Polyvagal Theory: Addressing the Physiological Roots of Physical and Mental Health
This content was gathered from a live session with Dr. Arielle Schwartz in the July 2024 Healing Developmental Trauma Summit. To learn more about becoming a Member of The Embody Lab and access the complete recordings of the entire Summit Click Here. LEARN MORE.
The Polyvagal Approach: Establishing Safety and Connection Through the Vagus Nerve
Polyvagal Theory is often referred to as the science of safety, but can perhaps be better reframed as the science of connection. "Poly" means multiple, and "vagal" refers to the vagus nerve, which extends throughout the body, reaching the inner ear, facial muscles, and the larynx (which influences vocal tone). It also surrounds the heart and lungs, affecting heartbeat and breathing patterns, and even travels down into the gut where you get all those intuitive “gut feelings” that let your brain know what your body is experiencing.
Understanding the Nervous System Through a Polyvagal Approach
Polyvagal theory locates the nervous system within the individual (as well as within a social context) and helps to explain how and why our nervous systems interact in order to communicate cues of safety and connection, allowing us to feel understood in the presence of others. It also highlights how our nervous systems detect disconnection, sensing danger in our environment or from those around us. The adage “no one lives on an island” reflects this idea: no nervous system operates in isolation. Instead, our nervous systems can communicate through various channels, including facial expressions, body language, and vocal tone.
When Trauma Overrides Vagus Nerve Communication
When experiencing trauma, people are often faced with the need to override the instinctual gut feeling their vagus nerve attempts to communicate to them about whether something was safe or not. That act of overriding the signals can create conflict within the innate biological sense of knowing. It can occur developmentally and it can occur societally, especially if you’ve lived in a world or environment where it doesn’t feel safe to be your authentic self.
Settling practice
The Importance of Brain and Nervous System Integration while Healing Trauma
Brain integration and nervous system integration in the healing of trauma is an essential component to healing. The brain aspect can include approaches like EMDR, and can help to coordinate and build connections across different parts of the brain. Yoga is wonderful for this as well. There are a lot of strategies within yoga that can help build those connections that are so important when healing the nervous system. Watch this video with Dr. Arielle Schwartz to explore this a little more deeply….
Tiered Responses to Stress
Polyvagal Theory also emphasizes the conversation around the concept of there being a tiered response to stress. To really process this response cycle, we’ll need a good understanding of what Ventral Vagal and Dorsal Vagal are.
The Ventral Vagal system resides above the diaphragm and goes into what we call our social engagement system, prioritizing social connection as a biological imperative. The Dorsal Vagal system allows us to rest and digest when we feel safe. It sits below the diaphragm and goes into our digestive and reproductive organs.
The tiered response to threat suggests that most people go through a predictable way of navigating threats in the world. If they sense or encounter a threat, they’re going to try to resolve it and restore a sense of safety through connection. If that is not possible, then they’ll go into the sympathetic nervous system, which is a fight/flight response. If they still can’t get away from the threat, the third tier of a collapse or giving up will happen.
Trauma and The Autonomic Nervous System
What we want to see in terms of the health of the autonomic nervous system is a balanced dynamic between the autonomic branches, so we can move smoothly between the sympathetic and the parasympathetic nervous systems, and that forms the basis of your digestive rhythms, sleep wake cycles, and many other rhythms throughout the day. Trauma disrupts those rhythms and can lead to dysautonomia, or dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system.
Enhancing States of Connection and Wellbeing
“Health is not defined by the absence of disease; it is recognized by the presence of well-being” - World Health Organization
If health is recognized by the presence of well-being, then why doesn’t our healthcare delivery focus on this, particularly on cultivating states of well-being? When we’re only focusing on symptoms of distress, we’re actually missing a huge part of the equation by not focusing on what supports our wellbeing, feelings of safety, and connection. Polyvagal theory gives us some tools to enhance those states.
Why Polyvagal Theory Plays an Essential Role in Treating Trauma
Polyvagal Theory addresses the physiological roots of physical and mental health symptoms by enabling a compassionate understanding and treatment of nervous system imbalances. This approach often employs psychosensory interventions, such as yoga, havening touch, EMDR, tapping techniques, and various somatic therapies, which address both psychological beliefs and physiological factors. Central to the theory is the recognition that our nervous systems constantly assess whether situations or people are safe, dangerous, or life-threatening through subconscious cues. By developing conscious neuroception—awareness of autonomic signals in the mind, body, breath, emotions, and energy—we can better understand the current state of our nervous system and take proactive steps to support its well-being.
Join Dr. Arielle Schwartz and our other world-leading faculty to learn more about the power of somatics to heal trauma at our upcoming Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy Certificate Starting in September 2024.
About Dr. Arielle Schwartz
Arielle Schwartz, PhD, is a clinical psychologist, internationally sought-out teacher, certified Kripalu yoga instructor, and leading voice in the healing of PTSD and complex trauma.
She earned her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Fielding Graduate University and holds a Master’s degree in Somatic Psychology through Naropa University.
She is the author of seven books The Complex PTSD Workbook, EMDR Therapy and Somatic Psychology, The Post Traumatic Growth Guidebook, Therapeutic Yoga for Trauma Recovery, and Applied Polyvagal Theory in Yoga.
She is the founder of the Center for Resilience Informed Therapy in Boulder, Colorado. She is dedicated to offering informational mental health and wellness updates through her writing, public speaking, social media presence, and blog.
With over twenty years as a therapeutic yoga teacher, Dr. Schwartz believes that the journey of trauma recovery is an awakening of the spiritual heart. Discover more at drarielleschwartz.com.
