Maybe You Should Talk to Someone vs The Body Keeps the Score
Which should you read?
The Quick Answer
Read Maybe You Should Talk to Someone if you want a structured, research-forward explanation of how trauma lives in the body and brain — and you’re okay reading slowly with breaks. it’s best if you’re already in therapy (or considering it) and want a map of modalities and concepts.
Read The Body Keeps the Score if you want a warm, story-driven, behind-the-scenes look at therapy that makes the process feel real and approachable. it’s easier to binge (especially on audio) and often lands well when you’re in a life transition or feeling stuck.
Read Maybe You Should Talk to Someone first to build trust, hope, and emotional vocabulary — then use The Body Keeps the Score as the deeper reference for mechanisms and treatment options. Together they balance ‘human experience’ with ‘clinical explanation’.
At a Glance
The Vibe — Compared
Who Should Read Which?
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone
- •Want to understand what therapy actually feels like (sessions, setbacks, boundaries)
- •Prefer story-driven, conversational writing with real emotional payoff
- •Need a gentler, more human entry point than a heavy trauma textbook
The Body Keeps the Score
- •Want a framework for understanding trauma in the body and brain
- •Can handle dense material and will read slowly with breaks
- •Want a map of trauma treatments rather than a motivational memoir
What the Crowd Says — Head to Head
“I found Maybe You Should Talk To Someone by Lori Gottlieb very ... the body keeps the score. But I didn't find the book helpful beyond ...Read more”
r/“I'm on a bit of an audiobook binge and looking for recs! So far, I've really liked these classics - "The Body Keeps the Score", "Attached", "On Becoming ...”
r/“... The Body Keeps the Score or Attached). https://alifelessmiserable ... Maybe you should talk to someone. Adult children of emotionally ...Read more”
r/“I read The Body Keeps The Score last year and loved it. I loved the research, the stories and overall the application of the read to real life. I've since ...”
r/“I really enjoyed Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb. She's a therapist who touches on the things she learned in her practice and ...Read more”
r/“How much of "The Body Keeps the Score" is a (secondary) trauma dump? ... Same goes for the trauma dump book, maybe you should talk to someone by ...Read more”
r/Where They Overlap
- Both normalize emotional pain by giving it context — one through science, the other through lived stories.
- Both point readers toward support (therapy, reflection, better relationships) rather than “white-knuckling it alone.”
Where They Diverge
- The Body Keeps the Score is trauma-education and treatment landscape; Maybe You Should Talk to Someone is a therapy memoir that helps you see yourself in the characters.
- TBKTS can be activating and dense; MAYSTTS is usually more approachable and bingeable (especially on audio).
Still Can't Decide?
Are you trying to understand trauma mechanisms and treatment options (EMDR, somatic work, etc.)? → Start with The Body Keeps the Score — it’s built to explain the why and map the territory.
Do you want something you can read quickly (or binge on audio) without feeling emotionally overwhelmed? → Maybe You Should Talk to Someone is the smoother entry — conversational, episodic, and often funny.
Do you have support (therapist, group, trusted person) to process heavy material if it comes up? → Then The Body Keeps the Score is safer to tackle — you can pause, skip, and process as needed.