Film Six

Clinical Applications of the Polyvagal Theory

with Deb Dana, LCSW

In the words of Deb Dana, LCSW, founding faculty at the Polvyagal Institute, and author of the marvelous book The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy, "When I teach Polyvagal Theory, I tell my clients that they are learning about the science of safety–the science of feeling safe enough to fall in love with life and take the risks of living." In this deep-dive with Deb, we explore a) a taxonomy of trauma (types of exposures) and why we say that trauma is in the nervous system and not the event, the three organizing principles of Polyvagal Theory, namely 1) heirarchy, 2) neuroception, and 3) co-regulation, and then explore the BASIC framework that she has developed (Befriend, Attend, Shape, Integrate, and Connect). This film includes the practices of Autonomic Mapping, and Glimmers.

Related Practices:

For a brief overview of the Polyvagal Theory, see A Brief Illustrated Guide to the Polyvagal Theory. See The Polyvagal Theory (The Science of Safety). See Interoception, The Daisy Model of Regulation, and Turning Your Nervous System into Your Ally. For trauma healing, see Healing Trauma, and Deviations from the Nest: ACES. For evolutionary considerations, see The Evolved Nest. To consider the relationship between neural platform and ethics, see Triune Ethics Theory. For other Polyvagal perspectives, see A Polyvagal Perspective on Resilience, 3 Steps: Assess, Down-Regulate, Connect, Autonomic Mapping, Core Neurobiological Self. To think about Polyvagal Theory in the context of relationships, see Healthy Relationships. For addressing particular nervous system states, see Coming out of Fight, Coming out of Flight, Coming out of Freeze, Calming Anxiety, Releasing Fear. See Embodied Movement, Learn to Set Clear Boundaries, Meditation, Sleep, Tracking Physiology, Ways of Knowing (Refining Intuition). See Glimmers.

Who taught us this?

The Polyvagal Theory is the pioneering work of Dr. Stephen Porges, PhD. Deb Dana is Founding Faculty, with Dr. Stephen Porges, of The Polyvagal Institute. She is the author of The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy, Polyvagal Exercises for Safety and Connection, and the forthcoming Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory. She is co-editor, with Dr. Stephen Porges, PhD of Clinical Applications of Polyvagal Theory, of which this deep learning platform, our Official Polyvagal posters, and our Restorative Practices of Wellbeing book/app are also examples.

Teach me how

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Who taught us this?

The Polyvagal Theory is the pioneering work of Dr. Stephen Porges, PhD. Deb Dana is Founding Faculty, with Dr. Stephen Porges, of The Polyvagal Institute. She is the author of The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy, Polyvagal Exercises for Safety and Connection, and the forthcoming Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory. She is co-editor, with Dr. Stephen Porges, PhD of Clinical Applications of Polyvagal Theory, of which this deep learning platform, our Official Polyvagal posters, and our Restorative Practices of Wellbeing book/app are also examples.

Teach me how

Humans have probably always been awed by the natural world.

More about this if we know it...

Video: Distill | Photography: Stein Egil Liland | Licensed from Pexels.com, used with permission.