As a homemaker and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who juggles family responsibilities and a profession, it’s not uncommon for me to feel overwhelmed. Since self-care starts at home, I decided to study Polyvagal Theory to update my understanding of the physiology of self-regulation.

Terms to know

Polyvagal Theory – Polyvagal Theory according to Steven Porges – Our nervous system is like a triangle upside down, with the bottom point at the brain stem. The circuits in the brain stem receive messages from the rest of the body and send them to the brain. 

The three organizing principles are:

Hierarchy: The autonomic nervous system responds to the body and signals in the environment through three pathways. These are: dorsal vagus (immobilization), sympathetic nervous system (mobilization) and the ventral vagus (social engagement and connection.) (Dana, p. 7)

Neuroception: Dr. Porges’ term to signify how the autonomic nervous system responds to cues in the environment. Neuroception is below the conscious, thinking level. (Dana, p. 7)

Co-regulation: To feel safe, we need to be connected to people we trust.

Autonomic nervous system – (ANS) controls the functions of the organs, such as the heart, stomach, and intestines. The ANS functions automatically, without our awareness. 

The autonomic nervous system has three parts; the sympathetic, parasympathetic and enteric nervous systems. The autonomic nervous system responds to cues to assess risk and take action for safety.

In past years, when we talked about stress management, we referred to the fight-or-flight response. Currently, we have added the freeze response, and restoration to social engagement. This updated view of self regulation, based on neuroscience, brings us a powerful approach to help us restore ourselves to optimal functioning.

(Dana, D. (2018). Section 1: Befriending the Nervous System. In D. Dana, The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy (pp. 3-15). New York: W.W. Norton.)

(Dana, D. (2018). Chapter 4: The Personal Profile Map. In D. Dana, The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy (pp. 58-65). New York: W.W. Norton.) and

Stanley Rosenberg on the Healing Power of the Vagus Nerve

A few months ago, I came across a book called Accessing the Healing Power of the Vagus Nerve by Stanley Rosenberg . Stanley Rosenberg, a veteran massage therapist practicing in Denmark, has observed that hands-on body work brings clients back to social engagement and helps conditions such as anxiety, phobias, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, Depression, and ADHD.

Based on Stephen Porges, PhD’s Polyvagal Theory, the exercises in Part 2 of Stanley Rosenberg’s book function to adjust the nervous system from fight, flight, or freeze to social engagement. Two of the exercises are the Basic Exercise and the Salamander. A quick search in YouTube found short demonstrations which are easy to try.

(Rosenberg, S. (2017). Accessing the Healing Power of the Vagus Nerve. Berkeley: North Atlantic Books.)

With little risk of self-harm, and possible restoration to social engagement, these are worth trying: