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The Big Think Interview

The Big Think Interview

Bessel van der Kolk: The body’s silent record of trauma

May 19, 2026 · 59m

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On this episode

About this episode

Trauma doesn’t vanish when danger does. According to psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk, the body acts as an archive, holding fear, pain, and survival instincts long after the moment passes. Van der Kolk explains why conventional treatments for trauma fall short, and the promising new pathways to healing that science is revealing.