Bessel van der Kolk is a Dutch-American psychiatrist and researcher who is widely recognized for his pioneering work in the field of trauma and its effects on mental health. He is the founder and medical director of the Trauma Center in Boston, Massachusetts, and is a professor of psychiatry at Boston University School of Medicine. He has authored several books, including The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma, which has become a classic in the field. He has also been featured in numerous documentaries and television programs, and has been a keynote speaker at conferences around the world. His research has helped to shape the understanding of how trauma affects the brain and body, and how to best treat it.