a car accident, simply hearing a reenactment of the event made her speechless and physically distressed, illustrating the overwhelming power flashbacks have over victims.

Examples

• Veterans may react to fireworks as if they’re under enemy gunfire.
• A trauma survivor might avoid entire neighborhoods where their experience occurred.
• A rape victim avoids crowds due to fear triggered by certain noises or scents.

3. Childhood trauma shapes lifelong patterns

Trauma experienced in childhood has long-lasting effects on mind and body. Children with undeveloped coping skills can internalize fear, shaping their perception of the world and their relationships well into adulthood.

For example, in a study, traumatized children misinterpreted innocent images as dangerous scenes. A harmless photo of a father under a car appeared as a violent tragedy to them. These ingrained patterns suggest a constant expectation of harm, affecting their worldview and daily interactions.

As adults, these children face both physical and emotional repercussions. Marilyn, a nurse and trauma survivor, struggled with autoimmune disorders and deep-seated fears stemming from abuse. Her physical health reflected the unresolved stress and tension carried since her early years.

Examples

• Constant anxiety becomes normalized for trauma-affected children.
• Adults with traumatic childhoods may lash out in relationships.
• Physical health suffers, with increased risks of stress-related illnesses.

4. Traumatic memories are unforgettable and unchanged

Unlike ordinary memories, which fade or transform over time, traumatic memories remain vivid, unaltered, and deeply encoded in a person’s brain. These memories are permanently seared with sensory details such as smells, sounds, and textures.

Research comparing war veterans to non-traumatized individuals offers insight; while typical memories change and lose details over decades, veterans’ trauma memories remain constant and as detailed as the original moment, even 45 years later. This static quality of traumatic memories makes them inescapable.

Being continually triggered by sensory connections can further lock these memories in place. For instance, one patient was haunted by the smell of alcohol, which brought her back to her assault. Such hyper-specific memories underline the enduring impact of trauma.

Examples

• Smells, like alcohol or smoke, spark traumatic memories.
• Traumatized individuals clearly recall temperatures or sounds associated with their trauma.
• Normal, harmless smells can render a person unable to function socially.

5. EMDR helps reframe traumatic memories

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a therapy used to help trauma sufferers process painful memories. Through guided eye movements, patients re-examine traumatic events while forming new, healthier associations, reducing their emotional weight.

Kathy, a victim of extreme childhood abuse, found relief after eight EMDR sessions prompted her to envision imaginative coping strategies. For instance, picturing herself bulldozing her family house helped her symbolically destroy painful memories. EMDR works because it makes trauma feel like past events rather than ongoing realities.

By regaining control over memories, victims can disrupt their PTSD patterns. This treatment not only offers freedom but self-empowerment, allowing individuals’ own creativity to foster healing.

Examples

• Victims imagine neutral or empowering scenarios associated with traumatic memories.
• Reliving memories paired with EMDR decreases physiological stress responses.
• Patients report no longer fearing triggering environments.

6. Yoga reconnects trauma victims with their emotions

Trauma often causes victims to dissociate from their own bodies as a way to cope with overwhelming emotions. Yoga provides a safe, structured way to rebuild the connection between body and mind.

Trauma survivor Annie used yoga to confront the buried emotions housed in her body. While poses like “happy baby” initially triggered feelings of sadness and vulnerability, practicing without avoidance helped her grow more comfortable with her sensations. Over time, embracing this discomfort allowed her to process her emotional pain.

Unlike masking pain with substances, yoga provides a sustainable method to understand and accept emotions. This physical practice also helps calm the body’s hypersensitive alarm system, commonly overactive in those with PTSD.

Examples

• Yoga lowers participants’ heart rates and regulates breathing patterns.
• Different poses highlight areas of emotional tension within the body.
• Trauma survivors report improved sleep after regular yoga practice.

7. Mindfulness fosters awareness and recovery

Mindfulness involves staying present and aware of emotions rather than repressing them. For trauma sufferers, mindfulness can help them face their pain, which is often locked away due to feelings of fear or shame.

By embracing sadness or anxiety rather than pushing it aside, trauma sufferers can begin the process of emotional healing. Mindfulness practices lower stress hormones, improve focus, and enhance emotional regulation. These benefits extend to physical health as well, supporting immune and cardiovascular systems.

Support from friends and therapists plays a key role too, acting as a safety net. Networks such as AA meetings or group counseling ensure trauma sufferers aren’t navigating recovery alone.

Examples

• Mindfulness reduces PTSD symptoms like insomnia and anxiety.
• Shared experiences in therapy groups combat feelings of isolation.
• Guided meditations offer regulated breathing and calm for panicky states.

8. Neurofeedback retrains the brain

Trauma changes how the brain functions. Soldiers exposed to war zones show significantly fewer calming alpha waves compared to others. Neurofeedback uses brain-wave monitoring combined with real-time feedback to help patients consciously self-regulate.

Lisa, with a history of extreme childhood neglect, used neurofeedback to shift her mental state after years of emotional chaos. Visual feedback on her brain waves enabled her to recognize and practice calmness, eventually giving her the tools to navigate stressful situations without destructive outbursts.

This technology treats trauma by literally rewiring the brain’s responses, echoing its capacity for neuroplasticity.

Examples

• Sessions resemble interactive video games, providing rewards for producing calming signals.
• Alpha wave increases relate to feeling relaxed and safe.
• Long-term neurofeedback patients maintain emotional stability without therapy.

9. Healing from trauma is a multifaceted process

Recovery from trauma cannot be reduced to a single method. Instead, it often combines therapies, practices, and support systems. EMDR, yoga, mindfulness, and neurofeedback each address different aspects of trauma.

Trauma recovery explores strategies to reclaim physical, emotional, and mental agency. Yoga helps reconnect with the body, while mindfulness allows emotional acceptance. Support networks like veteran groups ensure no one journeys alone. Together, these approaches empower survivors to rewrite their experiences.

Healing is not about erasing the past; it’s learning to coexist with it. Combined tools open the door to personal growth which once seemed out of reach.

Examples

• Veterans achieve emotional breakthroughs through group therapy and neurofeedback.
• Yoga and EMDR often complement traditional talk therapy.
• Combining healthy habits creates enduring improvements for survivors.

Takeaways

1. Practice mindfulness daily to address and process emotions, such as using guided meditations or simply pausing during moments of stress.
2. Consider therapeutic options like EMDR or yoga to revisit and manage trauma safely.
3. Build or strengthen a support network of trusted friends, family, or professionals to navigate grief and recovery together.