Bessel van der Kolk famous quotes

Last updated: Sep 5, 2024

People have a range of capacities to deal with overwhelming experience. Some people, some kids particularly, are able to disappear into a fantasy world, to dissociate, to pretend like it isnt happening, and are able to go on with their lives. And sometimes it comes back to haunt them.
-- Bessel van der Kolk

#Kids #People #Goes On
Trauma really does confront you with the best and the worst. You see the horrendous things that people do to each other, but you also see resiliency, the power of love, the power of caring, the power of commitment, the power of commitment to oneself, the knowledge that there are things that are larger than our individual survival. And in some ways, I don't think you can appreciate the glory of life unless you also know the dark side of life
-- Bessel van der Kolk

#Commitment #Caring #Dark
The single most important issue for traumatized people is to find a sense of safety in their own bodies,
-- Bessel van der Kolk

#Issues #People #Safety
The parent-child connection is the most powerful mental health intervention known to mankind.
-- Bessel van der Kolk

#Children #Powerful #Parent
Traumatized people chronically feel unsafe inside their bodies: The past is alive in the form of gnawing interior discomfort. Their bodies are constantly bombarded by visceral warning signs, and, in an attempt to control these processes, they often become expert at ignoring their gut feelings and in numbing awareness of what is played out inside. They learn to hide from their selves.
-- Bessel van der Kolk

#Past #Self #People
You can't see the glory of life if you haven't seen the dark side of life.
-- Bessel van der Kolk

#Dark #Sides #Glory

Kids are dying from causes of sexual activity. You're not going to find a tombstone stating that Frankie died because he was a virgin.
I have a dog and sometimes I'll be the littlest kid with my dog and marvel at his ears and his nose and how he looks at me. If he died, I'd bawl like a baby.
As a kid, I always wanted to obviously win a Super Bowl. Now that I've got one, it's like, 'Now what?' Let's go get another one!
Anyone who meets you and doesn't want to get to know you and be part of your life is stupid. I saw it when I was just a kid." "No. You thought I was a vampire and you wanted to be my friend so I wouldn't eat you." "Well, that too. But I found out soon enough you weren't a blood sucker and I still licked you.
My girl and my kid gets the best, always.
Facts are what pedantic, dull people have instead of opinions.
Often we want people to pray for us and help us, but we always defeat our object when we look too much to them and lean upon them. The true secret of union is for both to look upon God, and in the act of looking past themselves to Him they are unconsciously united.
Before I go on stage I pretend that everyone loves me.
The worst happens, and life still goes on.
All men have a sweetness in their life. That is what helps them go on. It is towards that they turn when they feel too worn out.

Bessel van der Kolk famous quotes

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