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Tell me why it hurts

ABC 172: On the man behind our trauma

Aug 6, 2023
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If you run in similar circles to me, “The Body Keeps the Score,” psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk’s surprise bestseller about the nature of traumatic stress, has become a cultural icon. It’s the kind of book—like “The Overstory” or “Sapiens”—that even if people haven’t read it, they either want to read it or feel like they already have.

I fall into the latter camp. I haven’t read the book, but between the title and the number of my friends who either gush about somatic therapy or have become fluent in amateur therapy speak, I feel like I get the gist.

Before I started reading this NYMag profile, I had an image of van der Kolk in my mind—a jolly Dutch shrink, whose life’s work just so happened to intersect with a society looking for language for its pain. But the real story has many more twists and turns.

The article is the perfect kind of magazine piece—you’ll leave with a deeper understanding of why “trauma” seems to be everywhere and who the man behind its popularization really is.

Here’s the piece: Tell me why it hurts

Book updates:
  • I contributed to this NYT article about why following your passion is overrated.

  • Today is the last day to register for the next cohort of my course.

Warmly,
Simo 

P.S. The song of the week is the closest thing Mac Miller had to a sing-along. Perfect summer track :). The full songs of the week playlist is here.

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Tell me why it hurts

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Matthew
Writes Thoughts & Prayers
Aug 6Liked by Simone Stolzoff

Read this earlier in the week. Good profile and interesting to learn about his demeanor. Great song choice, too!

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