When unhealed pain, trauma, and overwhelming stress threaten to drown us, traditional therapy and treatment may not feel like enough. Similarly, we may feel like we don’t have enough time to fully deal with our inner wounds, and tend to rely on the compartmentalization of our internal struggles.
Unfortunately, if we don’t cauterize and intentionally treat our inner wounds, they can adversely and continuously impact our mental and physical health. Thankfully, there are some phenomenal tools and unconventional methods which may bring us the holistic healing we long for and deserve.
Polyvagal therapy is one form of treatment that may bring numerous benefits and relief of the internal burdens we carry through life. By understanding the theory behind the therapy, how it works, polyvagal exercises and more, you may find that it’s a great choice to help you achieve your mental and physical health goals and find the recovery you deserve..
What you need to know about polyvagal therapy
Polyvagal therapy is based on a theory developed in 1994 by the director of the Brain-Body Research Center at the University of Chicago, neuroscientist Dr.Stephen Porges. Dr. Porges’ research led to his discovery that our bodies have three different, interconnected systems that regulate the physiological reactions that impact the ways in which we process past trauma.
The theory-based therapy has soared in popularity in recent years, and its advocates believe that it is a breakthrough, innovative way to treat the trauma that directly affects our nervous system and if not treated, can create various mental, physiological, and physical challenges.
A deeper look at the polyvagal theory
What exactly does the polyvagal theory postulate, and how can it impact your life? After years of study and research, Dr. Porges formed his theory focused on how the autonomic nervous system plays a significant role in regulating our behavior and health.
Applying this theory to your life through focused therapy might have positive effects on your daily routine, your mental health, and your overall physical health.
What is the vagus nerve?
The vagus nerve is a large cranial nerve in your parasympathetic nervous system — a part of the autonomic nervous system. Responsible for bodily functions such as breathing, digestion, heart rate, and your immune system, this nerve is at the heart of the polyvagal theory.
The polyvagal theory states that the vagus nerve is responsible for both your survival mode and ability to connect with others. By increasing the nerve’s activity and ability to communicate with the rest of your body, your relationships and your emotional, mental, and physical health may greatly improve.
The three principles of the polyvagal theory
There are three foundational principles of the polyvagal theory that inform theory-based therapy: Hierarchy of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), Neuroception, and Co-Regulation. Here’s a look at what these principles mean if you’re considering polyvagal therapy:
- Hierarchy of the ANS:
This principle describes how the states of your ANS constantly shift based on how safe you feel, and your fight or flight response. Although your emotions, perspectives, and how you experience life are layered and complex, your ANS informs the basis of these feelings. Porges believes that the ANS is always in one of the following stages: Immobilized (fearful and frozen), mobilized (ready to spring into action or to take necessary flight), relaxed (safe, secure, and confident). - Neuroception:
Neuroception is how your mind, body, and soul respond to the risk alerts your ANS sends. Neuroception allows you to identify people, places, and situations as safe or risky. If your autonomic nervous system is your body’s first layer of defense against danger, neuroception represents the second layer. Nevertheless, when you’re struggling with unhealed trauma, you might instinctively identify imagined risks where there may not be any present. - Co-Regulation:
The principle of co-regulation refers to the subconscious signals of danger or safety that we send to each other when we interact. Co-regulation allows you to connect with others in a deep or satisfying way. When your co-regulation is out of whack, and you’re constantly in fight or flight mode, you may inadvertently send signals that push others away.
How polyvagal therapy works
If you’ve suffered significant emotional, mental, physical, or spiritual trauma, you may feel like you don’t have control over how you react to stressful situations. You may even find that you experience physical pain that stems from the experiences you’ve endured.
Polyvagal therapy uses Dr. Porges’s theory to help you understand where your automatic responses to trauma stem from, and helps to empower you to recognize and manage these responses.
By optimizing and regulating the neural pathways your nervous system uses, polyvagal therapy may help to increase your feelings of safety and peace, and help you to develop resilience that allows you to positively manage stress and your reactions to trauma. This therapy teaches you how to self-regulate your nervous system, calming exercises, and more to allow you to discover the holistic health you deserve.
What does polyvagal therapy include?
In polyvagal therapy, your therapist will teach you a number of exercises that you can also practice at home. These exercises might help you to take control back from the negative effects of your past trauma. Polyvagal therapeutic techniques include:
- Breathing exercises:
Breathing regulation is a vital part of learning to manage your emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual responses to trauma. Learning to breathe with your diaphragm and practicing deep breathing techniques can help to calm your ANS and support emotional and physical well-being. - Grounding exercises:
Grounding exercises are a phenomenal way to connect you to your surroundings and calm your flight or fight response. These exercises are particularly helpful if you struggle with anxiety, panic, and PTSD. By focusing on a particular calming object in your physical space, literally touching the ground, and connecting with nature, polyvagal therapy includes grounding exercises to shift your anxious thought patterns and help you to feel calm and secure. - Mindful movement:
Mindfulness exercises have exploded in popularity for a good reason — you might see almost immediate, potentially beneficial results. In polyvagal therapy, mindful movement like yoga and other stretching routines can help release physical stress and balance and connect your physical and mental well-being.
Conditions polyvagal therapy is used to treat
Polyvagal therapy differs from standard psychiatric therapy as it targets emotional, mental, and physical responses. Advocates of this therapy tout holistic healing results, rather than mental well-being alone. Pain and other adverse physical responses to trauma may improve after consistent polyvagal therapy.
A variety of mental and physical conditions might be treated through polyvagal therapy, including:
- Anxiety
- Chronic pain
- Chronic stress
- Depression
- Digestive issues
- Emotional issues
- Focus and mental clarity issues
- Insomnia
- Low self-esteem
- Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Unhealthy or toxic relationships
Benefits of polyvagal therapy
You may find that the potential benefits of polyvagal therapy can help you to live without letting your past trauma or overwhelming stress control you. Although every individual is different, you might experience the following potentially positive results of polyvagal therapy:
- Ability to practice self-care
- Awareness and regulation of emotional, mental, and physical reactions to trigger situations
- Better sleep
- Reduced chronic pain
- Decreased anxiety and depression
- Emotional balance
- Healthy sleep patterns
- Improved mental clarity
- Increased self-esteem
- Resilience
- Self-management of trauma response and reaction
Connect with Primal Trust
If you struggle with unhealed trauma and significant stress, polyvagal therapy may be a great option for you to consider. You don’t have to walk the road to healing your body, mind, and soul alone. You deserve the freedom of holistic health and the support of a thriving community.
Primal Trust offers compassionate support on your journey to trust, freedom and the ability to overcome trauma. We’re dedicated to helping you find the best ways to break free from the emotional, mental, and physical chains that hold you back from living your best life. Regardless of where you are on your road to recovery, you belong here.
Whether you choose to use polyvagal therapy to help heal your trauma, or want to explore other methods, chronic pain, stress, and trauma don’t have to be a life sentence. We can help to empower you to discover resilience and retrain your brain.
We’d love to connect with you and together, we can find holistic solutions to help you achieve a free and fulfilled life.
