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Lesson 5: Do’s and Don’ts for Supporting Traumatized Colleagues and Loved Ones | Bessel van der Kolk

Posted

March 18, 2026

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Have you ever heard someone refer to their partner as a “fixer-upper”? As if the person would gain in value, or make a great partner once, like an old house, their “wiring” is updated?

It doesn’t usually end well when you start a relationship with the goal of changing the other person. In fact, psychiatrist and neuroscientist Bessel van der Kolk warns against viewing others as needing to be “fixed,” especially trauma survivors.

In this video lesson, he offers advice on how to best accept and support the survivors in your life, including encouraging them to engage in self-investigation.

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About Bessel van der Kolk:

Bessel van der Kolk MD spends his career studying how children and adults adapt to traumatic experiences and has translated emerging findings from neuroscience and attachment research to develop and study a range of treatments for traumatic stress in children and adults.

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Lesson 5: Do’s and Don’ts for Supporting Traumatized Colleagues and Loved Ones | Bessel van der Kolk · Big Think · Sentinel