Recommended Resources: Trauma and the Body

Trauma is not experienced only in our thoughts or memories. It can shape the way our bodies respond to stress, relationships, fear, and safety - sometimes long after the original experience has passed. These three books offer helpful perspectives for understanding the connection between trauma, the body, and the process of healing. The Body Keeps the Score - Bessel van der Kolk

One of the most widely read books on trauma, The Body Keeps the Score explores how overwhelming experiences can affect the brain, nervous system, relationships, and a person's ability to feel safe in their own body. Van der Kolk also explores a variety of approaches to healing that move beyond simply talking about what happened and help people reconnect with themselves and their bodies. The Logic of the Body - Matthew A. LaPine

The Logic of the Body brings Christian theology into conversation with contemporary pscyhology and our growing understanding of embodied emotional experience. LaPine challenges overly simplistic ways Christians sometimes think about fear, anxiety, anger, and other difficult emotions, offering a richer picture of what it means to be an embodied person before God.

Trauma and Recovery - Judith Herman

A foundational work in the field of trauma, Judith Herman's Trauma and Recovery examines what happens when people experience prolonged violence, abuse, or powerlessness - and what is needed for recovery. Herman emphasizes the importance of safety, rebuilding connection, and eventually making meaning of what has happened rather than expecting someone simply "move on."

Why These Books?

At Pilgrim House Counseling, we believe the whole person matters. Our stories, relationships, minds, bodies, emotions, and faith are deeply connected. These books differ in perspective, but each helps illuminate an important truth; what has happened to us can shape how we experience the present, and healing often involves more than simply understanding our experiences intellectually.

Sometimes healing includes learning to listen to the body, becoming curious about the patterns that once helped us survive, and slowly discovering that the present can be different from the past.