POLYVAGAL INFORMED THERAPY

Polyvagal informed therapy is based on Polyvagal theory, originated by Dr. Stephen Porges, which provides a physiological and psychological understanding of how and why people move through a continual cycle of mobilization, disconnection, and social engagement. Based on this theory our Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) is the foundation upon which our lived experience sits. We come into the world wired to connect. Connection and feeling safe is our birth right. “With our first breath, we embark on a quest to feel safe in our bodies, in our environments, and in our relationships with others. The autonomic nervous system is our personal surveillance system, always on guard, asking the question “Is this safe?” Its goal is to protect us by sensing safety and risk, listening moment by moment to what is happening in and around our bodies and in the connections we have to others”.

Understanding Polyvagal Theory

As Dr Porges explains this listening happens far below awareness and far away from our conscious control. Understanding that this is not awareness that comes with perception, Dr. Porges coined the term neuroception to describe the way our autonomic nervous system scans for cues of safety, danger, and life threat without involving the thinking parts of our brain. Neuroception is detection without awareness. It’s automatic and it’s been shaped based on our early life experiences. Because we humans are meaning-making beings, the wordless experiencing of neuroception drives the creation of a story that shapes our daily living.

According to Porges, “We all come from dysfunctional families.  The issue is not whether our family was dysfunctional but whether we can put meaning to the experience of our lives.” Our autonomic nervous system is all about safety.  Polyvagal Theory offers precise science to understanding how the vagus nerve, one part of this system, which connects the brain, to the heart, to the viscera (the organs of the belly), relates to our human ability to connect and communicate with each other.  Learning about the vagus nerve allows us to understand our coherent human nervous system and how it predictably relates to stimuli it encounters as varying degrees of safety and danger. Through the lens of Polyvagal Theory, we see the role of the autonomic nervous system as it shapes human’s experiences of safety and affects their ability for connection. The autonomic nervous system responds to the challenges of daily life by telling us not what we are or who we are but how we are.

Trauma interrupts the process of building the autonomic circuitry of safe connection and sidetracks the development of regulation and resilience. People with trauma histories often experience more intense, extreme autonomic responses, which affects their ability to regulate and feel safe in relationships. The extreme behaviours are autonomic actions in service of survival—adaptive responses ingrained in a survival story that is entered into automatically. Trauma compromises our ability to engage with others by replacing patterns of connection with patterns of protection. If unresolved, these early adaptive survival responses become habitual autonomic patterns. Therapy through a Polyvagal lens, supports clients in re-patterning the ways their autonomic nervous systems operate when the drive to survive competes with the longing to connect with others.

Benefits of Polyvagal Informed Therapy

Some key benefits of Polyvagal Informed Therapy include:

Stress Reduction: It helps individuals manage stress by teaching techniques to regulate the nervous system, leading to a calmer and more relaxed state.

Trauma Healing: This therapy is effective in processing and healing emotional and psychological trauma by addressing the body's physiological responses to past experiences.

Emotional Regulation: Clients learn to identify and manage intense emotions, fostering emotional balance and stability.

Improved Relationships: By enhancing self-awareness and self-regulation, individuals can improve their interactions with others and build healthier relationships.

Increased Self-Compassion: Polyvagal Informed Therapy often leads to a deeper sense of self-compassion and self-acceptance.

Enhanced Communication: It can improve interpersonal communication by reducing emotional reactivity and promoting effective expression.

Resilience Building: Clients develop resilience to life's challenges and can better adapt to adversity.

Reduction in Anxiety and Depression: This therapy may alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression through nervous system regulation.

Self-Empowerment: Individuals often feel more in control of their emotional responses and more empowered to manage their mental well-being.

Mind-Body Connection: Polyvagal Informed Therapy strengthens the awareness of the mind-body connection, allowing for a more holistic approach to healing and growth.

Who Is Polyvagal Informed Therapy For?

Polyvagal Informed Therapy can be highly beneficial for a wide range of individuals. It is particularly well-suited for those who struggle with stress, anxiety, trauma, emotional regulation, and interpersonal challenges. People dealing with a history of trauma or those seeking to understand and manage their physiological responses to stress can find significant relief through this therapy. It is also valuable for individuals who wish to enhance their emotional resilience, improve their relationships, and deepen their mind-body awareness. Ultimately, anyone looking to better understand and regulate their autonomic nervous system for the sake of emotional well-being and overall mental health can benefit from Polyvagal Informed Therapy.

Excerpt from: Dana, Deb A. The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation (Norton Series on Interpersonal Neurobiology). W. W. Norton & Company.