The Body Keeps Score

[Shadoe]

I bought the book today because the reviews look good, has anyone in this forum read it and how has it helped you? I heard it was a good book for survivors. Thanks guys, have a lovely evening :)

 

[Teasel]

Hi @Shadoe really good book yes ?
I think one of the most personally helpful things for me was realising there are all sorts of different kinds of therapy that can be of help. Which was really good for me as I have struggled terribly with generic therapy.

Have you begun it yet? How are you finding it?

 

[Shadoe]

I haven't yet received my book but it's on order so I'm looking forward to the read and I too have struggled with generic therapy in the past. If it was a physical ailment and it was to do with a specific body bit the GP would pass on to specialists yet they don't think to do that with trauma survivors. The system does not make sense at all. :) it was nice to get a reply @berlinda linda I'm looking forward to the read and discussion with you if you'd like.

 

[Whirlwind]

I too have struggled with generic therapy in the past.

Therapy helped me then I "stalled" .... Body knows is a good one. I also liked Pete Walker and still reread it from time to time. Another find for me was "The Trauma Toolkit" by S. Banitt. Her book is practical but she says that trauma therapy isn't comprehensive enough and too multi facted to approach from a singular standpoint.

I was totally surprised to find that a less traditional more spiritual (so to speak) approach really resonated and I pushed through my "stall". It was a surprise as I don't normally relate to such things.

Enjoy the book I think you'll be pleased.

Whirlwind

 

[TruthSeeker]

I haven't yet received my book but it's on order so I'm looking forward to the read and I too have struggled with generic therapy in the past. If it was a physical ailment and it was to do with a specific body bit the GP would pass on to specialists yet they don't think to do that with trauma survivors. The system does not make sense at all. :) it was nice to get a reply @berlinda linda I'm looking forward to the read and discussion with you if you'd like.

Now my experience with the book was that I'd get a little foggy at times....so I read it a chapter at a time, and usually reread the chapter a second time. It has really good information on the brain, trauma, and other health disorders connected to trauma.....really a good read.

 

[Shadoe]

@Whirlwind Thank you for the reccomendations, I've tried Pete Walkers book, it was a good place to start understanding some things but I felt it was a bit fixed with certain types of people when everyone is different and can have multiple ways of coping throughout different life stages. I'm looking forward to opening up to spirituality, I totally shunned all religion when my trauma happened I was just a really angry teenager. I do want explore that side to myself again in a way where I'm not pressured to believe anything or follow a code to living

Now my experience with the book was that I'd get a little foggy at times....so I read it a chapter at a time, and usually reread the chapter a second time. It has really good information on the brain, trauma, and other health disorders connected to trauma.....really a good read.

Thanks I tend to get foggy headed as well with reads like these but I'll try to pace myself. Thank you for your reply, knowledge is power.

 

[TruthSeeker]

Thanks I tend to get foggy headed as well with reads like these but I'll try to pace myself. Thank you for your reply, knowledge is power.

For me, it happens with most of the books....but it seems to be not so foggy these days. That is a good book....

 

[Eagle3]

I got that book as a gift from my aunt who just started private practice as a therapist. I'd been wanting to read it for a long time, and had been able to sit in on a couple of seminars the author taught at a job I had a while back. I LOVED this book, although I had to read it slowly as some parts would trigger me. I would read a chapter, and if something came up I would discuss the issue with my therapist next session. After finishing that book, I passed it to a friend with some raging, yet undiagnosed CPTSD, and told him to read it slowly. He's now finally seeking therapy as he can afford it. As for me, it certainly helped put some things in perspective and gave me a better framework for talking with my T about some things.

I'd always known conventional therapies weren't cutting it, and preferred dealing with Somatic or Experiential therapies. I also went the spiritual route, but only with the guidance of my excellent trauma T since religions can be a HUGE trigger for me!

Yes, the book is absolutely essential reading for anyone with PTSD, but tread carefully. Maybe keep a journal with the book so you can jot down notes or issues that come up?

 

[Shadoe]

I got that book as a gift from my aunt who just started private practice as a therapist. I'd been wanting to read it for a long time, and had been able to sit in on a couple of seminars the author taught at a job I had a while back. I LOVED this book, although I had to read it slowly as some parts would trigger me. I would read a chapter, and if something came up I would discuss the issue with my therapist next session. After finishing that book, I passed it to a friend with some raging, yet undiagnosed CPTSD, and told him to read it slowly. He's now finally seeking therapy as he can afford it. As for me, it certainly helped put some things in perspective and gave me a better framework for talking with my T about some things.

I'd always known conventional therapies weren't cutting it, and preferred dealing with Somatic or Experiential therapies. I also went the spiritual route, but only with the guidance of my excellent trauma T since religions can be a HUGE trigger for me!

Yes, the book is absolutely essential reading for anyone with PTSD, but tread carefully. Maybe keep a journal with the book so you can jot down notes or issues that come up?

Thanks for the input and I do keep a journal so I will be writing more with the book. I do have a trauma therapist and will be discussing it with her. What a wonderful gift you gave to someone. You sound so lovely helping a fellow friend out like that. More power to you :) I think I'll take it slowly

 

[Teasel]

Be happy to talk about it yes @Shadoe :)

I loved Pete Walker's website, found the information there really helpful, but I found his books repetitive and not as good.

We're all different aren't we
Best :)

 

[Wendell_R]

I read The Body Keeps the Score as homework with my therapist shortly after I was diagnosed with PTSD. The book was useful in helping me see the many ways that PTSD affects us and understand why my prior talk therapy (with another therapist, and prior to being diagnosed with PTSD) had not worked too well.

My one warning is that the edition that I read (about 4 or 5 years ago) was a bit outdated clinically. I remember reading that childhood-trauma PTSD didn't respond too well to EMDR, but in the end, EMDR has been one of my therapeutic mainstays. I also didn't figure out from reading the book how my personality is 'fractured' into parts. That came a couple of years later. So, I think the book is good as long as you look at it as expanding your view of PTSD, and stay aware that there are even more possibilities out there beyond the scope of the book.

 

[Freida]

BKTS is my ptsd bible....every time I read it I find some thing new to learn.
But... It took a long time to get thru it the first time because there were a ton of triggers