LETTER: Gold standard book available at the Town of Oyen Library

I am delighted and encouraged to discover in The Echo on April 24 that the Town of Oyen Library has acquired a copy of Bessel van der Kolk’s exceptional book, “The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma.” From my perspective it is of gold standard. While it will likely be “heavy” reading for those who don’t usually read non-fiction books, members of a book club, for example, might take up the challenge. I can guarantee it will create much intense insight and debate. 

To simplify a complex subject like trauma, Dr. van der Kolk refers to this study. Two groups of dogs are confined in separate cages. Group A dogs are suddenly exposed to loud, “ear-piercing” sounds. Group B are simply caged with no loud sounds. When the cage-doors are opened to free them, Group B dogs jump and leap out. Group A dogs don’t move – they are immobile, frozen – the “freeze response.”

As a long-time cancer patient who has been involved in multiple exercise studies, I can recognize the “freeze response” in my own demeanor as well as others.   

Moreover, I had the added advantage of attending a workshop conducted by Dr. vander Kolk in 1991 and subsequently gained much experience and exposure due to my involvement in many traumatic events and disasters. 

Some people may be prone to say, “Oh, such horrible things never happen here!” My reply would be: “The body keeps score, but the scorekeeper may be frozen in Group A.”

Bernie Krewski