About Author

The Body Keeps the Score” would be such a mainstream success. Van der Kolk is a psychiatrist and researcher who has worked with trauma survivors for more than 30 years.

Bessel van der Kolk didn't think his book “The Body Keeps the Score” would be such a mainstream success. Van der Kolk is a psychiatrist and researcher who has worked with trauma survivors for more than 30 years
Bessel van der Kolk

Award Winning Author

As the writer of The Body Keeps the Score, which was a best-seller on The New York Times, Van der Kolk has garnered widespread recognition. Prior to his literary success, he held the position of president for the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, and he was also a former co-director of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network.
With a special interest in developmental psychopathology, Van der Kolk has conducted extensive research on how trauma affects individuals based on their developmental stage and the security of their attachment system. His 2014 publication, The Body Keeps the Score, has achieved tremendous success, spending over 245 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list as of July 2023. Additionally, it has maintained its popularity for nearly three years on Amazon’s bestseller list in the United States and has been translated into 43 languages.
 
Although Van der Kolk’s book predominantly focuses on female primary caregivers in both humans and primates, he only briefly discusses paternal behavior and fails to address the significance of joint and equal parental care as a preventative measure for trauma. To describe the extensive psychological and biological reactions to trauma, Van der Kolk has coined the term “Developmental Trauma Disorder.”
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Best Author Awards 2012
World's #1 Best-selling Book
NYT Best-selling Author 2021
Best Author Awards 2019
2014

First Book

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma

2014

Released on Store

In his 2014 publication, The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma, Bessel van der Kolk delves into the repercussions of psychological trauma, commonly referred to as traumatic stress. Van der Kolk draws upon his research and personal encounters to explore the impact of traumatic stress on individuals, as well as its consequences on the mind and body.

2023

US Bestselling Book

The Body Keeps the Score, a highly acclaimed book, had achieved bestseller status for a remarkable 153 weeks, which amounted to almost three years, as of October 2023.

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