The Body Bears the Burden Trauma, Dissociation, and Disease

"In this groundbreaking integration of neurology, psychology, and evolutionary biology, Dr. Scaer sheds new light on the dynamics of psychological trauma and provides a way to understand and effectively treat its often misunderstood, intractable effects on the mind and body. This book is a must-read for medical and mental-health professionals working with patients struggling with everything from anxiety and PTSD to chronic pain, gastrointestinal distress, and a host of other difficult-to-treat medical disorders." -Ronald D. Siegel, PsyD, assistant clinical professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School and author of The Mindfulness Solution: Everyday Practices for Everyday Problems "In The Body Bears the Burden, Dr. Scaer boldly demystifies the profound debilitating impact of trauma by forcing new conceptualizations that move treatment toward an integrated biobehavioral approach, emphasizing the adaptive functions of our nervous system as it communicates, often outside awareness, between brain and body." -Stephen W. Porges, PhD, professor of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina and author of The Polyvagal Theory "Dr. Scaer brings the best of medical science and scholarship to his study of trauma-related disease. He understands the effect of trauma to be its grip on the autonomic nervous system that alters blood flow, hormonal secretion, and neurotransmitter balances of the brain. This lasting disturbance underlies the majority of diseases listed in the DSM in addition to a large number of baffling medical conditions. This volume is great for the most up-to-date understanding of trauma." -Louis Tinnin, MD, coauthor of The Instinctual Trauma Response and Dual Brain Dynamics