The Body Keeps The Score
Cut along the dashed lines and pass the cards around the table.
What small ritual (a warm bath, a walk, a favorite blanket) helps your body feel safe and settled after a hard day?
Was there a page or idea in this book that made you exhale and think, oh, that is me too?
The book talks about how our bodies remember. What is a comforting memory that lives in your body, like a smell or a song that instantly softens you?
Reading about how connection and safety help us heal, who in your life makes your nervous system feel at ease, and how do they do it?
Van der Kolk explores gentle practices like breath, movement, and touch. Which one felt most inviting to you, and did you feel like trying it after reading?
Did any part of this book make you feel more tender toward your younger self, and what would you want to tell them?
The book suggests healing often happens slowly and in relationship with others. When have you felt genuinely cared for during a hard stretch, and what made it feel safe to lean on someone?
After sitting with this book, what is one gentle way you want to be kinder to your body or mind, and how could this group cheer you on?