Applied Polyvagal Theory in Action

Course Introduction with Dr. Scott Lyons

Scott Lyons opens The Expert Series with a framing of the work ahead — what it means to learn from legacy teachers whose contributions have shaped the fields of somatic therapy, trauma healing, and embodied transformation.

Module 1 — Therapeutic Yoga for Trauma Recovery

Arielle grounds the work in polyvagal theory and yogic philosophy, then moves into a guided embodied practice you can follow along with.

• The foundations of polyvagal theory: ventral vagal, sympathetic, and dorsal vagal states
• Yogic parallels through sattva, rajas, and tamas
• Interoception, proprioception, and neuroception as tools of self-knowing
• Five types of therapeutic yoga intervention: discovering, centering, balancing, energizing, and calming
• A guided yoga practice rooted in choice, invitation, and felt safety
• Q&A on trauma releasing exercises, asymmetrical tension, and working with teen clients

Module 2 — Vagal Toning for Nervous System Regulation

Simple, portable practices for daily nervous system care — for yourself and the people you work with.

• What vagal tone, vagal efficiency, and heart rate variability really mean
• The "science, soma, and soul" framework as a model for embodied healing
• A guided vagal toning practice tracing the vagus nerve through eyes, jaw, throat, chest, diaphragm, and abdomen
• Cyclic sighing, the diving reflex, the Valsalva maneuver, and rhythmic breath practices
• "Glimmers to glows" as a daily resourcing practice
• How to integrate these tools into clinical work or personal life

Module 3 — Unwinding Shame: Perspectives from Polyvagal Theory, Interpersonal Neurobiology & Somatic Psychology

A tender, unflinching exploration of shame and its place in the nervous system.

• Why shame is often a "safe place" — its protective function and how it binds anger, fear, and sadness underneath
• The compass of shame: withdrawal, avoidance, attack-self, attack-other
• Vulnerability vs. accessibility (drawn from Arielle's conversation with Dr. Stephen Porges)
• Betrayal trauma, the fawning response, and the link between shame and dissociation
• Earned (or "learned") secure attachment and the role of co-regulation in healing
• Practices for turning toward shame with compassion rather than fleeing it

• Understand the foundations of polyvagal theory — including the ventral vagal, sympathetic, and dorsal vagal states — and how each shows up in the body
• Recognize the roles of interoception, proprioception, and neuroception in nervous system awareness and regulation
• Practice trauma-informed yoga grounded in the principles of choice, invitation, and felt safety
• Apply five types of therapeutic yoga interventions: discovering, centering, balancing, energizing, and calming
• Use simple, portable vagal toning techniques you can practice anywhere — on a mat, in a chair, between sessions
• Explore shame through the integrated lenses of polyvagal theory, interpersonal neurobiology, and somatic psychology
• Cultivate the conditions for co-regulation, accessibility, and self-compassion in your relationships and your work
• Build a personal practice that supports nervous system flexibility, embodied presence, and emotional resilience