"The Body Keeps the Score" Review: How Mindfulness, Yoga, and Hypnosis Aid Trauma Recovery Introduction

The Body Keeps the Score by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk is a groundbreaking exploration of how trauma imprints itself on both the mind and body—and more importantly, how healing is truly possible. If you or someone you love has experienced trauma, this book isn't just informative—it's essential. It bridges neuroscience, psychology, and holistic healing, empowering readers with both understanding and practical tools. While its primary focus is on established trauma therapies, the book’s emphasis on body-based and mindfulness practices makes it a powerful resource for those seeking holistic alternatives—like hypnosis.

In this review, we’ll dive deep into how The Body Keeps the Score outlines the nature of trauma, why traditional talk therapy isn’t always enough, and how body-oriented methods such as yoga, mindfulness, and hypnosis can unlock healing that lasts.

What is The Body Keeps the Score All About?

Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, a pioneer in trauma research and therapy, draws on decades of clinical experience, personal stories, and cutting-edge research to paint a vivid picture of how trauma rewires the brain and reshapes the body. Trauma isn’t just a memory in the mind; it’s a physiological experience that embeds itself in muscle tension, posture, breath, and even immune system function.

He outlines how traumatic experiences—whether from childhood abuse, war, neglect, or sudden loss—disrupt the normal functioning of the brain's key regions: the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex. These disruptions often lead to symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, dissociation, emotional dysregulation, and chronic physical illness.

More importantly, Dr. van der Kolk makes a compelling case that healing trauma requires more than just talking about it.

The Body Remembers What the Mind Tries to Forget

The book’s title says it all: trauma lives in the body. The tension in your shoulders, the shallow breath, the racing heart, the gut-wrenching anxiety—all of it can stem from unresolved traumatic experiences.

Van der Kolk explains that while traditional talk therapy has its place, many trauma survivors remain stuck in a loop of reliving their experiences without resolving them. The reason? Talking alone doesn't fully reach the parts of the brain and body where trauma hides.

That's why The Body Keeps the Score explores a wide range of somatic therapies—body-based methods—that can help trauma survivors reconnect with themselves and find peace in their bodies again.

Yoga, Meditation, and Mindfulness as Trauma Therapy

One of the most powerful parts of the book is how it validates practices like yoga, meditation, and mindfulness as legitimate and effective trauma treatments. These aren’t just “New Age” trends—they’re ancient tools that help regulate the nervous system, reconnect with the breath, and anchor the survivor in the present moment.

• Yoga helps survivors feel safe in their bodies again. Through slow, intentional movement and breath control, trauma survivors can release stored tension and retrain their nervous systems to recognize safety.

• Mindfulness cultivates nonjudgmental awareness of thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations. This is essential for trauma survivors, many of whom have learned to dissociate or suppress their experiences just to survive.

• Meditation, particularly body scan and loving-kindness techniques, helps establish internal calm and develop self-compassion—an area often deeply wounded in trauma survivors.

Dr. van der Kolk doesn’t just mention these methods in passing—he devotes significant portions of the book to their benefits, backed by research and case studies. He also discusses how incorporating these practices into treatment plans can dramatically improve outcomes for people who haven’t responded well to traditional talk therapy alone.

Hypnosis: An Underrated Tool in Trauma Recovery

Although hypnosis isn't a central focus of the book, its absence presents an opportunity to fill in the gap.

As a certified hypnotherapist, I can confidently say that hypnosis complements the healing modalities championed in The Body Keeps the Score—especially in its ability to access the subconscious and safely revisit traumatic memories for reframing and release.

Here’s how hypnosis aligns with van der Kolk’s principles:

• Hypnosis is body-aware. Hypnotherapy guides individuals into a deeply relaxed state where the body’s stress response quiets, allowing for somatic tension to be gently addressed.

• It fosters a safe inner environment. Hypnosis allows for trauma processing in a controlled, dissociative state—similar to how EMDR or guided meditation works, but with more precision.

• It reprograms the trauma loop. By working directly with the subconscious, hypnosis helps change the emotional associations linked to past events, rewiring the brain’s interpretation of the memory and replacing fear with calm and empowerment.

• It integrates well with mindfulness. Hypnosis and mindfulness both train the mind to observe thoughts and bodily reactions without judgment. Many hypnotherapists (myself included) use mindfulness techniques in sessions for grounding and long-term self-regulation.

The fact that The Body Keeps the Score places so much emphasis on alternative therapies makes it fertile ground for hypnosis integration. While Dr. van der Kolk highlights EMDR, neurofeedback, yoga, and drama therapy, hypnotherapy fits comfortably among these methods and deserves more attention in the trauma recovery conversation.

Key Takeaways from The Body Keeps the Score

1. Trauma changes the brain and body. It’s not just psychological—it’s physical, neurological, and hormonal.

2. Talk therapy alone may not be enough. Body-based interventions are often necessary to access and release stored trauma.

3. Yoga, mindfulness, and meditation are powerful healing tools. They restore the mind-body connection, soothe the nervous system, and create a sense of inner safety.

4. Healing is possible. With the right tools and support, trauma survivors can reclaim their lives.

5. Holistic healing is the future. Integrative therapies like hypnosis have the potential to transform trauma recovery by engaging both the mind and the body.

Why Hypnosis Deserves a Seat at the Table

Hypnosis, like yoga and mindfulness, helps regulate the nervous system, reframe internal narratives, and establish a sense of inner control. Its power lies in accessing the subconscious—the part of the mind where trauma tends to hide and fester.

Imagine combining the body-awareness of yoga, the presence of mindfulness, and the depth of hypnosis. That’s not just therapy—it’s transformation.

If you’ve read The Body Keeps the Score and felt seen, but still haven’t found full relief, hypnosis might be your missing piece. It can serve as a bridge between awareness and healing, between knowledge and peace.

Final Thoughts

The Body Keeps the Score is more than a book—it’s a revelation. It shifts the narrative around trauma from "What's wrong with you?" to "What happened to you?" And more importantly, it offers a road to recovery grounded in science, empathy, and the wisdom of the body.

Whether you’re a trauma survivor, a therapist, or simply someone curious about how the body and mind intertwine, this book is must-read.

And if you’re looking for a way to integrate these insights into your own healing journey, hypnotherapy offers a gentle, effective, and empowering path forward.

Call to Action

Have you read The Body Keeps the Score and felt like it described your story? You're not alone—and you don’t have to heal alone either. If you're ready to explore how hypnosis can help you regulate your nervous system, reframe your story, and reclaim your life, book a session today at WaltonHypnotherapy.com, Mybesthealer.com, or call/text 757-339-6603.

Your body remembers—but it can also release. Let’s help you find your peace.