Bessel van der Kolk is one of the major figures in the conception and treatment of trauma and post-traumatic stress. Among his many books are Traumatic Stress: The Effects of Overwhelming Experience on the Mind, Body and Society (2006), Psychological Trauma (1987), and Overcoming Trauma through Yoga: Reclaiming Your Body (2011).

On last week's On Being (NPR), Krista Tippett talks with van der Kolk about some of the newer body-centered approaches to treating trauma and traumatic stress.

Restoring the Body: Bessel van der Kolk on Treating Trauma with Yoga, EMDR, and Healing Therapies

July 11, 2013

Human memory is a sensory experience says psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk. Through his longtime research and innovation in trauma treatment, he shares what he's learning how bodywork like yoga or eye movement therapy can restore a sense of goodness and safety. And what he’s learning speaks to a resilience we can all cultivate in the face of the overwhelming events that after all make up the drama of culture, of news, of life.

• Listen: Radio Show/Podcast (mp3, 51:23)

• Unedited Interview: Bessel van der Kolk (mp3, 79:05)

Voices on the Radio

Bessel van der Kolk is Medical Director of the Trauma Center at the Justice Resource Institute in Brookline, Massachusetts. He’s also Professor of Psychiatry at Boston University Medical School. His books include Traumatic Stress: The Effects of Overwhelming Experience on the Mind, Body and Society and Overcoming Trauma through Yoga: Reclaiming Your Body.

Production Credits

• Host/Executive Producer: Krista Tippett
• Senior Editor: Trent Gilliss
• Senior Producer: David McGuire
• Technical Director: Chris Heagle
• Coordinating Producer: Stefni Bell

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