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We have learned that trauma is not just an event that took place sometime in the past; it is also the imprint left by that experience on mind, brain, and body. This imprint has ongoing consequences for how the human organism manages to survive in the present. Trauma results in a fundamental reorganization of the way mind and brain manage perceptions. It changes not only how we think and what we think about, but also our very capacity to think.
— Bessel van der Kolk
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "We have learned that trauma is not just an event that took place sometime in the past; it is also the imprint left by that experience on mind, brain, and body. This imprint has ongoing consequences for how the human organism manages to survive in the present. Trauma results in a fundamental reorganization of the way mind and brain manage perceptions. It changes not only how we think and what we think about, but also our very capacity to think." in the context of "" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source:
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 19, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
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About Bessel van der Kolk
Bessel van der Kolk (born 1943) is a psychiatrist, author, researcher and educator who was born in the Netherlands and is now based in Boston, USA. Since the 1970s his research has been in the area of post-traumatic stress.
About Bessel van der Kolk
Bessel van der Kolk (born 1943) is a psychiatrist, author, researcher and educator who was born in the Netherlands and is now based in Boston, USA. Since the 1970s his research has been in the area of post-traumatic stress.
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