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Quote by Bessel van der Kolk

“If a mother cannot meet her baby’s impulses and needs, [quoting Donald Winnicott] ‘the baby learns to become the mother’s idea of what the baby is.’ Having to discount its inner sensations, and trying to adjust it its caregiver’s needs, means the child perceives that ‘something is wrong’ with the way it is. Children who lack physical attunement are vulnerable to shutting down the direct feedback from their bodies, the seat of pleasure, purpose, and direction.”

Quote by Bessel van der Kolk

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Bessel van der Kolk
Bessel van der Kolk

Bessel van der Kolk is a renowned psychologist and author specializing in the study and treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). His work has had a profound impact on understanding the psychological effects of trauma and how to effectively treat trauma survivors. more

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