What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe Body Keeps the Score
Bessel A. Van der Kolk · Book · 2015
If you loved The Body Keeps the Score, start with Hidden Brain (Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam, 2026) — a podcast on the same thread. Below: 4 films, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to The Body Keeps the Score across media.
If you loved The Body Keeps the Score, you value how these stories externalize the internal, often invisible, mechanics of human trauma.
Films on the same thread
The Sixth Sense
M. Night Shyamalan · Film · 1999
Explores: Grief, Redemption, Childhood Trauma.
Much like the clinical insights in The Body Keeps the Score, this film explores how suppressed memories of childhood trauma manifest as haunting psychological burdens that demand resolution.
Under the Skin
Jonathan Glazer · Film · 2014
Explores: Alienation, Predatory Sexuality, Humanity vs. Inhumanity.
While The Body Keeps the Score examines the somatic reality of trauma, this film uses body horror to visualize the profound alienation and identity crisis of someone detached from humanity.
To the Bone
Marti Noxon · Film · 2017
Explores: Eating disorders, Mental health, Rehabilitation.
This narrative mirrors the recovery process detailed in The Body Keeps the Score, focusing on the difficult, non-linear path of rehabilitating one's relationship with their own physical form.
Inside Out
Pete Docter · Film · 2015
Explores: Emotional Growth, Mental Health, Importance of Sadness.
This story offers an accessible look at the emotional regulation discussed in The Body Keeps the Score, showing how our internal states shape our perception of reality and growth.
Series on the same thread
Marvel's Jessica Jones
Melissa Rosenberg · Series · 2015
Explores: PTSD, Trauma, Abuse Survival.
Jessica Jones embodies the lingering symptoms of PTSD described in The Body Keeps the Score, demonstrating how survivors navigate daily life while wrestling with the shadows of past abuse.
It's Okay to Not Be Okay
Park Shin-woo · Series · 2020
Explores: healing through love, emotional baggage, found family.
This series reflects the healing potential of human connection found in The Body Keeps the Score, as characters address their deep-seated emotional baggage through vulnerability and shared support.
True Detective
Nic Pizzolatto · Series · 2014
Explores: Moral Ambiguity, Existentialism, Corruption.
The characters here are haunted by their pasts in ways that echo the trauma patterns in The Body Keeps the Score, where professional duties collide with unresolved internal psychological wounds.
The Good Doctor
David Shore · Series · 2017
Explores: Outsider Perspective, Overcoming Prejudice, Professional Growth.
This show highlights the importance of neurodiversity and social integration, bridging the gap between clinical observation and the human experience central to the studies in The Body Keeps the Score.
Podcasts on the same thread
Hidden Brain
Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam · Podcast · 2026
Explores: cognitive bias, human behavior, interpersonal dynamics.
If you appreciated the analytical rigor of The Body Keeps the Score, this podcast provides an ongoing exploration of the interpersonal dynamics and cognitive biases that define our mental lives.
Huberman Lab
Scicomm Media · Podcast · 2026
Explores: self-optimization, evidence-based living, cognitive health.
This podcast serves as a direct extension of the neurobiological research in The Body Keeps the Score, offering evidence-based insights into how we can optimize our brain health and functioning.
Keep exploring
Common questions
When was The Body Keeps the Score originally published?
The Body Keeps the Score was originally published by Viking Penguin in 2014. The edition often cited by readers was subsequently released in 2015.
Who is the author of The Body Keeps the Score?
The Body Keeps the Score was written by Bessel A. Van der Kolk. The book details his research and clinical work regarding the effects of trauma on the human body and mind.
Are there other versions or adaptations of The Body Keeps the Score in the catalog?
There are no other source-material or adaptation siblings of The Body Keeps the Score currently in the catalog. The book stands as a singular work by Bessel A. Van der Kolk.
Is The Body Keeps the Score a recent publication?
The Body Keeps the Score is not a recent publication. It was first released by Viking Penguin in 2014, with the 2015 edition becoming the widely recognized version for readers interested in the author's trauma research.