From the Author of ‘The Body Keeps the Score’: How to Stay Resilient in Difficult Times

I attended his lecture in London—here are the key things I learned.

Scientist and psychiatrist Dr Bessel van der Kolk became a global celebrity after his book 'The Body Keeps the Score' was published. Originally written to inspire students to pursue research in trauma, it has sold over 3 million copies.

I'm one of those who bought it, and I can understand why it resonated with thousands of people. It's no wonder many people chose to attend his lecture on a warm evening in London.

I was still surprised to see a long queue winding around the corner outside Troxy, a venue in East London usually booked for concerts. The people in line, dressed in pink fur coats and statement chunky boots, looked like they might be heading to a gig.

But they were actually there to listen to a lecture on trauma by Dr Bessel van der Kolk, a man in his 80s with a quiet demeanor and dressed in a humble dark blue jumper that gave no hint of his status as the world's leading trauma researcher.

I was also surprised that a public lecture about trauma turned out to be somewhat u…