The Soul Also Keeps the Score: A Trauma-Informed Companion to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius

by Robert McChesney SJ

Gain insights into the intersection of Ignatian spirituality and mental health in the healing of trauma.
 
Research suggests that up to 70% of adults will experience a traumatic event in their lifetime. But where does this affliction reside? The bestselling book The Body Keeps the Score introduced readers to the neurobiology of trauma, demonstrating how terror and isolation inhabit and reshape both brain and body. But what about trauma’s effects on the soul? In The Soul Also Keeps the Score, Jesuit counselor and chaplain Father Robert McChesney argues that psychology must be complemented by insights from the discipline of spirituality.      
 
In this pioneering work, McChesney interprets the classic sixteenth-century mystical text of the Spiritual Exercises as born in violence to the body and soul of their author, the traumatized, battle-wounded-turned-saint, Ignatius of Loyola. Grounded in Ignatius’s colorful narrative and influential pathway to God, McChesney insists that the two languages of mental health and spirituality can speak in one voice. Whether you are a spiritual, pastoral, or mental health professional, member of the care circle, or wounded seeker, The Soul Also Keeps the Score unlocks a treasure trove of fresh insight and hope.

216 pages, Paperback

Published May 19, 2025

Reviews

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was somewhat over my head, but it has sent me on a journey to know more. Although I have a certificate in spiritual direction, I am not an expert in Ignatius or the Spiritual Exercises (we did learn something about his life and also the Examen.) However, I am now determined to go deeper, to make the exercises with a guide, and to learn more about Ignatian spirituality.

Also, this is a great book for the intersection of moral injury, trauma and spirituality. Indeed, in healing of trauma, for people of faith, spirituality plays a great part. Highly recommend.

[Elizabeth McInerney · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a licensed psychologist, who works with people navigating complex trauma, I was absolutely delighted to read Fr. McChesney's book. The Soul Also Keeps the Score is a true gift to the trauma field, as it thoughtfully intertwines empirical research, theological considerations, and clinical applications. This book addresses one of the fundamental questions of humanity: in the midst of extreme suffering, how does one find meaning, and by extension healing? Ignatius of Loyola serves as a key example of how traumatic experiences can be transformed into catalysts for personal and social change. While clearly rooted in Catholicism, I believe that this book is accessible to people of all faiths and backgrounds. It is an absolute must read for mental health clinicians who specialize in trauma.

[Ashley Chesnut · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book wasn’t what I expected.

It was helpful in distinguishing moral injury from post-traumatic stress, and I appreciated how the author used St. Ignatius’ story to exemplify moral injury and how “the soul keeps the score” of what we experience and do.

However, what I thought the book would focus on turned out to only be 1 chapter (the final chapter), which is a trauma-informed consideration of the Exercises. I wish this would have been more of the book’s focus.

I recommend having familiarity with St. Ignatius and his Spiritual Exercises before reading this book.

[Athena Nazario · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book was an unexpected gift. I’m a recent convert to Catholicism, my conversion has been very bumpy. And often, reading kept me on track even when I felt undone and rejected. Baptized and confirmed in the Catholic Church, I’m still seeking. And while decades of therapy with clinical psychologists has brought much change to my life, there are wounds that only God can heal. Even with the conversion, I feel a need I couldn’t name. Reading this book expanded my understanding of injuries to the soul, healing and God. I believe that after reading this book I now have the language and broader context to ask for spiritual help. The structure of the book was a good mix of academic content, narratives from survivors, and an experiential interpretation/storytelling that reframes the way in which St Ignatius traumas’ informed and brought forth the spiritual exercises. I look forward to continuing to learn much more about Ignatian Spirituality. While Spiritual Directors are the target audience for this book, it is also a helpful read for survivors seeking spiritual direction and perhaps even for Pastors, those involved in shepherding people in OCIA and Therapists/Psychologists interested in the intersection between psychology and spirituality/religion.

[Christine Eberle · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this ambitious undertaking, Robert McChesney SJ embodies the Ignatian principle of cura personalis: care for the whole person. Convinced by decades of work with traumatized individuals that a siloed approach to care undermines holistic recovery, he brings spiritual and psychological insights to the table and insists that they have a conversation. The Soul Also Keeps the Score is part color commentary on the life and legacy of soul-wounded swashbuckler-turned-saint Ignatius of Loyola, part deep dive into cutting-edge research in trauma studies. Though one half or the other could leave readers feeling a bit out of their depth, that’s where the most profoundly injured among us dwell. Don’t we owe it to those in our care to row out and meet them there? Here Father McChesney has crafted a sturdy and engaging vessel, navigating the turbulent waters among disciplines in the service of that most Ignatian of goals: to help souls.

[Claudia McI. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am writing to strongly -- and without reservation – recommend “The Soul Also Keeps Score” by Robert McChesney, S.J. (Liturgical Press, Collegeville MN, 2025). The book discusses an important but rarely discussed topic, namely, the intertwined spiritual and mental health needs of traumatic victims. Father McChesney brings his topic to life by recounting the harrowing, real-life experiences of recent victims of war, sexual abuse, and other violent, human suffering. His writing helps the reader appreciate the mental as well as the physical impact of violence on its victims. And, most importantly, Father McChesney offers thoughtful strategies for effectively intertwining spiritual therapies with mental health treatments. Thus, the book offers an inspiring guide for all of us to learn how to work together, alleviate human suffering, and create and support more productive lives for our fellow citizens worldwide.

[William Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a trained Ignatian Spiritual Director and giver of the Spiritual Exercises. It’s hard to summarize the dramatic and wide ranging impact of McChesney's work on my ministry. I will mention just some of the gifts: the book revealed to me dimensions and growing edges of my own spiritual accompaniment ministry that I had not clearly perceived. I was put in touch in a more intimate and prayerful way with trauma that I have experienced; and - I experienced a spiritual renewal through a more absolute embrace of the call to integrate Ignatian spirituality with allied helping skills. Now I desire to explore the vocational “more” toward which the themes in the book seem to be drawing me. All I can say is “wow” and “thank you and the Spirit for this gift.” William Thompson

[John Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fr. Rob reminds all of us the importance of spiritual narratives when supporting individuals who have experienced trauma.

[Marian Bart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as helpful as I was hoping for, more of a college essay proposing the connection than a guide for those who do this work daily.