The Body's Living Memory

For decades, the Western approach to mental health centered almost exclusively on the mind, treating trauma as a purely psychological issue to be resolved through talk therapy. However, pioneering researchers like Dr. Bessel van der Kolk have revolutionized our understanding by proving that the body is the primary vessel of our traumatic experiences. In his seminal work, The Body Keeps the Score, van der Kolk argues that trauma is not just a story we tell, but a visceral, physiological reality. When we experience an overwhelming threat, our cognitive brain can shut down, but our sensory, emotional brain imprints the experience deeply. These imprints are not stored as coherent narratives, but as fragments of sensory information: a terrifying image, a gut-wrenching feeling, a specific sound, or a physical sensation of tension. This is why traditional talk therapy can sometimes fall short; it attempts to access a story the thinking brain may not have even recorded. The body, however, remembers everything. The unresolved energy of these experiences becomes trapped, leading to a host of physical and emotional symptoms that can persist for years, from chronic pain and autoimmune disorders to anxiety and depression. Understanding this mind-body disconnection is the first step toward true healing.