This week’s New York Times Magazine featured an in-depth article about the work of Bessel van der Kolk and his work in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) through somatic avenues (i.e., the body). It’s a pretty balanced article, which is appreciated even though I am a fan of his work. It would be great if … Read more
We, as therapists, see the results of intergenerational trauma (also known as transgenerational trauma) in our offices all of the time, especially with incest and/or neglect. The work of the interpersonal neurobiologists demonstrates that many of the cognitive beliefs and affect dysregulation in mental illness result from faulty or absent attachment bonding. [Aside: It’s interesting … Read more
Dr. Bessel van der Kolk is past President of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Professor of Psychiatry at Boston University Medical School, and Medical Director of the Trauma Center at JRI in Brookline, Massachusetts. His books include Traumatic Stress: The Effects of Overwhelming Experience on Mind, Body, and Society, as co-editor (2006), Psychological … Read more
I posted a briefer version of this on my Facebook page yesterday, but I wanted to add some more depth to it here. This is part of my preparation for a talk I will be giving to Tucson Police Department (TPD) detectives to help them better understand the experience of sexual trauma survivors. One of … Read more