Bessel van der Kolk

Bessel van der Kolk, MD, is the book’s narrator and chief researcher, and is also the focus of several of its anecdotal pieces of commentary. He has several decades worth of varied experiences of trauma, ranging from his own personal experiences of abuse as a child, through his years of training as a doctor with a particular interest in trauma and its effects, and into his current situation as a lead researcher into various innovative healing techniques. He comes across as both experienced and compassionate, knowledgeable and sensitive to the experiences and needs of others. At times, he ‘reveals an inclination towards activism – that is, as having a passionate interest in, and commitment to, changing the way society and government view trauma and its treatment.

One of the most significant aspects of how van der Kolk presents himself and his work is as...