Podcasts about polyvagal institute

In this groundbreaking episode of The Autism ADHD Podcast, I dive deep into Polyvagal Theory and the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) with Dr. Stephen Porges, and Karen Onderko. Learn how understanding our nervous system can transform therapeutic approaches for neurodivergent individuals. Episode Highlights: Dr. Porges explains how Polyvagal Theory helps us understand the neurobiological foundation of safety, connection, and emotional regulation. Learn about the development and clinical applications of the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) Practical insights for therapists working with neurodivergent clients How parents can support their children's nervous system regulation at home Whether you're a therapist, parent, or educator, this episode provides essential insights into creating safety in the nervous system—a foundation for emotional regulation, social connection, and healing. ❤️ Subscribe to The Autism ADHD Podcast and please share this episode with others who might benefit from understanding Polyvagal Theory and its applications! Sincerely, Holly Blanc Moses  - The Mom/Neurodivergent Therapist CLICK HERE for Holly's ONE STOP RESOURCE - FREE GUIDES and MORE! Learn more about Holly's private practice in North Carolina Learn more about Holly's continuing education trainings for mental health therapists ⭐️Join the Facebook Groups ➡️ Parents, Come on over and join the Autism ADHD Facebook Group for Parents ➡️ Professionals, Join the Facebook Group for Therapists and Educators Click here for "Safe and Sound: A Polyvagal Approach for Connection, Change and Healing" Book Click here to learn more about the Polyvagal Institute

In this episode of the Heal with Kat podcast, Kat sits down with Nervous System Coach, Laura Larios to discuss the father wound, its emotional impact, and how it affects relationships. They explore themes of abandonment, emotional availability, and cultural factors, emphasizing the importance of repairing over perfectionism in healing. The conversation also covers hypervigilance, the search for father figures, and identifying the father wound, even in the absence of a father figure.Laura and Kat highlight the role of grief, forgiveness, and emotional regulation in the healing process, along with the significance of somatic experiences. This episode offers valuable insights for anyone looking to understand and heal from the emotional scars of a father wound, transforming how we relate to ourselves and others.Time Stamps: 00:00 Introduction 03:02 Understanding the Impact of abandonment and criticism14:48 How hypervigilance plays a role and it's effects31:14 Identifying the father wound without a father figure43:00 Reflective questions to ask yourself regarding the father wound Connect with Kat:

Episode OverviewIn this episode of Spiral Deeper, our host, Gaby Azorsky, speaks with Deb Dana. Deb Dana is a clinician, consultant, author, and international lecturer on polyvagal theory-informed work with trauma survivors and is the leading translator of this scientific work to the public and mental health professionals. A founding member of the Polyvagal Institute, Deb developed the signature Rhythm of Regulation® Clinical Training Series: The Science of Feeling Safe Enough To Fall in Love with Life and Take the Risks of Living. By understanding and learning about the nervous system, Deb Dana has created the Rhythm of Regulation® to help humans resolve the impact of trauma in our lives so we may fall in love with life. Deb's work shows how an understanding of Polyvagal Theory is applicable across the board to relationships, mental health, and trauma. Deb believes that we all benefit when we have a basic understanding of the ways the nervous system works and learn how to become active operators of this essential system. Following this passion has led her to offering workshops in partnership with groups and communities outside of the clinical arena - and bringing the Polyvagal perspective to the ordinary, and sometimes extraordinary, experiences of daily living.Together, they dive into rhythms of life, polyvagal theory and her work, our nervous systems, the organizing principles of neuroception, hierarchy, and co-regulation, and more. They also talk about attachment and attunement, safe others to feel nourished, what it means to be regulated as friends/partners/parents, and some ways to start resourcing ourselves to be able to be with what is. Gaby highly recommends this episode if you would like to begin to better understand how our nervous systems function unconsciously, and how we can learn to listen and co-regulate with ourselves and with each other to create lives that are more joyful, grounded, and resilient. Thank you for joining us, and enjoy the episode!To celebrate the growth and magic of Spiral Deeper (and the launch of Season 3!), I am hosting a giveaway with some of my favorite brands. The winner will receive: 1 planner from In Flow, 1 Anxiety Support bundle with Reishi and Lion's Mane from Rainbo Mushrooms, 3 triangle soaps from Wild Lather, 1 copy of the vintage collectors book Country Women with a little prayer bell from the small shop, The Bell up in Mendocino, 1 beaded healing mat for your altar made by Elle McDaniels, and 1 Ritual Rainforest Serum by Earth Archive. To enter: subscribe to the podcast, leave a written review on Apple Podcasts, and share Spiral Deeper on Instagram by tagging Gaby (@gaby.azorsky) and @spiral.deeper in your IG Stories.Special OfferCODE - SPIRALOFFLOWERS for 20% off your first month in The Flower Portal!Connect and Work with GabyInspiring the connection between Heaven and Earth through Reiki, Tarot, Folk herbalism, Clairvoyance, and Meditation. Together, we co-create harmony, clarity, and alignment with your True Essence. I'd love to support you!Visit my website to learn more: gabyazorsky.comFollow me on Instagram: @gaby.azorskyNewsletter - Sign Up HereBook a 1:1 Session: Book HereJoin My Membership, The Flower Portal: Learn MoreWith Spiral DeeperWebsite - Spiral Deeper PodcastInstagram - @spiral.deeperWith Our Guest, Deb DanaWebsite - https://www.rhythmofregulation.com/CreditsSpecial thanks to…Music - Connor HayesSpiral Deeper Icon - Kami MarchandCollaborate with UsInterested in advertising or collaborating with Spiral Deeper? Email gabyazorsky@gmail.com for packages and details.Support the ShowPlease rate, review, and subscribe wherever you listen - it means so much. Be sure to tag @spiral.deeper if you share; thank you for your support!

*Special Release* - LIVE panel discussion with Dr. Stephen Porges at the Clinical Conversations webinar Ann and Sue share a special conversation with Dr. Stephen Porges where they explore how modern attachment meets Polyvagal theory. From the evolution of attachment theory to understanding bodily states and how they influence our interactions, they dive into the intricate relationships between emotional expression, brain function, and therapeutic techniques. Together they explore the Safe and Sound Protocol and its role in promoting engagement as well as insights into the application of these techniques both professionally and personally. “If you want to improve the world, start by making people feel safer.” - Dr. Stephen Porges Time Stamps for How Modern Attachment Meets Polyvagal Theory 06:53 The evolution of attachment theory 21:07 Broadcasting our states in relationships 28:16 Understanding vocal tone and emotional expression 39:31 The role of safe and sound protocol in therapy 43:52 Accessing regulated states through listening therapies 47:31 Exploring the ventral-vagal connection 50:21 Applications of SSP in mental and physical health About Our Guest - Dr. Stephen W. Porges Stephen W. Porges, Ph.D., is a Distinguished University Scientist at Indiana University and founding director of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium. A leading researcher in psychophysiology, he has held professorships in psychiatry and neuroscience and has published over 400 peer-reviewed papers. Dr. Porges is best known for developing Polyvagal Theory, which explores the connection between the autonomic nervous system, social behavior, and mental health. He has authored several influential books and created the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP), a music-based intervention for improving emotional regulation and social engagement. He is also a co-founder and Ex Officio Board Member of the Polyvagal Institute.   Get your copy of Secure Relating here!! Interested in joining our exclusive community? Get early access and discounts to things we produce, plus a totally ad-free private feed. In addition, receive exclusive episodes recorded just for you. Sign up for our premium Neuronerd plan!! Click here!! Our Beyond Attachment Styles course is available NOW! Learn how your nervous system, your mind, and your relationships work together in a fascinating dance, shaping who you are and how you connect with others. Earn 6 Continuing Education Credits – Available at Checkout Online, Self-Paced, Asynchronous Learning with Quarterly Live Q&A's Please support our sponsors for this episode - they keep our podcast free and accessible to all!  Coffee alternative powered by mushrooms! Right now, you can get 20% off plus a FREE starter kit when you shop exclusively Piquelife.com/tu Cure is offering 20% off your first order! Stay hydrated and feel your best by visiting curehydration.com/TU and using promo code TU at checkout. Compare high quality, in-network doctors, choose the right one for your needs, and click to instantly book an appointment. Go to ZocDoc.com/TU   Looking for more? Find Upcoming Events here!! Integrative Attachment Therapy Course Information Therapists: THIS is our recommended course experience for the most comprehensive training on attachment out there. Use our link for a discount! Thanks for stopping by & for being on this journey with us! 

Deb Dana, LCSW, is a clinician, consultant, author, and international lecturer on polyvagal theory-informed work with trauma survivors and is the leading translator of this scientific work to the public and mental health professionals. A founding member of the Polyvagal Institute, Deb developed the signature Rhythm of Regulation® Clinical Training Series: The Science of Feeling Safe Enough To Fall in Love with Life and Take the Risks of Living.A clinician and consultant specializing in working with complex trauma, Deb Dana is widely credited with adapting Polyvagal Theory to trauma treatment. She is, a clinical advisor to Khiron Clinics and an advisor to Unyte-ILS. She is trained in Internal Family Systems, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, and Tapas Acupressure Technique, and she completed the Certificate Program in Traumatic Stress Studies at the Trauma Center. Deb's work shows how an understanding of Polyvagal Theory is applicable across the board to relationships, mental health, and trauma. She delves into the intricacies of how we can all use an understanding of the organizing principles of Polyvagal Theory to change the ways we navigate our daily lives. Deb is well known for translating PVT into a language and application that is both clear and accessible - and for her significant contribution, pioneering Rhythm of Regulation® methodology, tools, techniques and practices which continue to open up the power of PVT for professionals and curious people from diverse backgrounds and all walks of life.​Deb believes that we all benefit when we have a basic understanding of the ways the nervous system works and learn how to become active operators of this essential system. Following this passion has led her to offering workshops in partnership with groups and communities outside of the clinical arena - and bringing the Polyvagal perspective to the ordinary, and sometimes extraordinary, experiences of daily living.

These days, the call for leaders to be adaptable, agile, flexible, clear, focused, and calm could lead many to think it's not okay to feel or that you need to be a robot.We minimize our feelings and put on a brave face until we can no longer fake it, sometimes in the name of being “regulated.”When there's a trend in language or an approach to healing, it can sometimes be reductive in how it's taught, explained, or understood. Concepts drawn from Polyvagal Theory, like regulation and activation, are no exception.How some talk about regulation and dysregulation can create pressure to diminish our humanity so that we don't emote, and cause us to criticize someone if they're upset.In reality, Polyvagal Theory offers a powerful addition to your toolbox for leading yourself and others well while staying aligned with your values. When we work towards helping our nervous systems become more agile and adaptable by putting in the reps and working to understand our systems and our stories, we can offer those we love and lead a greater sense of curiosity, compassion, and connection. And we will have enough boundaries and guardrails to know when to tap out, take a break, and ask for help.Today's guest teaches and discusses these topics so that we can learn to regulate our nervous systems better and connect better with others. Deb Dana, LCSW, is a clinician, consultant, author, and international lecturer on polyvagal theory-informed work with trauma survivors and is the leading translator of this scientific work to the public and mental health professionals. She's a founding member of the Polyvagal Institute and creator of the signature Rhythm of Regulation® clinical training series.Deb's work shows us how understanding polyvagal theory applies across the board to relationships, mental health, and trauma. She delves into the intricacies of how we can all use and understand the organizing principles of polyvagal theory to change the ways we navigate our daily lives. Listen to the full episode to hear:Why regulation is not a static state but an ongoing dynamic experience How understanding the subconscious survival responses of the nervous system under stress can help us learn to regulate and repairWhy we can't discount or dismiss the messages our survival responses are trying to give usHow even micro-moments of responding to our nervous systems' needs can create changeHow building capacity to resourcing regulation increases our capacity to sit with discomfort and struggle in our lives and in the worldHow leaders can use Polyvagal Theory concepts to create connected, collaborative environments for themselves and those they leadLearn more about Deb Dana:Rhythm of RegulationLearn more about Rebecca:rebeccaching.comWork With RebeccaSign up for the weekly Unburdened Leader EmailResources:Stephen PorgesThe Nightingale, Kristin HannahBlue: The History of a Color, Michel PastoureauCéline Dion, Andrea Bocelli - The PrayerHalloween Baking ChampionshipHoliday Baking ChampionshipThe Great British Baking Show

In this enlightening episode of UNLOCKED, we're joined by Deb Dana, LCSW, a globally recognized clinician, consultant, and speaker specializing in Polyvagal Theory and its practical applications. Deb unpacks the transformative concept of “glimmers,” small moments of connection and safety, and explains how they can help us move through life's challenges with greater ease and resilience.Deb shares profound insights into the science behind glimmers, how they serve as a counterbalance to triggers, and how they can foster creativity, problem-solving, and connection. Together, Krista and Deb explore the importance of nervous system awareness, how glimmers build resilience over time, and the ripple effect they create in relationships, communities, and beyond.This episode offers a practical guide to anyone looking to move beyond survival mode, embrace intentional living, and unlock the capacity for joy, hope, and meaningful connection.Key Moments:00:01:33 – Introduction to Glimmers: Deb explains the science and power behind glimmers as tiny moments of safety and connection.00:04:35 – Krista's Snowflake Story: A personal story illustrating how glimmers can shift mental states.00:08:22 – Glimmers vs. Triggers: Deb explains how glimmers serve as a counterbalance to triggers without bypassing suffering.00:15:00 – The Nervous System's Role: Why state drives story, and how glimmers help interrupt survival responses.00:20:24 – Guided Reflection: Deb leads listeners through a simple exercise to identify and appreciate their own glimmers.00:27:06 – The Science of Glimmers: Exploring how these moments reshape nervous system pathways and build resilience.00:39:00 – The Ripple Effect of Glimmers: How sharing glimmers fosters connection and creates collective regulation.00:46:43 – Practical Steps: Deb outlines how to integrate glimmers into daily life and their potential to change the world one nervous system at a time.About Deb:Deb Dana, LCSW, is a renowned clinician, consultant, and speaker specializing in complex trauma and connection. As the leading translator of Dr. Stephen Porges' Polyvagal Theory, she has made significant contributions to understanding how the nervous system shapes behavior, relationships, and well-being.A best-selling author of Polyvagal Practices, Polyvagal Card Deck, and The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy, among others, Deb's work has been featured in Oprah Daily, Newsweek, and HuffPost. She has also shared her expertise on Deepak Chopra's podcast.Deb trains therapists worldwide and collaborates with organizations to integrate Polyvagal principles into leadership and systems transformation. A founding member of The Polyvagal Institute, she also advises Khiron Clinics and Unyte, helping create environments that foster trust and resilience.Connect With Deb:Website: https://www.rhythmofregulation.com/Connect with Owl & Key:Website: www.owlandkey.coInstagram: www.instagram.com/owl_and_key/Everything Else: linktr.ee/owlandkey

Deb Dana, LCSW, is a clinician, consultant, and speaker specializing in complex trauma. She is the leading translator of Dr. Stephen Porges' Polyvagal Theory for both clinical and general audiences, and the best-selling author of Polyvagal Practices, Polyvagal Card Deck, and more. She is founding member of The Polyvagal Institute, a consultant to Khiron Clinics, and an advisor to Unyte. Deb Dana is known for her work coining the term "glimmers" defined by noticing small micromoments of safety. In this episode of the Your Own Medicine Podcast, Deb Dana and Kallie chat about exactly what glimmers are and how they relate to your nervous system. They answer the questions you previously submitted: Why do I feel sad sometimes when noticing glimmers?; What's the difference between mindfulness and a glimmer practice?; Why is sharing so important when it comes to glimmers?; And more... This is an incredible episode with an absolute legend in the somatic psychology world. Give it a listen and let us know what you think. Visit Deb Dana's website athttps://www.rhythmofregulation.com/You can pre-order her upcoming book, "Glimmers Journal: Reflect on the Small Moments That Bring You Joy, Safety, and Connection" at: https://www.amazon.com/Glimmers-Journal-Reflect-Moments-Connection/dp/1324082070?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&gQT=1Connect with Kallie on social mediaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/kali.somatics/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kali.somatics?lang=enCheck out Kallie's Bali Retreat at:https://trovatrip.com/trip/asia/bali/bali-with-kali-somatics-jun-2025?earlybird=true

In this episode of The Wholesome Fertility Podcast, Dr. Amelia Kelley @drameliakelley , a trauma-informed therapist, discusses her journey and insights into high sensitivity, coping mechanisms, and the impact of trauma on mental health. She explores the differences between empathy and compassion, the importance of understanding one's nervous system, and shares her personal fertility journey, highlighting the integration of holistic approaches such as acupuncture and herbal medicine. In this conversation, Dr. Amelia Kelley and Michelle explore the complexities of pregnancy loss, trauma, and the role of the nervous system in fertility. They discuss the importance of letting go of control and embracing spirituality, as well as the dynamics of being a highly sensitive person (HSP). The conversation delves into the benefits of body awareness and how it can aid in healing, while also addressing the challenges HSPs face in relationships and daily life. Ultimately, they highlight the adaptive nature of high sensitivity and its prevalence in the population, encouraging listeners to embrace their sensitivity as a gift rather than a burden.   Takeaways   Coping skills should be viewed as a lifestyle. High sensitivity is a genetic trait, not a flaw. Empathy can have negative health effects. Highly sensitive people require more alone time for regulation. Generational trauma can impact reproductive health. Understanding one's nervous system is crucial for coping. Holistic approaches can aid in fertility journeys. Stress and nervous system balance are crucial for fertility. Highly sensitive people (HSPs) experience the world differently. Body awareness can enhance healing processes. HSPs often respond more positively to therapeutic interventions. High sensitivity is an adaptive trait found in many individuals. Embracing sensitivity can lead to greater self-awareness and compassion.   Guest Bio:   Dr. Amelia Kelley is a trauma-informed therapist, author, co-host of The Sensitivity Doctor's Podcast, researcher, and certified meditation and yoga instructor. Her specialties include art therapy, internal family systems (IFS), EMDR, and brainspotting. Her work focuses on women's issues, empowering survivors of abuse and relationship trauma, highly sensitive persons, motivation, healthy living, and adult ADHD.    She is currently a psychology professor at Yorkville University and a nationally recognized relationship expert featured on SiriusXM Doctor Radio's The Psychiatry Show as well as NPR's The Measure of Everyday Life. Her private practice is part of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium at the Kinsey Institute.    She is the author of Powered by ADHD: Strategies and Exercises for Women to Harness their Untapped Gifts (whichhas a corresponding online support group!), Gaslighting Recovery for Women: The Complete Guide to Recognizing Manipulation and Achieving Freedom from Emotional Abuse, coauthor of What I Wish I Knew: Surviving and Thriving After an Abusive Relationship, as well as Surviving Suicidal Ideation: From Therapy to Spirituality and the Lived Experience, and a contributing author for Psychology Today, ADDitude Magazine, as well as Highly Sensitive Refuge, the world's largest blog for HSPs. Her work has been featured in Teen Vogue, Yahoo News, Lifehacker, Well + Good and Insider.   You can find out more about her work at https://www.ameliakelley.com.   Follow her on Instagram @drameliakelley   https://www.instagram.com/drameliakelley/   https://www.facebook.com/DrAmeliaKelley   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drameliakelley/   https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/in-your-corner       For more information about Michelle, visit: www.michelleoravitz.com   Check out Michelle's Latest Book: The Way of Fertility! https://www.michelleoravitz.com/thewayoffertility   The Wholesome FertilityFacebook group is where you can find free resources and support: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2149554308396504/   Instagram: @thewholesomelotusfertility   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewholesomelotus/     Transcript:     Michelle (00:00) Welcome to the podcast Amelia.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (00:02) Thank you for having me. It's good to see you again.   Michelle (00:04) It's so good to see you. So Amelia's had me on her podcast, the sensitivity doctors in the past, and I would love for you to share your background. I am really interested and very intrigued by what you do because it's something that we spoke about. I totally relate to. I love the fact that you've authored so many books and have such an interesting background. So I would love to have the.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (00:26) Hehehe   Michelle (00:30) audience hear you.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (00:32) Sure. Well, I'm currently in my office. So I'm a trauma informed therapist, professor, and podcaster, which is how you and I met. And I've been in the field for 20 years now. I primarily work with trauma of various forms, but a lot of it is interpersonal trauma, relationship trauma, some issues with sexual abuse, some instances where I also work with per...   a lot of first responders, so cops, doctors, and also folks from the military. So I'd say that my work is kind of an intersection. I sometimes call myself an integrative therapist because just before our session, I was doing a yoga therapy session. I do everything from EMDR, brain spotting, yoga therapy, art therapy is actually my background, sand play therapy.   Michelle (01:02) Mm-hmm.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (01:27) I'm so into the brain too. I mean, I'm not, I would not say that my practice is comprehensive in neurofeedback. We do some minor interventions, but I love referring my clients to practitioners in the area to make sure that their brain health is on par too. And I also love referring to Carolina Clinic of Natural Medicine is my favorite in the area, but they do things like acupuncture and.   Michelle (01:40) Hmm.   Mm.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (01:54) kind of holistic health, which I know really aligns with what you do. So, yeah.   Michelle (01:59) it's interesting because as you start to do anything, you start to find out how many different layers and different ways and methodologies that certain people respond to better than others. there's just so many different methods. And I think that some people just respond better to some.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (02:10) Right.   Right.   yeah. I think that's a great thing about coping skills. First and foremost, I love the idea of obliterating this idea that a coping skill is like work or that it's something that you only do when you're struggling. I think it's more of a lifestyle. And everyone is going to respond differently. Like I know I personally...   Michelle (02:35) Yes.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (02:41) water is very big for me. Like if I'm really stressed or I'm dysregulated, getting in hot water or cold water is very regulating for my nervous system. Whereas I have clients who the last thing they want to do when they're stressed or dysregulated is shower or get in water. It's actually one of the first things that they stop wanting to do.   Michelle (02:51) Mm-hmm.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (03:04) So it's so interesting seeing how we all respond differently, I think, in our own unique nervous system when we're under stress.   Michelle (03:11) Yeah, definitely. I find that also with my patients. mean, some people, be much more open to like things like meditation, other people, there's other ways to self soothing, which I call it, because ultimately, that's really what it is. So yeah, it definitely isn't work. sounds like work.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (03:20) Mm   Mm-hmm.   Right.   Michelle (03:30) but it's not work. think the biggest work is really the strategy and kind of figuring it out. But ultimately it's really there to soothe you at times that you feel overwhelmed.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (03:35) Mm-hmm.   Absolutely. I couldn't agree more.   Michelle (03:44) So let's talk about the sensitive person because I've always felt that that was something that I can describe myself as when I was younger. It was something that I felt I found myself more overwhelmed by noises, by certain people's energy than other people. And people would just be like, you're too sensitive or you focus on things too much. And   Dr. Amelia Kelley (03:52) Mm   Okay.   Michelle (04:08) It was something that I realized, as I met other people like me. I was like, wait, this is kind of a thing. And then when I learned about it, that it really is a thing, I found it really interesting. And it also, I found it very comforting. So it's like, okay, I'm like, I'm not abnormal. Like this isn't crazy. Yeah. So I would love for you to talk about that. So I feel like a lot of people can relate.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (04:14) Mm-hmm.   Mm-hmm.   Mm-hmm.   Right, Mm-hmm.   Definitely, and I know my aha moment was a big deal to me. It was years ago now. I stumbled upon Dr. Elaine Aaron, who is kind of the pioneer of some of the modern research on high sensitivity on her documentary, Sensitive, the Untold Story.   And it was one of those light bulb aha moments that made so much of my life make sense. Interestingly though, when I dug a little deeper, she was not the of the originator of this. It was actually research done in the 80s on babies and their responses to different stimuli. Things like they had...   Michelle (04:59) you   Mm.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (05:17) auditory stimulation with like a creepy face making sound. had light stimulation, physical stimulation. And what they found was that the babies who were more reactive, they were calling high reactive babies, you know, which down the road became high sensitivity. But the really interesting thing is that the researchers went and followed up with these babies who are now in their midlife, you know, they're in their   I'd say probably 40s at this point, 30s and 40s. And they're finding that those high reactive babies still are more reactive adults. And so this doesn't mean someone who's highly emotional or can't control their temper when we think of reactivity. It's more, what is your reaction to sensory input? And certain brains, it is genetic.   Michelle (06:07) Mm-hmm.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (06:10) So it's a predisposition. It is a genetic trait. It is not a diagnosis. It is not something to fix. It is rather something to learn from and grow with and manage and live life in that way. And so it's highly genetic. And for that reason, I'm not surprised I have kids who are definitely highly sensitive. And high sensitivity can express in so many different ways. It can look like   Michelle (06:10) you   Mm-hmm.   Mm-hmm.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (06:39) hypersensitivity to medication, sensitivity to light, to sound, to being rushed to other people's emotions. That's a big part. The empathy piece is very strong. I think it's really important to understand the difference between empathy and compassion when we consider highly sensitive people. you, like when I say that, does that make sense to you? Do you want me to unpack that?   Michelle (06:52) Mm-hmm.   It does. mean, so what I'm perceiving in that is that empathy is kind of like almost giving more of your own personal energy to something versus just feeling compassion and understanding that another person's emotions or perspectives without almost taking it on. I'm not sure if I'm on or not.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (07:08) Mm-hmm.   Well, mean, I think that's we can all define it differently, but I guess if I was going to scientifically define compassion and empathy. So empathy is our ability to feel what someone else is feeling. We all tend to know that definition. However, the interesting thing is that empathy has a negative impact on your immune health and it increases inflammation. Right. And so when we consider the fact that highly sensitive people   Michelle (07:34) Mm-hmm.   Mm-hmm.   Well, that's interesting.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (07:56) have more active mirror neurons, which means the areas of their brain designed to plan social interactions, problem solving around social interactions, and even something as simple as, as a highly sensitive person, one of my ways to decompress is to watch like trashy reality TV at night. And so I will find myself as I'm watching these dating shows, smiling with the contestants.   Michelle (08:15) Yeah   Mm-hmm.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (08:23) or frowning with them. Sometimes I kind of laugh when I catch myself doing it. As a highly sensitive person, those areas of the brain are so much more active. And so it does make us have higher levels of empathy. But when you consider the fact that that can negatively impact your body, if you don't have enough boundaries around them, empathy is pro-social. It helps us get along, but also too much can be draining.   Michelle (08:32) Mm-hmm.   Mm-hmm.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (08:50) And so compassion is actually kind of the anecdote to empathy because compassion is centered around the desire to act or help. And so this, when we think of self-compassion, the act of speaking to yourself kindly is an act. So you empathize for yourself, I feel bad today because I made a mistake. Just thinking of an example. The compassion is,   Michelle (08:50) Right.   Mm-hmm.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (09:18) I'm going to choose to speak to myself kindly and with love because that will be curative for me. Whereas if you stay in an empathy response, you just continue to feel bad about whatever mistake you made, right? And so for highly sensitive people, it's exponentially important to lean into compassion and we can't all go out and save the world all the time. So sometimes this looks like well-wishing meditation.   Michelle (09:24) Done it.   Got it.   Mm-hmm.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (09:46) processing with other like-minded people, those can be ways to express compassion that doesn't all have to be going out. And I remember, do you remember the movie Free Willy?   Michelle (09:58) yeah, but I don't remember if I saw it or I don't remember the actual movie. wait, though. It was the one with the whale, right? Yes. Yeah.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (10:06) Right, it was fiction, obviously, but as an HSP or an HSC at the time, a highly sensitive child, when that movie was over, I was destroyed at the thought of all these whales in the world who need help. And so my gracious parents who encouraged my sensitivity helped me find an organization where could adopt a whale. So it's like, and I mean, who knows what's happening. We probably paid $20 and...   Michelle (10:29) that's cute.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (10:34) I've adopted a whale, who knows, but it was the act of taking my empathy response and putting it into action with compassion that was curative for my little highly sensitive child heart.   Michelle (10:34) Yeah.   Hmm.   That's beautiful. actually really love that. And it also makes you feel like there's more purpose in the feelings that you're having. You're kind of taking the feelings and creating purpose with it.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (10:57) Absolutely. That's such a way of putting it.   Michelle (11:01) And one thing too, that I was thinking about when you were talking about being highly sensitive, which I could tell you right now, I 100 % am self-diagnosed. The nervous system, I think to myself about the nervous system and possibly that having something to do with it, just having a more heightened sensitive nervous system.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (11:09) Mm-hmm   Mm-hmm.   Michelle (11:22) Besides obviously the antidote and kind of like using or acting or doing, to translate the empathy, but as one part of regulating the nervous system, learning to manage the nervous system, doing things like you said, like when you get home, take a shower, do something that really connects with your nervous system, I feel like is a really great tool. And figuring out what that is, is that something that you often look into?   Dr. Amelia Kelley (11:49) Absolutely. Because if you think about just a handful of the questions that I was posing that help you identify if you're highly sensitive, a lot of them have to do with nervous system response. highly sensitives are more responsive to caffeine, drugs and alcohol, pain tolerance, hunger cues even, are more, you know, felt more intensely. So with HSPs, the nervous system, specifically the limbic   system is more active. And this is something that can be seen on actual scans of HSP brains. It is. It's wild. so I was having a really interesting conversation with Michael Allison, who is one of the instructors for the Polyvagal Institute. And he was talking about, I don't think if he really fully bought into the HSP thing, I think he sees everything through the Polyvagal world.   Michelle (12:20) Mm-hmm.   That's so interesting.   Mm-hmm.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (12:48) And which I totally appreciate. There's different ways to look at our nervous systems. But he said something when we were talking about highly sensitive that really struck a chord to your point about the nervous system. He was saying when our nervous system alerts danger and for him that means the vagal break is off and the vagus nerve is overactive, the heart rate is up, fight flight. When we're not feeling safe.   It's usually because we're attending to something we think we need to attend to because it's out of sorts. And so the highly sensitive person, a look on your face could alert danger to me. Like someone seeming off or upset or concerned could signal that. And so for the highly sensitive person,   Michelle (13:23) Mm-hmm.   Mm-hmm.   Mm-hmm.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (13:42) They need more time and research has shown up to two hours of unstructured alone time per day is most quote prescribed for highly sensitive. And so the reason being is that our baseline is higher all the time. And so we need more things to regulate the nervous system so that sounds and things and emotions aren't pulling us out of our safety zone so quickly.   Michelle (13:49) Mm-hmm.   Right.   Mm-hmm.   my God, that makes sense on so many levels. I always felt like I needed, I need alone time. Like after a while, I just need to be by myself. need quiet. I need peace. And I totally understand what you're saying. And then also what's interesting is I remember when I was younger, always being afraid, like if somebody was mad at me or like, I would kind of feel a tone of like, my God, are they mad at me? And I get like really upset. And now I had to like learn to   Dr. Amelia Kelley (14:19) Mm-hmm.   Mm-hmm.   Yes.   Michelle (14:42) just be like, okay, it's not that big of a deal. Maybe they were having a bad day, you know, sort of speak to myself on that, but that makes sense. And then I noticed that with my daughter, if sometimes I'll be busy and I won't respond with like a, you know, a full response, I'll be like, okay, okay, we'll talk later or whatever. Are you mad at me? And I always tell her, believe me, I would tell you I'm pretty clear about like what I'm happy about and not happy, you know.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (14:52) Mmm.   Hmm.   Right.   Michelle (15:07) And, but it's interesting. She'll kind of read between the lines with me. And she's like me, she just took after me. So it's kind of, yeah, so she's 19.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (15:12) Mm   How old is she, I ask? OK, so she's older. I was going to say, I know a great workbook, but it's for younger kids. yeah, she definitely, especially if you are too, it wouldn't surprise me that she would also be highly sensitive because it is so genetic.   Michelle (15:23) Yeah.   And she got like that more as she got older when she went to college than even before, for some reason. I don't know if maybe because she has a lot more going on or, she's starting to regulate on a different level, her nervous system. Cause I think that coming from home, things shift and change.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (15:39) Mm-hmm.   Right.   Totally. mean, think it's research has shown that some high sensitivity traits, you know, can be very present in childhood, but then there's other different types of traits that become more expressed later in life. But   Michelle (16:04) Mm-hmm. Yeah.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (16:06) I also beg to say, let's look at the external factors. You look at someone who is a highly sensitive child who didn't have to raise children, work a job, manage a home. So when you just keep adding more to your exactly, that can make those traits become more expressed too, I believe.   Michelle (16:16) Yeah, right.   Yep, responsibility. Yeah, for sure.   So I want to actually take this into your own journey, because I know you've had your fertility journey, because a lot of listeners, are going through the fertility journey. And I know a lot of people just based on my own clients and patients that are very sensitive and highly sensitive as well.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (16:38) Mm-hmm.   Mm-hmm.   Michelle (16:48) I work a lot with them on, I don't know if you've ever heard of the NADA protocol. It's really good for PTSD. NADA, it's used, it's, yeah, yeah. So NADA, and it's a protocol that they use on the ears. it's like a, it's a series of ear points that we use like altogether.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (16:54) No. I love learning new things. Tell me. NADA. I have nothing to write on. Okay.   Michelle (17:12) And it works on regulating the nervous system. And it actually works amazing on it's even had published studies on working with vets, people with PTSD, like really major PTSD. Yeah. Yeah, I know. It's, it's really, really interesting. And, and also interestingly enough,   Dr. Amelia Kelley (17:23) I need a pen. Let me just grab one.   Do you use the mustard seeds or is it actual needles?   Michelle (17:33) So you could use the seeds. I use needles. I use needles. then some people, no, no, they're not mustard seeds, but they're seeds. And then some of the studies that were published, I think they even added electric stimulation. And what's interesting is it's not just really great for   Dr. Amelia Kelley (17:36) They're probably not called mustard seeds. I forgot what are they actually.   Mm-hmm.   cool.   Thank   Michelle (17:51) PTSD, but it's also really good for addiction. And interesting, if you think about the two, like what do they have in common? They're kind of like, it runs, they run on a loop. You know, it's this repeated either thoughts or behaviors. And it seems to kind of have that in common. Obviously it's two different things, but sometimes can cross over.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (17:56) wow.   Mm-hmm.   Mm-hmm.   I love that. It's funny. It looks like you're on my podcast right now. So I'm like, let me take notes on what you're saying. You're so smart and knowledgeable in these areas. I love it. I will definitely check that out. I would be so curious if that's something that there are, like I said, a lot of veterans and addicts that I work with. And so I'm definitely going to look into that.   Michelle (18:16) So.   No, no, I know. It will...   I feel the same about you. it makes for a great conversation.   Yeah, definitely look into the studies. I think that that's, seeing the studies and seeing the numbers really makes a difference. And so that aspect of it is amazing. And also Joe dispense does work a lot of what he does helps tons of people with PTSD, like, they do scans and study the brains. It's pretty impactful. Yeah. Yeah. So back to you though, I would love to talk to you about how you feel, your nervous system.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (18:47) Mm-hmm.   That's really neat.   Michelle (19:10) Like how were you able to figure out a way to balance yourself through the journey, knowing what you know, and how do you think it's impacted you on that nervous system level and like the trauma, because I know that it can be very traumatic, even though people don't often talk about it like that. It should be, it should be highlighted in that way so that more people have awareness around it because it really is a very difficult process.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (19:16) Right.   Mm-hmm.   Mm-hmm.   Mm-hmm.   Mm-hmm.   Michelle (19:37) has even been compared to a cancer diagnosis. It's really significant.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (19:41) Wow. Well, and I actually have something about my story that integrates the two. So I think when I really look now and I understand my nervous system better, I think that the generational trauma that I was carrying with me into my reproductive years that I didn't understand that I didn't understand my high sensitivity. I didn't have a name for it. I didn't realize that that's what that was. I just thought.   I just felt too much all the time. What I think that was doing was that when I was ready to try to start having a family is that I had been in flight mode. And when people think of flight mode, they think of like running the coop. I had been in flight mode being overly productive. And I laugh because I'm still overly productive, but it's in a different energy now. It's in a completely different energy than it was then. But.   Michelle (20:34) Yeah.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (20:39) This flight mode, think what it was doing is it was putting my nervous system in a state, like you said on my podcast, where it was never able to rest. It was never able to replenish. so my cycle was totally dysregulated. I ended up, I don't know how detailed you want me to get, but I'm happy to share. OK, OK. So I started off, we had tried to get pregnant for a couple of years and it wasn't working. And at the time, I think about it,   Michelle (20:58) you can get as detailed as you need.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (21:09) I was in my doctoral program. I was working at a women's clinic and the methadone clinic and trying to start my practice all at the same time and just live life and be like a normal adult. And so we went the route of Western medicine at first. I love my doctor and he worked with me through the whole journey, but we tried Clomid and I got pregnant. But I think now that I know what I know about egg quality, thank you, Rebecca Fett. She's amazing.   Michelle (21:19) Bye.   Yeah, she's phenomenal. I know I've tried, but she like, she wasn't really doing them. Maybe she is now, but let me know if you get her. She's great. Yes.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (21:40) my gosh, I need to get her on my podcast. Let's like.   We're going to like, we'll just go not tap, tap, tap. Come on. now that I understand what I know now about egg quality, I think that the clomid forced an egg that really wasn't ready to be fertilized. And so we miscarried that baby. And that was the first miscarriage and definitely the most shocking and painful miscarriage. From there, did my, one of my, I think healthier   trauma coping mechanisms is research. And so I just dug in and I created this kind of like wellness plan for my husband and I had like printouts. What I didn't realize is that I was basically creating what Rebecca Fett recommends without realizing what in the world I was doing. And so I had us on a laundry list of vitamins and supplements and all these things. We got pregnant again, very.   Michelle (22:33) and   Mm-hmm.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (22:45) very luckily with our daughter, who is now nine. And then that was the end of that. was like, OK, that went OK. Maybe it was just like that first miscarriage. Lots of people have it, statistically speaking. Then we were trying for our second child. And I feel like that's when I really got introduced to the world that you're in, which is the Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture, because we   I think I had already started working with my acupunctures at that time. again, we were having a hard time getting pregnant. And so they put me on like the most disgusting tea, but it was some sort of tea regimen and these herbs. And I was doing really cool acupuncture to your point with like the little electrodes and all of that. And I did get pregnant again, but that time ended up being a molar pregnancy.   Michelle (23:26) Yeah.   Mm-hmm.   Mm-hmm.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (23:42) which you know what those are assume or I don't know if you're listeners.   Michelle (23:46) Yes, I remember learning about it. haven't had any of my patients have that, but I remember learning about it actually in school.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (23:54) Right. So the trauma of the first miscarriage was, would almost call that like acute trauma, whereas the trauma with the molar pregnancy. So a molar pregnancy, for anyone listening who doesn't know, is when the sperm and the egg join and the DNA markers are not turned on. So no actual baby starts forming, but a mass starts to form. And your body thinks you're pregnant, and so it spikes your HCG actually above kind of average levels.   I thought I was pregnant with twins. was so sick. So I go in and I'm, I want to say eight, seven, eight weeks at that point that I thought and they scanned and there's no baby, which felt like a miscarriage, but it wasn't. But what happened after it was that I still had to do a DNC and then I had to do monthly HCG tests to make sure that my levels were dropping because if your levels of HCG go up at any point, have to   Michelle (24:26) Mm-hmm.   Right.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (24:52) do chemo. So this was this chronic six month period where we couldn't try again. And every month I was going in afraid for my health.   Michelle (25:00) Mm-hmm.   my gosh.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (25:05) Right. So that was a totally different type of trauma. And then we got pregnant again. And that one we lost at 10 weeks because it was a little boy with downs. And then we finally got pregnant with our son that we have now. But I would say during that journey of those miscarriages, that was when I really dug deep into   Things like I was saying, like really taking everything serious with Chinese herbalism, looking at what I was putting in my body, looking at what was around me, my stress level, mean, meditation, really anything I could to balance my nervous system. And to your point, I think the nervous system played a role finally in us getting pregnant with our son because I think when you were on my podcast, I told you that   Michelle (25:47) Yeah.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (25:58) I was doing all these things, it wasn't working, and then finally I did that, quite essential, fine, I give up. I'm not doing this anymore. I went to my acupuncturist and I said, just do stress this time. Don't do any of the fertility treatments, please. I just don't want to even think about it anymore. And then it's so obnoxious to say, but three weeks later we got pregnant.   Michelle (26:04) Mm-hmm.   It's not, it is, it's something that I'm, well, I'm not just, know why you're saying that because people are like, what the heck? Like, it's kind of like the just relax kind of thing. saying just relax is not helpful. That's why people are like, okay, well then how, you know, that's the how, like, how do I relax? so actually let's talk about that. Cause that, that is a big thing. That's a big thing.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (26:32) Right, right.   Right. Well, I I let go of the outcome. Yeah, I think for me, it was letting go of the outcome. And I think that allowed my nervous system to get back to a safer baseline. To your point about asking about high sensitivity, I think what used to be the stress was work and school. The stressor became the goal.   Michelle (26:52) Yeah.   Yes. You know, I just hadn't, an aha, but if you want to continue, I did, I just had an aha. It's like you're taking on the responsibility of the goal. You think that it's all up to you and you're taking that weight on your shoulders. And I think that that's what it is is, and, I'm kind of thinking back cause I had Dr. Lisa Miller. I don't know if you've heard of her. She's yeah, she's amazing. You would love her. And I think she would be great on your podcast. So put her down as a   Dr. Amelia Kelley (27:06) Which, what? Ooh, no, I wanna hear it.   Mmm.   Mm-hmm.   I've heard that name.   and a jotter down.   Michelle (27:32) as an option or somebody. She went through the fertility journey, but separately from that, she's also a professor in Columbia. I think you would love talking to her because you're a professor as well. And she's a psychotherapist and she is studying spirituality in the brain.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (27:41) good. Yeah.   that's interesting. Okay.   Michelle (27:50) It's fascinating. And so they found looking at, scans of brains and how they're functioning, where they're lit up, that spiritual people who are spiritual have different brains, their brains look different. And this could be the same brain of somebody who used to not be spiritual and then became spiritual. It doesn't matter. And what's interesting is, so this is my, as you were talking, not to interrupt, hopefully you're trained a thought, but   Dr. Amelia Kelley (28:05) Interesting.   Mm-hmm.   Michelle (28:18) can come at life taking on the responsibility of every single part of our outcome and like fully micromanaging ourselves and bearing that weight or when we're spiritual, that means that we believe in a higher power or some kind of higher intelligence. We're relying on something else and not carrying all the weight. So we're just basically giving our intention out there, but, but also feeling safe enough. Like you said, safe, word safe.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (28:28) Thank   Mm-hmm.   Yes.   Michelle (28:46) to let go. So that was kind of my heart just came out.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (28:48) Hmm, absolutely. No, I love it. mean, the connection makes so much sense because and it kind of makes me think of why it doesn't have to be quote religion that someone leans into. It doesn't. It can literally be if you're someone listening who is an atheist and staunchly does not believe in a higher power, it could be energy. I mean, we can't there's no denying scientifically there's energy. mean, even   Michelle (29:01) Mm-hmm. No, no, it doesn't have to be religion.   Right?   True.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (29:18) plants have been proven to grow better when we speak to them because of the energy and probably the carbon monoxide, but like you're a carbon dioxide, but not monoxide. I'm not breathing carbon monoxide, but you can't deny energy. even if someone is not religious or I would say, I would want to ask her actually, does this hold true for someone who's not quote spiritual, but   Michelle (29:25) Yeah, yeah, yeah, dioxide. Totally. understood. Yeah.   Mm-hmm.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (29:44) who gives up things to the idea of energy. I want to ask her that.   Michelle (29:48) That's a great question. when you do have her on, let me know, because I'll be listening to the podcast.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (29:53) for sure. For sure. Thanks for the tip for the, I'll definitely check her out and reach out.   Michelle (29:57) Yeah, but it's fascinating. And I think to myself, I think that that might be that trusting in something else, trusting in an outcome or kind of releasing or relinquishing that burden and that responsibility. And that I guess that that was the aha is like taking on that responsibility of really trying to, take on the outcome, like as if you really have all of the responsibility and how it turns out and that burden and that feeling and that blame.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (30:06) Mm-hmm.   Mm-hmm.   Now I'm having an aha. Well, yes, I'm having an aha because high sensitivity. So I was talking about the mirror neurons earlier and the empathy overload with highly sensitives. Highly sensitive people, we do tend to naturally take on the responsibility of other people's emotions. And we also, even one of the questions that Dr. Aaron poses is,   Michelle (30:29) Tell me. This is great. We bounce off each other really well.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (30:54) Do you know how to make people comfortable in a room? Like things like changing the lighting and the volume and the temperature in the room. I think even as a highly sensitive person, we kind of naturally take on the responsibility of the environment. And that's why some HSPs who are not high sensation seekers, who are just, you know, kind of more of the traditional introverted expression of it, they really get overwhelmed in social settings and they don't love hosting.   Michelle (31:19) Mm-hmm.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (31:23) because it's too much to micromanage. I'm a high sensation seeking HSP, so I do enjoy hosting and having people over at my home. However, the hours leading up to the event, I need quiet and calm. I've got like a hairpin trigger nervous system leading up to inviting people in my space, even though I love it. It's like this weird.   Michelle (31:24) you   Mm-hmm.   Hmm.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (31:52) dichotomy. yeah, letting go of responsibility, think, releases the nervous system of a highly sensitive person as well.   Michelle (32:00) Yeah. And it's so interesting that you're saying that because like, I look back at my childhood, I was a really good imitator. And that just makes sense because you pick up on the little details of people's behavior and energy and you mirror that like literally.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (32:09) Mmm. Mm-hmm.   Mm-hmm.   Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. I'm so curious and envious because I'm terrible at accents. Like, terrible. Really? Mm-hmm.   Michelle (32:26) Yeah, I used to, I would do it even when I wasn't trying. I would start to take on like, I would do it on purpose and when I wasn't trying, like I would just pick up on like certain behaviors or certain like tones and things. And I would kind of like take on like the energy of friends that would have very specific ways of talking. And I would almost be like, like I would catch myself. like, that's weird. I don't want to do that.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (32:35) Mm-hmm.   Mm-hmm.   You're like, I don't want to look like I'm really imitating them. This might get awkward.   Michelle (32:55) For sure. But it's just so fascinating. and then you're talking also highly sensitive persons that they could also have glucose sensitivity. You were saying you were talking about the physical sensitivity, right? Like that sometimes it could be allergies or other things and it's not just emotional.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (33:06) Mmm.   Mm-hmm. Well, so if you think about, it's not that they're going to have more unstable blood sugar from a technical medical stance. It's that the highly sensitive nervous system can sense peaks and valleys more than someone who is not highly sensitive. So they might respond more to hunger cues and may feel more   Michelle (33:29) Mm.   Mm-hmm.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (33:39) panic or anxiety or stress in the state of hunger. So they may be more likely to be the person that reaches for something to re-stabilize glucose. But then you can see how depending on someone's metabolic health, that might not fit well into whatever their health goals are. So I think of my non- he's actually quite highly sensitive now, but my husband- I'm going grab water.   Michelle (33:43) Mm-hmm.   Mm-hmm.   Got it.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (34:08) Sorry. My husband, who is a little bit less sensitive and has a more stable metabolic system, when he's hungry, it doesn't cause as much distress.   Michelle (34:08) Sure.   Got it.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (34:20) If that makes sense.   Michelle (34:21) a body awareness thing. because HSPs are probably much more aware of how their bodies feel because a, immediately feel it. And then that impacts their emotions or how they feel mentally. Cause a lot of emotions get processed and they're really felt in the body. think, a lot of times people don't realize that it's why somatic.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (34:39) Mm-hmm.   Michelle (34:43) work can be so beneficial. Have you looked into somatic work?   Dr. Amelia Kelley (34:48) I do offer some forms of somatic work. I am not a somatic-experiencing practitioner. That takes a full, it's almost like a whole separate degree. But I actually find what you're saying very important to highlight, too, because HSPs, while anyone listening might think, goodness, OK, I'm highly sensitive. Now what? Does this just mean that I'm in for it? Everything's going to be harder?   Michelle (34:57) wow.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (35:14) The good thing, the hopeful thing is that HSPs also respond more to positives. So they feel more positive sensation from things like a massage or acupuncture or homeopathy or different aromatherapies. They're really going to benefit from it. I think that's why   Michelle (35:20) Mm-hmm.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (35:39) My HSPs tend to stay in therapy longer. So HSPs are kind of a stronger ratio in therapy, not only because the world can feel more traumatizing at some points for HSPs, but because they just get so much out of it. I think it also leads to things like food can taste even better. Music can sound even more beautiful. Movies can be even more moving. So there's these...   Michelle (35:58) Mm-hmm.   There's benefits.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (36:09) Yeah, there's this, I wouldn't give it up. I wouldn't want to be less sensitive just because it would make me a little bit less likely to reach for a snack in the afternoon. So there's this yin and yang to it.   Michelle (36:14) brain.   Yes.   For sure. I actually like just from my own journey based on that, what I offer a lot of my patients and I always talk to them about it when I perceive that they get overwhelmed by stimulation. That was really how I saw it. I would say that it's not about changing that it's a gift actually, cause it could also teach you to be very aware of other people's feelings and   Dr. Amelia Kelley (36:40) Mm-hmm.   Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.   Right.   Michelle (36:50) And that can be a great thing for healers, to be honest, because you're a lot more likely to be able to understand the people that you're working with. It's not about changing. It's more about managing, kind of figuring out ways to stabilize so that it works for you.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (36:53) Mm-hmm.   Right.   Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.   Right.   Absolutely. And I think that's the whole key of identifying whether or not you're one and why it's important. I've had clients who come in with a laundry list of diagnoses from other practitioners, usually because what's going on is trauma and it's being misdiagnosed as many other things, just my clinical opinion. But when I say maybe you're also highly sensitive, sometimes they just throw their arms up like another thing. And it's like, no, no.   Michelle (37:36) Mm-hmm.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (37:37) This is a key. This is a huge level of insight that can inform everything from your fertility journey for people listening, from trauma, from navigating. Anytime something stands in your way of getting where you want to be, if you know, well, I'm highly sensitive, so I will be more likely to succeed at this thing or accomplish this thing or feel better about this thing if I take my sensitivity into account.   Michelle (38:01) Mm-hmm.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (38:07) Perfect example, I had a very heavy day yesterday. had, I think, eight clients, a podcast, an interview, and a class. It was too much. It was a heavy, heavy day. I get home and my husband had managed to fix the voice-changing microphone toy that my kids have that had been broken that I wasn't rushing to fix. so I come in the house. They run to me. They're so excited to see me, so I'm excited to see them.   Michelle (38:17) Mm-hmm.   Mm-hmm.   Ha ha ha!   Dr. Amelia Kelley (38:35) and then they start in on this microphone. The last thing I wanted was to hear that microphone. But I know I didn't want to ruin their fun. So I know about me that I am going to be sensitive to sound when I'm overstimulated. So I went into my bag. I got my loop earbuds. If no one's ever heard of them, they're great for dampening noise around you, but you can still hear people. Popped my earbuds in. I didn't feel like I had to mask the issue of being sensitive to the noise.   Michelle (38:56) Mm-hmm.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (39:03) My family knows this about me. It wasn't anything against my kids. It was just, I'm going to pop these in so you can still have fun, but I can feel peaceful. And that's, think, a compassionate way to care for yourself is when you know these things about yourself, you can do things to help you still integrate and feel happy and peaceful in your life, but not have to push away what really is true.   Michelle (39:17) Mm-hmm.   I love that. actually really love that. It actually, the idea of highly sensitive, I don't mind it. Although I do think that there's definitely a lot of labels. I don't see this as one because the reason why I'm saying this, it reminds me of human design where you find out your strengths and sensitivities.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (39:42) Yes.   Michelle (39:47) and I think that once you know those, so it's not like a disorder, you know, cause we, think we hear all these different labels. think of it as like all these disorders. It's not no. And so that's the thing with this. I feel like it brings a lot of clarity. I, as a sensitive person   Dr. Amelia Kelley (39:54) Mm-hmm. It's not even a diagnosis.   Michelle (40:05) it really makes me understand myself more and manage it more. Just like you said, and I think that that is the key rather than getting frustrated with my husband who likes to really over explain. And sometimes I'm like, okay, my brain is like just on fire right now. And I have to explain that to, like, I know to explain that to him, like, it's not you, it's just me. He like right now I'm overloaded with information. I need a little quiet.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (40:10) Mm hmm.   Mm-hmm.   my gosh.   Yes.   Right.   Mm-hmm.   Michelle (40:33) So I think that when you do that, you'll also come at explaining things in a way that's more compassionate and easier to communicate rather than getting frustrated because you'll understand yourself better. And you understand sort of the situation that somebody else might not have that level of sensitivity and you do so they may not realize it. And I just feel like it really puts so much clarity to the situation.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (40:41) Right.   Right.   Right.   absolutely. if you happen to have kids or if you're on this fertility journey and in the future you're blessed with kids, the likelihood of them maybe being sensitive is quite high. And so you will be able to model for them. I joke one day, my daughter was probably three or four at the time, and she kept asking me for things in the bathroom. like, what is she doing? I walked in and she was laying in the tub with a book and a cup.   Michelle (41:17) Yes.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (41:30) and a towel over her face. And I'm like, what are you doing? She goes, I'm being mommy. I know, but it made me really proud too, because I'm like, OK, great. So this has been modeled for her. And you know, one thing we didn't even mention that we probably should have mentioned at the very beginning, high sensitivity is not abnormal. It's an adaptive trait. And it is a third. Up to a third of the human population is highly sensitive.   Michelle (41:35) That's really cute.   Yeah.   you   Mm-hmm.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (41:59) And there are ranges. So you have high sensitivity, medium sensitivity, and there are actually people who are low sensitive as well. Like their nervous system takes a lot of stimulation to be activated. And you might notice if you start learning this about yourself, you'll be able to start reflecting on people in your life and how you respond to them. And there might be people you can get to depth with a little bit more easily. Those might be your other co-HSPs.   Michelle (42:12) Mm-hmm.   Mm-hmm.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (42:29) And this is not just humans. The research shows this is in hundreds of animal species, even bugs. So it's everywhere. It's part of nature. It's part of nature, essentially.   Michelle (42:38) Wow, that's fascinating. That's so interesting. It's wild. You know, and I think to myself, like one of the things that I noticed, and it's so interesting that you said this, because I noticed that my patients, One of the things that I really observe is how they respond to treatments. Not everybody responds as quick.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (42:52) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.   Michelle (42:58) Some people take a little longer. so I can come up with like my first protocol, but then I realized I need to shift it a little bit, depending on how they do, or sometimes I'll even use baby needles on people who are very, very sensitive. Cause I don't want to overdo it with their nervous system. They don't need the strong needles. They don't need the strong stimulation cause they feel it already. And the people that have that body awareness   Dr. Amelia Kelley (43:04) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.   Mmm.   Right.   Right.   Michelle (43:22) is that when they have that body awareness, I feel like they respond to treatment a lot faster.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (43:28) Mm hmm. Yep. You're right. Just like we were saying that you'll get more good out of the good.   Michelle (43:31) Yeah. Yeah. Interesting. So interesting. I can talk to you for hours. I really enjoy our conversations. It's a lot of fun. I'll come back and then I'll have you back because I'm sure we can come up with like all kinds of things to talk about.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (43:37) I know I have to have you back now.   Well, and you know the funny thing, so I'll tell your listeners my podcast is The Sensitivity Doctor, and I have folks on all the time to talk about different topics around sensitivity. Do you know I have not had an episode literally just talking about what it means to be a highly sensitive person? I would love to have you on to have a chat about what it means to another highly sensitive person, and we can just unpack it. Because we talk about it extraneously around it, but I'm like,   Michelle (44:04) really?   Let's do it. Let's do it.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (44:16) Yeah, we should just unpack what that means. So I would love to have you back.   Michelle (44:20) That would be great. I really enjoy talking to you. can just like totally pick your brain. You're so interesting to talk to. I got really, and I love your energy and you're also the way you approach it in such an empowering way. I love that. Like I think it's just amazing. yeah, yeah, this is fun. I'm really excited. I actually met you.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (44:26) thank you. You too.   Mm-hmm. Thank you.   Yeah, it was a good it was a good meeting   Michelle (44:41) it was definitely a great meeting. So I would love for you to share for people listening and if they want to learn more, if they want to read your books, how they can reach you and how they can work with you.   Dr. Amelia Kelley (44:47) Mm-hmm.   Sure, so as I was mentioning, I do have my podcast that comes out every Thursday. But if you want to learn basically anything that I have to offer, it's on my website at AmeliaKelly.com, and that's Kelly with an EY. And I have links to my Psychology Today blog. It's called In Your Corner. I've got meditations on Insight Timer on there. There's a couple different quizzes, like if you want to figure out if you're in a...   trauma bond, if you want to learn if you're a highly sensitive person, I have an assessment on there. I also offer what I think to be the most important tools from some of my books that I want to make available to everyone for free, like the safety plan of how to get out of domestic violence situations, suicide safety plan, gas lighting checklist, like some of the things that I feel like everyone really should just have. You don't need to go buy the book.   Those are available too. So you can also find links for all my books and I also have a group that I meet every Tomorrow actually it's meeting. It's every other Thursday It's called powered by ADHD and it's for women with ADHD and sometimes we have guest speakers on which we're gonna have tomorrow night so I'm excited about that and I love that because it's a resource that women anywhere in the world can reach out You don't have to be in the state of North Carolina where I'm licensed. So   virtually anyone who is a woman or identifies as a woman can join that.   of course. Thanks for having me. Yeah, you'll come back. Awesome.  

In this solo episode of The Yoga Therapy Hour, Amy Wheeler dives into the transformative science of Polyvagal Theory. Drawing on her experience as a pod leader for the Polyvagal Institute, Amy explores how understanding the body's response to perceived threats can guide us to greater self-awareness, embodiment, and healing. This episode is a powerful resource for anyone looking to deepen their connection with their body and regulate their nervous system, enhancing resilience and well-being.Key Highlights:Introduction to Polyvagal Theory: Amy introduces the basics of Polyvagal Theory, explaining the importance of understanding both top-down and bottom-up processing in the nervous system.Top-Down vs. Bottom-Up Processing: Amy discusses the difference between cognitive (top-down) and somatic (bottom-up) approaches to processing stress and threat, emphasizing that most data flows from body to brain.Body Safety and Trust: Highlighting real-life examples, Amy emphasizes the importance of listening to the body's signals as indicators of safety or threat, helping individuals discern whether situations align with their well-being.Practical Techniques for Regulation: From walking and dancing to tools like EFT (tapping), Amy shares various techniques to help listeners reconnect with their body and regulate their nervous system.Neurodivergence as a Polyvagal Strength: She explores how individuals with neurodivergence may have heightened awareness of safety cues, leading to powerful self-awareness and authenticity.Incorporating Polyvagal Theory into Yoga: Amy encourages yoga practitioners and therapists to use polyvagal principles to help clients feel safe and embodied, enriching their overall experience of yoga and well-being.In closing, Amy reflects on the role of yoga and Polyvagal Theory in facilitating deeper embodiment and personal transformation. She invites listeners to submit their own stories of healing through yoga, yoga therapy, or Ayurveda to be featured on future episodes of The Yoga Therapy Hour, creating a community-driven narrative of health and transformation throughout 2025. Contact Amy to be a guest on the podcast: amy@amywheeler.com Join us for our Monday Night Yoga Therapy Clinic in 2025! Welcome to our Optimal State of Living Yoga Therapy Clinic and Continuing Education program, held every Monday night, designed to enrich your body, mind, and spirit through yoga. Whether you're deepening your practice or connecting with a supportive community, our clinic offers a comprehensive experience for all.About the Clinic: Our program blends healing, learning, and community engagement in a supportive environment, promising growth, wellness, and an enriched understanding of yoga therapy.What to Expect: Community Building: Connect with fellow yoga enthusiasts. Mini-Lecture on Monthly Theme: Deepen your understanding of yoga therapy. Yoga Practice: Tailored session aligning with our monthly theme. Closing Circle: Reflect and reinforce community. Continuing Education for Yoga Professionals: Deep Dive into Theory: Enhance teaching skills and understanding. Continuing Education Credits: Recognized by IAYT and Yoga Alliance. Certificate of Completion: Validate your participation and learning.Embark on a journey of healing, learning, and connection with our Monday Night Yoga Therapy Clinic & Continuing Education. Register now to transform your practice, enrich your teaching, and be part of a nurturing community dedicated to wellness and growth.Transform your Mondays into a sanctuary of peace, learning, and community with us. We look forward to welcoming you to our yoga family!Cost: $59 for the Four 75-min. classes + recordings and handouts (per household) & $20 for the Four 15-min Continuing Education Units classes + recordings and handouts and a Certificate of Completionwww.TheOptimalState.com

In this conversation David and Naomi meet with Michael Allison . Michaels discusses his work as a Polyvagal performance consultant and the founder of the Playzone. He explains that his journey into Polyvagal theory began when he owned a fitness facility and wellness center, where he noticed the positive impact of creating a safe and connected community for his clients. This led him to study behavior science and eventually discover the power of Polyvagal theory in understanding and optimizing human physiology. Polyvagal theory, developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, focuses on the physiological state of individuals and how it affects their behavior and interactions. It emphasizes the importance of feeling safe and connected in order to tap into one's highest potential and align with their values. Michael explains that our nervous system is constantly assessing whether we can trust others and feel safe enough to be ourselves. Understanding the shifts in our physiology can help us navigate difficult interactions and have conversations with greater alignment and authenticity. The Playzone course, based on Michael's initial manuscript, is designed for coaches, consultants, business leaders, psychologists, and professionals in various fields who want to optimize their physiology to support higher performance and resilience. The course delves into the science behind Polyvagal theory and explores different tools and strategies to create a container of safety and connection. Michael shares case studies and real-life examples to help participants understand and apply the concepts in their own lives and work. https://theplayzone.com/ Michael also discusses his collaboration with the Polyvagal Institute and his efforts to bring Polyvagal theory to a wider audience. He aims to make the theory accessible and applicable, without requiring a deep understanding of the science behind it.  Overall, this podcast conversation highlights the significance of Polyvagal theory in understanding human behavior and optimizing our physiology for greater well-being and success. It emphasizes the importance of creating a sense of safety and connection in order to thrive in various aspects of life.   https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org/items/the-play-zone%3A-a-neurophysiological-approach-to-our-highest-performance   Keywords Polyvagal theory, physiology, relationships, safety, trust, connection, fitness, wellness, sports, play, autonomic flexibility, pressure, competition, culture, awareness, understanding   Takeaways Polyvagal theory provides a framework for understanding the impact of physiology on human experience and behavior. Creating a sense of safety, trust, and connection is essential for fostering healthy relationships and personal growth. The concept of play is foundational in building relationships and promoting autonomic flexibility. Addressing pressure and competition in modern culture is crucial for promoting awareness and understanding of Polyvagal theory.

In this conversation David and Naomi meet with Michael Allison . Michaels discusses his work as a Polyvagal performance consultant and the founder of the Playzone. He explains that his journey into Polyvagal theory began when he owned a fitness facility and wellness center, where he noticed the positive impact of creating a safe and connected community for his clients. This led him to study behavior science and eventually discover the power of Polyvagal theory in understanding and optimizing human physiology. Polyvagal theory, developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, focuses on the physiological state of individuals and how it affects their behavior and interactions. It emphasizes the importance of feeling safe and connected in order to tap into one's highest potential and align with their values. Michael explains that our nervous system is constantly assessing whether we can trust others and feel safe enough to be ourselves. Understanding the shifts in our physiology can help us navigate difficult interactions and have conversations with greater alignment and authenticity. The Playzone course, based on Michael's initial manuscript, is designed for coaches, consultants, business leaders, psychologists, and professionals in various fields who want to optimize their physiology to support higher performance and resilience. The course delves into the science behind Polyvagal theory and explores different tools and strategies to create a container of safety and connection. Michael shares case studies and real-life examples to help participants understand and apply the concepts in their own lives and work. https://theplayzone.com/ Michael also discusses his collaboration with the Polyvagal Institute and his efforts to bring Polyvagal theory to a wider audience. He aims to make the theory accessible and applicable, without requiring a deep understanding of the science behind it.  Overall, this podcast conversation highlights the significance of Polyvagal theory in understanding human behavior and optimizing our physiology for greater well-being and success. It emphasizes the importance of creating a sense of safety and connection in order to thrive in various aspects of life.   https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org/items/the-play-zone%3A-a-neurophysiological-approach-to-our-highest-performance   Keywords Polyvagal theory, physiology, relationships, safety, trust, connection, fitness, wellness, sports, play, autonomic flexibility, pressure, competition, culture, awareness, understanding   Takeaways Polyvagal theory provides a framework for understanding the impact of physiology on human experience and behavior. Creating a sense of safety, trust, and connection is essential for fostering healthy relationships and personal growth. The concept of play is foundational in building relationships and promoting autonomic flexibility. Addressing pressure and competition in modern culture is crucial for promoting awareness and understanding of Polyvagal theory.

Today, we're diving into the transformative power of canine companions in educational settings with a special focus on Grant Shannon's groundbreaking program, Dogs Connect. This innovative initiative is designed to foster deeper connections between students and their school environments by integrating wellbeing dogs to enhance emotional literacy and engagement. Grant Shannon's vision for Dogs Connect is rooted in the mission to create emotionally safe and supportive learning environments where students can thrive. By connecting students with specially trained wellbeing dogs, the program not only aims to improve academic engagement but also to nurture emotional resilience and social skills. The goal is to build a school community where every student feels valued, understood, and emotionally connected. This aligns perfectly with the Polyvagal Institute's focus on creating environments that support emotional regulation and social connection. The partnership between Dogs Connect and the Polyvagal Institute amplifies the program's impact by integrating cutting-edge research on the nervous system and social engagement, ensuring that the Dogs Connect program is grounded in the latest science of emotional wellbeing. For educators, therapists, and anyone interested in the intersection of education and emotional wellbeing, Grant Shannon's course at the Polyvagal Institute is an invaluable resource. Dive deeper into the world of Dogs Connect and discover how you can bring this revolutionary approach to your school or community. Don't forget to use our exclusive discount code "Optima" for 15% off when you sign up for the Dogs Connect course at PolyvagalInstitute.com. https://www.facebook.com/dogsconnectaustralia http://dogsconnect.net.au/

In this episode of The Infinite Approach, I interview Dr. Rebecca Bailey about her groundbreaking work with Polyvagal Theory in equine therapy and extreme trauma treatment. Dr. Bailey delves into the science of how our nervous system influences our ability to connect and heal, offering insights on how these principles apply to both horses and humans. Whether you're a dog owner, horse trainer, or simply interested in trauma therapy, this episode offers a unique perspective on the profound connections between nervous systems across species. Don't miss this enlightening conversation! Here are the links to the relevant websites for the Polyvagal Institute and Dr. Rebecca Bailey: Polyvagal Institute: Main Website: https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org PVI Community App: https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org/pviapp What is Polyvagal Theory? https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org/whatispolyvagaltheory Course: Overview of Polyvagal Theory for the Newly Acquainted https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org/items/overview-of-polyvagal-theory-for-the-newly-acquainted(15% discount code for this course: k9optima) Course: Dogs Connect - Connection, Regulation and Empathy https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org/items/dogs-connect---connection%2C-regulation-and-empathy (15% discount code for this course: DogsConnect15) 9 minute video: Trauma and the nervous system: a polyvagal perspective https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uH5JQDAqA8E Polyvagal Equine Institute: Main Website: https://polyvagalequineinstitute.com

In this episode of Evolve, we dive deep into the unconventional yet profoundly impactful realm of polyvagal theory and felt sense with renowned psychotherapist Jan Winhall. Leaders might wonder what insights a seasoned trauma and addiction therapist could offer to the leadership arena, but Jan bridges the gap between mental health and effective leadership. By exploring how our physiological states influence decision-making and interpersonal relationships, Jan provides leaders with innovative tools to foster a more resilient, empathetic, and productive work environment. Tune in to discover how understanding and applying the principles of polyvagal theory and felt sense can revolutionize your leadership approach and elevate your team's performance. Jan Winhall, based in Toronto, is an educational partner and course developer with the Polyvagal Institute and an adjunct lecturer at the University of Toronto. She offers a training program based on her book, "Treating Trauma and Addiction with the Felt Sense Polyvagal Model." Jan's work integrates polyvagal theory and felt sense, providing a practical approach to understanding and enhancing our physiological and psychological safety.  

In this episode of Evolve: A New Era of Leadership, I'm joined by Michael Allison, an educational partner with the Polyvagal Instituteory. Michael shares his profound insights on the application of polyvagal theory to enhance leadership and performance, iMichael's unique approach helps leaders and individuals achieve peak performance by consciously controlling their physiology. With extensive experience working with athletes and business leaders, Michael's insights are invaluable for anyone looking to elevate their performance and leadership effectiveness. As mentioned, Michael is an educational partner with Polyvagal Institute and Stephen W. Porges, Ph.D. (originator of Polyvagal Theory) leading the development and delivery of a Polyvagal-informed Certificate for Health, Wellness & Performance Coaches accredited by the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaches.  His unique application of Polyvagal Theory to performance endorsed by Dr. Porges – The Play Zone – provides a paradigm shifting methodology to optimize control of our performance through skillful and conscious control of our physiology.  Michael consults with professional, collegiate and high performing coaches, teams, organizations, athletes and performers in a variety of disciplines, as well as schools, executive coaches, business leaders and corporate teams. He is a Health & Performance Coach, Personal Trainer, Medical Exercise Specialist, Post Rehab Specialist and Certified Oxygen Advantage Breathwork Instructor, and the author of SMARTER Coaching, a certificated behavior change course accredited by the American Council on Exercise. In addition, Michael is a certificated ILS Safe & Sound Provider / Remote Provider and Focus System Training Provider.  

In this episode of Evolve: A New Era of Leadership, I'm joined by Michael Allison, an educational partner with the Polyvagal Instituteory. Michael shares his profound insights on the application of polyvagal theory to enhance leadership and performance, iMichael's unique approach helps leaders and individuals achieve peak performance by consciously controlling their physiology. With extensive experience working with athletes and business leaders, Michael's insights are invaluable for anyone looking to elevate their performance and leadership effectiveness. As mentioned, Michael is an educational partner with Polyvagal Institute and Stephen W. Porges, Ph.D. (originator of Polyvagal Theory) leading the development and delivery of a Polyvagal-informed Certificate for Health, Wellness & Performance Coaches accredited by the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaches.  His unique application of Polyvagal Theory to performance endorsed by Dr. Porges – The Play Zone – provides a paradigm shifting methodology to optimize control of our performance through skillful and conscious control of our physiology.  Michael consults with professional, collegiate and high performing coaches, teams, organizations, athletes and performers in a variety of disciplines, as well as schools, executive coaches, business leaders and corporate teams. He is a Health & Performance Coach, Personal Trainer, Medical Exercise Specialist, Post Rehab Specialist and Certified Oxygen Advantage Breathwork Instructor, and the author of SMARTER Coaching, a certificated behavior change course accredited by the American Council on Exercise. In addition, Michael is a certificated ILS Safe & Sound Provider / Remote Provider and Focus System Training Provider.  

What is going on with your physiological self right now? What do you need to do to slow down and get quiet enough to pay attention to this? How might your interactions and relationships change if you show up using what you learned about Polyvagal Theory today?…Michael Allison is the developer of The Play Zone; a contributing author for Psychology Today with his platform, The Pressure Paradox; an educational partner with Polyvagal Institute; and a Polyvagal Performance Consultant for high profile organizations, executives, coaches, teams, athletes & creatives.Today, Michael and Abbie make connections between Polyvagal Theory and Coordinated Management of Meaning, discussing freedom, choice, context, and emergence. Michael explains Polyvagal Theory and what it looks like to tune into our physiological experiences; create safety, healing, and growth through practice; and be “polyvagal-informed” in our relationships. Michael and Abbie use a polyvagal lens to unpack a story that Abbie shares about her own experience with pressure, performance, and physiology. Finally, Michael explains what changes in our lives when we orient toward “play" and move away from a default of stress. ...What is Polyvagal Theory?...Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter.Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution....Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Rik Spann.Find Rik on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Listen to our conversation with Rik in ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ep. 8⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠....Visit the Stories Lived. Stories Told. website.Follow Stories Lived. Stories Told. on Instagram.Subscribe to Stories Lived. Stories Told. on YouTube.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore all things Stories Lived. Stories Told. here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Subscribe to CMM Institute on Substack.Connect with the CMM Institute on LinkedIn and Facebook.Access all CosmoActivities for FREE!Participate in the CosmoParents Survey.Visit the CMM Institute website.Learn more about Cosmopolis 2045.

In this episode, I had the pleasure of welcoming Dr. Stephen Porges, the originator of the Polyvagal Theory, to the podcast. Dr. Porges discusses the impact of trauma histories on our relationships and behaviors – sharing Polyvagal Theory's role in our physiological responses. We also discuss post-pandemic societal shifts, navigating the challenges of societal evaluation, the impact of social media, and ethical considerations surrounding digital interactions. Dr. Porges explores alternative modalities for self-regulation – emphasizing the importance of co-regulation, and shares somatic therapies for trauma healing. Listen in to this conversation that reminds us of the transformative power of connection for promoting healing and well-being. Stephen W. Porges, Ph.D. is a Distinguished University Scientist at Indiana University where he is the founding director of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium in the Kinsey Institute. He is Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina, and Professor Emeritus at both the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Maryland.  He served as president of the Society for Psychophysiological Research and the Federation of Associations in Behavioral & Brain Sciences and is a former recipient of a National Institute of Mental Health Research Scientist Development Award. He is the originator of the Polyvagal Theory, a theory that emphasizes the importance of physiological state in the expression of behavioral, mental, and health problems related to traumatic experiences. He is the creator of a music-based intervention, the Safe and Sound Protocol ™ , which currently is used by approximately 3,000 therapists to improve spontaneous social engagement, to reduce hearing sensitivities, and to improve language processing, state regulation, and spontaneous social engagement. Dr. Porges is a founder of the Polyvagal Institute. —Stephen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/polyvagalinstitute —Stephen's Website: https://www.stephenporges.com/ —Stephen's Website: https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org/ —Stephen's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/polyvagalinstitute —Stephen's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-w-porges-6514877b/ —Stephen's Books: https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org/bookstore If you want to dive deeper into Mark's content, search through every episode, find specific topics we've covered, and ask him questions, go to his Dexa page: https://dexa.ai/markgroves Themes: Relationships, Boundaries, Self-Worth, Self-Love, Health, Transformation, Grief, Trauma, Polyvagal Theory, Neuroception, Physiological Responses, Social Media, Self-Regulation, Co-Regulation, Nervous System Regulation, Nervous System, Somatic Therapy, Dysregulation This episode is sponsored by BON CHARGE: Use code MARKGROVES to save 15% at http://boncharge.com/MARKGROVES Contact us at podcast@markgroves.com for sponsor product support, questions, comments, or just to say hello! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode I am joined by clinician, author, and nervous system expert, Deb Dana as she talks about Polyvagal Theory and befriending the nervous system.    Topics Include: 1. Deb's journey to Polyvagal Theory and Stephen Porges 2. How the stuckness leads to suffering 3. Your state creates your story 4. Power of curiosity to shift into ventral 5. What is Polyvagal Theory and its three principles 6. Power of resilience 7. How the nervous system is impacted by trauma 8. Genetics and the nervous system. Autonomic family tree 9. Befriending your nervous system with BASICS   Deb Dana, LCSW is a clinician, consultant, author and speaker specializing in complex trauma. Her work is focused on using the lens of Polyvagal Theory to understand and resolve the impact of trauma in our lives. She is a founding member of the Polyvagal Institute, consultant to Khiron Clinics, and advisor to Unyte. Deb's work shows how an understanding of Polyvagal Theory is applicable across the board to relationships, mental health, and trauma. She delves into the intricacies of how we can all use an understanding of the organizing principles of Polyvagal Theory to change the ways we navigate our daily lives. Deb is well known for translating Polyvagal Theory into a language and application that is both clear and accessible and for pioneering Rhythm of Regulation® methodology, tools, techniques and practices which continue to open up the power of Polyvagal Theory for professionals and curious people from diverse backgrounds and all walks of life.   Deb Dana: Website: https://www.rhythmofregulation.com/ Trainings: https://www.rhythmofregulation.com/training Resources: https://www.rhythmofregulation.com/resources     Natalie Deering:  Website: https://www.ndwellnessservices.com/ Email: ndwellness.services@therapysecure.com Instagram: @nataliedeering   Interested in sponsoring an episode of the podcast? Upgrade your business and let more people know about your amazing services or products by reaching hundreds to thousands of people by sponsoring an episode for only $100!  Please email ndwellness.services@therapysecure.com for more information.  Thank you for the support!    *Please support the podcast by following, rating, and leaving a review*    

Deb Dana, LCSW, is a world-renowned clinician, consultant, author and speaker who has successfully put into practice Dr. Stephen Porges' Polyvagal Theory (PVT), making it accessible and beneficial to hundreds of thousands of people around the world by developing therapeutic practices based on PVT. Deb has a busy career training therapists around the world on how to bring a Polyvagal approach into their clinical practice, and also works with agencies and larger systems to explore how to incorporate a Polyvagal perspective into organisational culture to make them safer, happier, and healthier places to learn, work and function. She is a founding member of The Polyvagal Institute, a consultant to Khiron Clinics, and an advisor to Unyte. She is the author of several books, including her latest Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory and Polyvagal Practices: Anchoring the Self in Safety. In this fascinating interview for The MindHealth360 Show, Deb discusses how the state of our nervous systems is essential to our mental and physical health and our daily energy regulation, and how we can understand and manage this state throughout the day using tools and techniques based on Polyvagal Theory. She talks about the hierarchy of the nervous system – from the ventral vagal state (social engagement, which is essential to health, growth and restoration), to the sympathetic state (fight-flight), and finally to the dorsal state (freeze, collapse) and how each one relates to different adaptive behaviours and pathways of neuroception, further influencing our nervous systems. She tells us of different strategies to move more quickly and easily from dorsal or sympathetic to ventral states so we can find calm, connection and healing in our lives. She also discusses the impact of loneliness; her “glimmers” of ventral activation (gone viral on Tik Tok) that we can use to self-regulate; and tells us how different peoples' nervous systems require different interventions to find their way back to the ventral pathway which is essential to healing; as well as the importance of following the “intuition” of our nervous system. If we could all put Deb's healing work into daily practice and better manage our nervous systems, our inner and outer worlds would be happier, healthier and safer places to live. 

To access our conference library of 200+ fascinating psychology talks and interviews (with certification), please visit: https://twumembers.com In this episode, I'm joined by Jan Winhall. Jan is an author, teacher, and psychotherapist with more than 40 years of experience working with addiction and trauma. She is an adjunct lecturer at the University of Toronto and the director of Focusing on Borden, a psychotherapy and training centre. Jan presents internationally on trauma and addiction, and her most recent book: “Treating Trauma and Addiction with the Felt Sense Polyvagal Model” has attracted praise from the likes of Gabor Maté, Stephen Porges, and Marc Lewis. In this conversation, we discuss: — Why it's vital that we bring the body more and more into psychotherapy, particularly when working with trauma and addiction. — How polyvagal theory can help us understand the “mechanism” underlying addictive behaviour — The importance of looking at addictions as adaptive in their historical context — How addictions can be thought of as “state regulation strategies” for the autonomic nervous system. And more. You can learn more about the great work Jan is doing by going to: www.janwinhall.com, and you can find her course with the Polyvagal Institute by going to bit.ly/jw-course. --- This session was recorded as part of the Holistic Psychotherapy Summit on January 2023. To access the full conference package, as well as supporting materials, quizzes, and certification, please visit: https://holisticpsychotherapysummit.com --- Jan Winhall, MSW, FOT is an author, teacher, and psychotherapist in Toronto, Canada. She is author of “Treating Trauma and Addiction with the Felt Sense Polyvagal Model”, by Jan Winhall, Routledge, 2021. Jan is an adjunct lecturer in the Department of Social Work, University of Toronto and Co-Director of Borden Street Clinic, a psychotherapy and teaching centre. Jan is a Coordinator with The International Focusing Institute and Director of Focusing on Borden, a psychotherapy and training centre. Jan presents internationally on trauma and addiction. --- Interview Links: — Jan's book: https://amzn.to/3Du6eko — Jan's website: https://janwinhall.com — Jan's course with the Polyvagal Institute: https://bit.ly/jw-course — Polyvagal Theory: A Very Simple Introduction: https://niallmckeever.com/polyvagal-theory-simple-introduction — Polyvagal Theory & Trauma - Deb Dana: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-SVdQ-CHkA — Revolutionising Addiction Treatment with The Felt Sense Polyvagal Model - Jan Winhall & Stephen W. Porges: https://bit.ly/jw-paper 3 Books Jan Recommends Every Therapist Should Read: — Focusing - Eugene Gendlin: https://amzn.to/3WiAmYF — Trauma and Recovery - Judith Herman: https://amzn.to/3FzWmsc — The Pocket Guide to Polyvagal Theory - Dr Stephen Porges: https://amzn.to/3t6F52t

The Episode made possible by BIRTHFIT | Immune Intel AHCCMonique Andrews, MSc DC, DNM, and Tamara MacIntyre, MS, DC are embodiments of personal empowerment. In this episode, they offer clinical insight into polyvagal theory and how it contrasts with the over-simplistic view of the nervous system. Dr. Mac, a seasoned End of Life Doula (CEOLD) and doctor of natural medicine, is on a lifelong mission to deepen our understanding of the human body. Her latest quest encourages us to embrace curiosity over fear, guiding us through life's full spectrum, from birth to farewell. Dr. Mo is a trailblazing educator in embodied neuroscience. She leads transformative global seminars and co-founded innovative projects Cōpe and The Prana Foundation. Visit the show notes for more.Special offer from guests:Check out their new mindfulness and embodiment platform CōPE: An interactive online community whose purpose is to ease the path for those struggling with chronic illness or navigating a life-changing diagnosis. You can become an affiliate here.The Prana Foundation & Education Coursework and Retreats: Polyvagal vagal and Trauma Informed coursesOther references from the show:Polyvagal Institute and Stephen PorgesThe Body Keeps the Score, by Bessel van der Kolk M.DConnect with guests:Monique AndrewsTamara MacIntyreConnect with Nathan:Instagram | Twitter | YoutubeMidwife in need of collaboration?Want to consult with Nathan?My courses:Born Free Method: Pregnancy and Postpartum SupportClear + Free: Your Holistic Solution to Persistent HPVThis episode was made possible by:Immune Intel AHCC® - code BELOVED for 10% off⁠BIRTHFIT⁠ - code BELOVED to get one month FREE in their B! Community!Medical Disclaimer: The Holistic OBGYN Podcast is an educational program. No information conveyed through this podcast should be construed as medical advice. These conversations are available to the public for educational and entertainment purposes only.Music provided by EdvardGaresPremium / Pond5Send me a

This amazing conversation comes as an excerpt from a course on Polyvagal Theory and Therapeutic Yoga that Marlsya, Amy and Stephen created together for the Polyvagal Institute. There is still time to join us this fall, and we will be offering it again very soon. Also, we are celebrating 2.5 years and 100,000 downloads with our amazing Yoga Therapy Hour Community. We are sharing this extra episode to say thank you!Guests: Dr. Steven Porges & Marlysa Sullivan Key Takeaways:Definition of "Safety" in Polyvagal Theory:Safety is more than the absence of threat. It encompasses a feeling of connection, belonging, and an internal sense of well-being.Importance of Safety:The foundation of any therapeutic relationship.Influences the outcome of therapy.Defines the quality of interactions and connections.Understanding Internal Safety:The role of the autonomic nervous system.Transitioning from a state of threat to a place of safety.Signs & Signals of Safety:Voice and Intonation: The calming effect of a soothing voice.Facial Expressions: The importance of the upper face, especially the orbital muscle around the eyes.Muscle Tension: How the body communicates its state of being.Hearing and the Vagal System:The middle ear muscle's role.How our nervous system determines what we hear.Finding Mutual Safety:The therapeutic dance between the caretaker and care seeker.Enhancing therapy outcomes through mutual feelings of safety.Why Some Relationships Feel Safer:Recognizing the cues that foster connection or fear.Understanding intuitive feelings of safety or discomfort with certain individuals. Join the Full Course on Therapeutic Yoga and Polyvagal Theory with Amy, Marlysa and Stephen:Dive deeper into the blend of polyvagal theory and therapeutic yoga.www.PolyvagalInstitute.org Connect with us:www.PolyvagalInstitute.orgwww.MarlysaSullivan.comwww.amywheeler.comwww.TheOptimalState.com

Stephen W. Porges, Ph.D. is a Distinguished University Scientist at Indiana University where he is the founding director of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium. He is Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina, and Professor Emeritus at both the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Maryland. He lives in Atlantic Beach, Florida.   Seth Porges is a journalist and filmmaker. He directed the critically acclaimed documentary Class Action Park (HBO Max). He lives in Atlantic Beach, Florida, and Brooklyn, New York.   Order their new book here - Our Polyvagal World: How Safety and Trauma Change Us How safe we feel is crucial to our physical and mental health and happiness. That is the essence of the Polyvagal Theory, first proposed in 1994 by psychologist and neuroscientist Stephen Porges. In their new book, OUR POLYVAGAL WORLD: How Safety and Trauma Change Us, Stephen Porges, Ph.D. and his son Seth Porges, give general readers an accessible guide to Polyvagal Theory, and how it can help anyone looking to live their healthiest and happiest lives.     Visit Stephen W. Porges, Ph.D.'s Website: www.stephenporges.com      Polyvagal Institute: www.polyvagalinstitute.org   Integrated Listening: www.integratedlistening.com   __________________________________ Subscribe to Dr. Lotte's Newsletter   Visit Dr. Lotte's Website   Stay Connected on Social Meida, follow Dr. Lotte on Instagram & Facebook    

Bio Stephen W. Porges, PhD, is Distinguished University Scientist at Indiana University where he is the founding director of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium in the Kinsey Institute. He is professor of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina, and professor emeritus at both the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Maryland. He served as president of the Society for Psychophysiological Research and the Federation of Associations in Behavioral & Brain Sciences and is a former recipient of a National Institute of Mental Health Research Scientist Development Award. He is the originator of the Polyvagal Theory, creator of a music-based intervention, the Safe and Sound Protocol, and a founder of the Polyvagal Institute. Seth Porges is a journalist and filmmaker. He wrote, produced, and directed the hit film Class Action Park, which debuted at number one on HBO Max, was nominated for a Critics Choice Documentary Award, and won Best Documentary at the 2021 Hollywood Critics Association Film Awards. He is currently directing an upcoming film for a major streaming service, as well as a documentary about professional pickleball. Seth was previously a technology editor at Popular Mechanics magazine, a columnist for Bloomberg Businessweek, and has appeared in roughly 50 episodes of the Travel Channel's Mysteries at the Museum. Sign up for 10% off of Shrink Rap Radio CE credits at the Zur Institute

To have Jackie Werboff on this Podcast is nothing short of an incredible honor. Jackie directly contributed to my own Recovery through an offering space to begin understanding, in the most compassionate of ways, how my own childhood development was impacting the Family System I sought to build. I hope you enjoy this conversation that includes the NeuroAffective Relational Model(NARM) model of Therapy, attunement between parent and child, substance use as self-medication for unmet emotional needs in teens, the value of the 12 Step Program, and more. We explore options to help the Family system through therapy, learning, and relational-model engagement, all of which contribute to becoming healthier humans and healthier parents for our kids. As with each instance of engagement with Jackie, we end with hope.  1:15 - 2:55 - Dr. Larry Heller, What is NARM?3:55 - Developmental verses Shock Trauma5:45 - Mis-attunement6:30 - Attuning at the parental level10:15 - The impossibility of being constantly emotionally attuned11:35 - Self medication specific to substance misuse12:30 - Unmet needs and emotional pain12:45 - Strategies: read about the Core Surviving Strategies here14:10 - The power of words16:15 - Shame and the impact on Recovery17:00 - The challenge of behavior in substance misuse and how NARM can help navigate this challenge19:00 - How Recovery can re-set a Family19:50 - Addiction is a Family System challenge20:50 - The dead-end of blame21:55 - Apologizing as a Parent and the value that offers our Children23:10 - Accountability 24:20 - The 12 Steps and Recovery27:00 - NARM Therapy and listening 27:35 - Curiosity and NARM28:00 - Breaking down the power dynamics in the therapeutic relationship30:45 - Self regulation and the importance of having a caregiver self-regulate33:35 - Nervous System Therapeutic approaches (Somatic and Polyvagal)33:45 - Dr. Stephen Porges33:50 - The Polyvagal Institute, About Deb34:30 - Jackie's Contact info at Wide Awake Counseling35:35 - The JourneyThank you for listening and please visit www.siblinghoodofrecovery.com for free resources, links to organizations, groups and individuals who can offer help in the Journey of Recovery towards healing from substance use disorders. If you like this Podcast, please leave a rating on wherever you're listening. It will help to get the word out. If there is one message I can leave you with, the best you can offer your loved one battling addiction is love and a healthier you. Walk gently, my friend.

Welcome to Where Is My Mind? A podcast about how we can better look after our heads and our hearts in the head-melty chaos of the modern world. Our nervous system is like a safety alarm in our body, it helps us stay safe in situations of perceived danger. In the modern world, that system can be constantly activated, keeping us in a state of hypervigilance or shut down that can impact our daily lives. Polyvagal Theory, created and developed by Stephen Porges, PhD, gives us a better understanding of our autonomic nervous system, the vagus nerve and how they impact our physiological and psychological states.  Niall is joined by Michael Allison, educational partner with Polyvagal Institute and creator of ‘The Play Zone', which applies polyvagal theory to performance psychology. They discuss the basics of polyvagal theory, how are nervous systems interact with each other and how safety, connection and co-regulation are vital to a healthy human experience.  Follow Niall on IG @bressie, TikTok @niallbreslin, FB @whereismymindpodcast and Twitter @nbrez and visit his website: www.niallbreslin.com. Where is My Mind? is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try and get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/mymind  Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows lemonadamedia.com/sponsors. A big thank you to Lemonada Media for welcoming us to the family. Stay up to date with Lemonada Media on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. Check out our 31 Days Of Mindfulness on Lemonada Premium. Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium. If you or someone you know is struggling emotionally or feeling hopeless, it's important to talk to someone about it now. You can contact one of the resources below for free.  In Ireland/U.K.: https://www.samaritans.org/ In the U.S.: https://988lifeline.org/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many of you have probably heard of Polyvagal Theory; it's a bit of a buzzword these days in the mental health community. But what is it exactly? And how does it relate to equine work? Well, who better to explain it to us than Dr Rebecca Bailey, co-founder of the Equine Polyvagal Institute in California. Dr Bailey, a longtime family therapist and also an equestrian, has a wealth of experience working with trauma and psychological conditions of all shapes and sizes. A leader in the field, she directed the Sonoma County Police Department's Youth and Family Services Program, trained psychologists and therapists for the Marin County DUI Program, founded Transitioning Families, which trains health practitioners to assist families going through crisis, and works with national organizations such as the National Center For Missing and Exploited Children. Her background speaks for itself.But along the way, Dr Bailey also became drawn to the work of renowned psychologist and neuroscientist Dr Stephen Porges, a professor of psychiatry at North Carolina University Chapel Hill, whose Polyvagal theory - which describes how our autonomic nervous system provides us with a range of ways to respond to the world around us, including traumatic or dangerous experiences - determines not just our state of the moment but also our general world view and therefore our behaviors and long term destiny. Understanding the Vagus Nerve, so called because is wanders all over the body and touches every organ, and three of its key functions can unlock cycles of thoughts and behaviors that don't serve us and can help us retrain our nervous systems and brains into ways that do. But how? Well, listen as Dr Bailey explains it in plain English that even Rupert can understand!It's not all science though. Dr Bailey also takes us on a fascinating personal journey through her background and work with horses and clients, some of whom faced situations most of us could not imagine surviving, her time with legendary counterculture rockers The Grateful Dead, her thoughts on altered states of consciousness, all wrapped up with plenty of humor.So buckle up, have your notebook handy and join us on a fascinating dive down the rabbit hole of the autonomic nervous system that is at once educational, informative, entertaining, and gives we Equine Assisted folks real, practical tips for how to bring this into our practice.Books mentioned:Equine Connection and Polyvagal  https://amzn.to/3XK84av Save Kids Smart ParentsPolyvagal in the courtroomAppeasementJC Dugard: A Stolen life https://amzn.to/3O5bqStMargie McDonald: Notes from the barn https://amzn.to/3O8lkms Contact Dr. Bailey: office@Polyvagalequineinstitute.comhttps://polyvagalequineinstitute.com/ Find our other Programs and Shows:https://RupertIsaacson.com 

In EPISODE 64 of The Therapy4Dads Podcast, we dive deep into the topic of unhealthy masculinity and its impact on men and boys. Our guest Jan Winhall, author of "Treating Trauma and Addiction with the Felt Sense Polyvagal Model," shares her insights and practical tools for healing trauma and regulating the nervous system. We discuss how men have been traumatized by unhealthy societal expectations and how therapists can be the first safe person in a man's life. We also explore the importance of integrating the mind and body, using body cards to manage emotions and the groundbreaking polyvagal theory for understanding the autonomic nervous system. Tune in to learn how to rewire your brain for vulnerability, heal attachment issues, and find the "sweet spot" of calm in your body.Jan Winhall (@janwinhall) is an experienced trauma and addiction therapist who has been working with families, men and women, children, queer people, and everyone in between for over 40 years. Her passion for helping people heal from trauma began with working with women who were incest survivors in a hospital setting. Jan realized that she didn't feel comfortable with the way that women were being pathologized, which led her to hunt for a more non-pathologizing approach. Through her work with these women, Jan discovered the practice of focusing, which is Jemlin's work in connecting with the intuitive process in the body. This led Jan to Steve Porges' work with the autonomic nervous system, which she now also incorporates into her practice. Jan's knowledge and experience in this area led her to writing her book in 2021, called Treating Trauma and Addiction with the Felt Sense Polyvagal Model, which has since brought her closer to the Polyvagal Institute and Steve Porges himself. Jan's ultimate goal is to help people calm down their nervous systems and be able to heal from trauma and addiction.SUPPORT THE SHOW:CLICK HERE: BuyMeACoffee/Therapy4DadsJOIN the MAILING LIST & GET INVOLVED!CLICK HERE: MAILING LISTSupport and follow Jan:IG: @janwinhallWEB: https://janwinhall.com/6 F's Polyvagal Model ImageBOOK: Treating Trauma and AddictionConnect and Support Travis:YouTube: Travis GoodmanInstagram: @Therapy4DadsCheck out the Website: Therapy4Dads.com

I had a fascinating conversation with Performance Coach and expert in Polyvagal Theory about what happens to our bodies and our nervous system on "game day" and how Polyvagal Theory can significantly help for us to help our bodies find our homeostasis "game zone" so that we can be at ease, be in stillness and in the present moment and "show up" to our kids and at work the way we want to show up!  We had a conversation about his program called the PlayZone, how it works and how it can be applied to any profession and at home as parents. You can find Michael Allison and his program for coaches, therapists, leades, educations and performers at www.theplayzone.com or at the Polyvagal Institute where he is also an instructor.       

In today's episode, I'm speaking with Sarah Baldwin - a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner and Trauma Coach who is trained in Polyvagal interventions and is on the training team at the Polyvagal Institute. Sarah specialises in somatic trauma healing, attachment work, parts and inner child work and nervous system regulation. We cover:why nervous system regulation is the missing piece in so much healing workunderstanding the different states of your nervous systemthe connection between attachment and nervous system regulationhow to distinguish between anxiety and intuitionand so much more!You can find Sarah Baldwin on Instagram (@sarahbcoaching) or at sarahbaldwincoaching.com. Further Links & Resources Apply for my 6-month Homecoming Mastermind Download the free guide: Attachment 101 Follow me on Instagram: @stephanie__rigg & @onattachment Visit my website

Conversar com o Vasco fica a sensação que, para além de todo o conhecimento que tem, existe uma vivência profunda daquilo que partilha. Uma conversa sobre aquilo que nos une como humanos, os nossos desafios, conquistas e como a qualidade da nossa mente aliada ao nosso coração pode ser determinante na forma com vivemos e realizamos as nossos escolhas que nos podem trazer mais desafios ou elevar-nos nos nossos propósitos de sermos seres mais felizes. Tem formação-base em Psicologia pela Universidade de Coimbra, trabalha a nível global como facilitador, autor e orador nas áreas da liderança consciente e do florescimento humano, tendo já facilitado programas para mais de 30 mil pessoas um pouco por todo o mundo, directamente com o público em geral, assim como com diferentes organizações de diferentes sectores. O seu principal interesse de momento está na integração de diferentes abordagens baseadas em “awareness” (Mindfulness, Presencing e SPT), com abordagens de psicoterapia emergentes (Compassionate Inquiry, IFS e Polyvagal Theory) e práticas ancoradas no Coração (Heartfulness e Giftivism) ao serviço de um Bem-Maior. É certificado por vários institutos de renome mundial (ex. Presencing Institute, Heartfulness Institute, Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute, IFS Institute, Polyvagal Institute, Compassionate Inquiry Inc., entre outros) representando alguns deles a nível oficial em vários projectos internacionais (ex. Nações Unidas, clientes corporativos, etc.) como professor e facilitador. Com a sua presença e serviço um pouco por todo o mundo, segura a intenção de inspirar mudança e transformação com vista a um mundo mais humano e compassivo para todos. LIVROS PUBLICADOS/PARTICIPAÇÕES: Aqui e Agora - Mindfulness (Vasco Gaspar) | Matéria Prima Edições, 2015 | AutorFrom Anger to Love - (Kamlesh Patel, Matthieu Ricard, James Doty, ...) | HFN Education Trust, 2023 | Capítulo Traçar o Destino (Kamlesh Patel) | Matéria Prima Edições, 2020 | PrefácioConsciousness in Management Vol 2 (vários) | HFN Education Trust, 2019 | CapítuloRaiva - Quem não tem? (Patrícia Santos et al) | Florianópolis SC, 2018 | CapítuloComo chegar a líder? (vários) | Redcherry, 2017 | Capítulo CERTIFICAÇÕES: Search Inside Yourself - Mindfulness-based Emotional Intelligence | SIYLI.org | Certified Teacher (Senior) SPT - Social Presencing Theater | Presencing Institute | SPT Basics and SPT Advanced; Oficial Faculty Heartfulness | Heartfulness Institute | Official Preceptor/Trainer; Preceptor's Refresher Program Presencing / Theory U | Presencing Institute | Foundation Program and Advanced Program Compassionate Inquiry | Compassionate Inquiry Inc. (Gabor Maté) | Professional Training Program IFS - Internal Family Systems | IFS Institute | Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3Polyvagal Theory | Deb Dana | Foundations of Polyvagal Informed Practice; Polyvagal Labs Academy for Contemplative and Ethical Leadership | Mind & Life Institute | Academy Member Resonant Leadership | Case Western Reserve University | PractitionerFIRO-B / Element-B | The Human Element | FacilitatorMedicina Psicossomática | Universidade Católica | Formação avançadaPsicologia (Trabalho e Organizações) | Universidade Coimbra | Licenciatura TREINO DIRECTO COM OS SEGUINTES PROFESSORES: Otto Scharmer | Daniel J. Siegel | Daniel Goleman | Kamlesh Patel | Arawana Hayashi | Eckhart Tolle | Chade- Meng Tan | Richard Davidson | Mirabai Bush | Philippe Goldin | Marc Lesser | Meg Levie | Pamela Weiss | Mark Coleman | Rick Hanson | Norman Fischer | Shauna Shapiro | Mario Galarreta | Rich Fernandez | Arthur Zajonc | Martin Kalungu-Banda | Marian Goodman | Peter Senge | Ajahn Vajiro | Matthieu Ricard | OsnatArbel | Susan McConnell | Deb Dana | Mario Alonso Puig | Joseph Jaworski | Susan Taylor | Jan Jacob Stam | Nipun Mehta | Richard Schwartz | Gabor Maté Webesite: https://vascogaspar.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vasco.gaspar Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vascogaspar/ Obrigado Vasco por tudo o que partilhastes nesta conversa

Leslie Ellis, Ph.D.,RCCAuthor, A Clinician's Guide to Dream Therapyhttps://drleslieellis.comA delicious discussion of the importance of dreams and some of the basics of how to approach them. Dr. Ellis wrote a book called, A Clinician's Guide to Dream Therapy that provides a highly accessible, yet insightful education on the nature of dreams and how to work with them. By offering a unified model, Dr. Ellis makes it possible for all of us (clinicians and non-clinicians) to begin to understand the importance of dreams, and to begin to work with them so as to receive the profound gifts they can bring to our own life and the life of the world we share.Dr. Leslie Ellis is a leading expert in the use of experiential and somatic approaches in psychotherapy, in particular for working with dreams and nightmares. She is the author of A Clinician's Guide to Dream Therapy, has a PhD in Clinical Psychology and worked as a therapist in private practice in Vancouver, BC for more than 25 years.She is a certifying coordinator and former president of The International Focusing Institute, and incorporates this gentle yet profound method of internal inquiry into her method of engaging with dreams. Leslie now offers dream study programs online, certifying clinicians in her unique method of embodied experiential dreamwork. She also teaches with the Jung Platform and the Polyvagal Institute.Find out more: https://drleslieellis.com

Vasco Gaspar licenciou-se em psicologia, trabalhando a nível global como facilitador, autor e orador nas áreas da liderança consciente e do florescimento humano, tendo já facilitado programas para mais de 30 mil pessoas um pouco por todo o mundo, directamente com o público em geral, assim como com diferentes organizações de diferentes sectores. O seu principal interesse de momento está na integração de diferentes abordagens baseadas em “awareness” (Mindfulness, Presencing e SPT), com abordagens de psicoterapia emergentes (Compassionate Inquiry, IFS e Teoria Polivagal) e práticas ancoradas no Coração (Heartfulness e Giftivism) ao serviço de um Bem-Maior. É certificado por vários institutos de renome mundial (ex. Presencing Institute, Heartfulness Institute, Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute, IFS Institute, Polyvagal Institute, Compassionate Inquiry Inc. entre outros) representando alguns deles a nível oficial em vários projectos internacionais (ex. Nações Unidas, clientes corporativos, etc.) como professor e facilitador.

How does the Polyvagal Theory affect our understanding of mindfulness? Blake O'Connor, Education Director of the Polyvagal Institute, interviews Serge Prengel.

How does the Polyvagal Theory affect our understanding of mindfulness? Blake O'Connor, Education Director of the Polyvagal Institute, interviews Serge Prengel.

Michael Allison has partnered with The Polyvagal Institute and Stephen W. Porges Ph.D. in providing education and coaching of Polyvagal Theory in a variety of industries (fitness, wellness, business, etc.), and is currently leading the development of a Polyvagal-informed Certificate for Health, Wellness & Performance Coaches accredited by The National Board for Health & Wellness Coaches. His unique application of Polyvagal Theory to performance - The Play Zone - provides a paradigm shifting methodology to optimize control of our performance through skillful and conscious control of our physiology, and is endorsed by Polyvagal Institute and Dr. Porges. He was a featured speaker at the Polyvagal Institute's Annual Summit in October 2022 and will be presenting at the Innovative Education Summit at The Elms in Colwall, Uk on the 11th & 12th of March 2023 & The Master Series at Oxford University, UK on the 1st, 2nd & 3rd of September 2023. Michael is currently launching the premiere on-the-ground Polyvagal Wellness & Performance Center in Santa Barbara, California to host live and live-streamed retreats, workshops and conferences integrating a variety of Polyvagal-informed industry experts to provide experiential training, lifestyle and certificate programs for coaches, therapists, leaders, educators, organizations and the general public. Today's conversation discusses Michael's work with his clients. We talk about: Why a Polyvagal informed approach and how Michael discovered it How Michael came to work with high performers and noticed that nervous system dysregulation was affecting their ability to do what they loved Tangible examples of trauma and adverse circumstances leading to predictable, though unwelcome, nervous system responses How to work with your nervous system, and train yourself to support your output even under duress The never-ending nature of being a human participating in the world with a nervous system attuned to potential threat The future for Michael and what he's building to support Polyvagal theory's renown and offer more healing and performance optimization for all Enjoy this second in a series (of 3) where The Unveil Podcast welcomes Polyvagal Institute members and pioneers in the realm of utilizing a Polyvagal informed approach to their work supporting the healing of fellow humans.

Marni welcomes Sarah Baldwin, Somatic Experiencing Practitioner and Trauma Coach in the Life Check Yourself studio, to inspect the system that controls all of our emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. Sarah was trained at the Polyvagal Institute, and has worked with different modalities including attachment and nervous system regulation. In this episode, the pair look at the driver, or rather the soldier behind our anxieties; our stress; our fear; our rage; as well as our feelings of joy, creativity, wonder, intimacy and peace. Sarah breaks down the role our nervous system plays in the wide spectrum of human emotion. It is a system that plays a pivotal role in the regulation of our sensations, our thoughts and our relationship with ourselves and the world.    Takeaways from this episode:  - How to change your behavior   - What's the autonomic nervous system got to do with it?  - Shutting down is your body's way of protecting you  - Where does it all begin?   - Your past informs your present behavior  - Why doesn't your nervous system understand you?   It's not You, it's Your Autonomic Nervous System [03:00] The foundation of everything that happens within us is a system that lives inside each one of us. It's the autonomic nervous system. Whether we feel happy, sad, anxious, stressed or excited, it can all be traced back to the nervous system.     It's the system that is responsible for how we feel, the sensations in our body, our behaviors, our thoughts, and the way with which we perceive ourself and the world around us. Everything is decided upon by what's happening in that system.    But how does it work? Sarah explains that everybody has a database of information that has been acquired throughout the years. This storage unit has a collection of the good, the bad, the dangerous and the inter-generational experiences in your life. And our autonomic nervous system has a threat detector, that basically sifts through the data to analyze the level of danger in any situation unfolding in the present. It is doing this constantly and consistently. Whether you're at the supermarket, at the beach, or at a friend's house, your threat detector is looking at the receptacle of past information to gauge potential threat in any given situation. It's your threat detector that decides, based on past experiences, whether you are safe, or in danger in the moment. If it decides you're safe, then that's what is termed as a state of regulation.    Understanding your nervous system and how it works, is the first step in your healing journey.    Your Nervous System is Stuck in the Past [ 06:22] Where does chronic anxiety come from? Or stress? These states of panic manifest when your nervous system takes a deep dive into your past experiences to assess the current situation. When your threat detector finds the current event to be unsafe, the nervous system goes into protection mode, which results in three states. It is at that moment where we experience rage, panic, racing thoughts, anxiety and so on.    The reason we become dysregulated when we're actually in safety is because our system doesn't know the past is over.    From past traumas, Sarah adds, our system ends up experiencing a form of chronic anxiety even though we're actually safe. That's how you end up dysregulated. This extends to your relationships with the people around you, and how you attach yourself to them. Your nervous system dictates much of your interactions in a relationship. But it's not enough to just acknowledge this information. After acknowledgment comes action.    We've got this vehicle inside of us, we have to learn about the vehicle, and then we need to get in the driver's seat.    When our nervous system tells us we're unsafe, we become dysregulated. Learning how to address our nervous system is the first step to learning how to self-regulate.    Nervous systems read each other, so a calm nervous system calms another nervous system down.    Your Nervous System is Not Out to Get you [18:27] Our body is constantly trying to protect us. This extends to our nervous system. It's not trying to cause us harm, it's not dysfunctional and it's not confused.    If you find yourself dysregulated, or if you've got relationship dynamics that are problematic for you – which causes you to become dysregulated – your nervous system is basically saying ‘you're not safe right now', based on past informational data.    Your nervous system is always working towards trying to avoid pain and suffering. When it has identified that a particular situation or trigger, as per its collection of past experiences, has caused you harm before, it signals danger. It's constantly working towards identifying all the possibilities of how a past trauma might occur again and as such overwhelm or hurt you. That's its job.   That does not mean that you're broken, nor does it mean that your system isn't working right. It actually means the opposite.  Make a Connection:  - Sarah Baldwin's Website  - Sarah Baldwin's Quiz  - Sarah Baldwin's Free Workbook  - Visit Our Website  - Subscribe to our Youtube Channel  - Learn How To Attract Your Perfect Equal… Watch Our Latest Training Here!  - Follow Along On Marni and Jeremy's Radical Living Challenge!  - Download A Complimentary Copy Of Our Book — How To Find A Quality Guy Without Going On 200 Dates

Paul North is an Author and Principal Psychologist at his practice, PartnershipsPlus, based in Canberra, Australia. Paul was the inaugural Chair of the Restrictive Practice Panel for the Senior Practitioner, ACT. Paul has over 35 years of experience in the disability sector. Having also worked with children in Out of Home Care and past and serving Veterans, Paul is passionate about reducing suffering and mental illness by enhancing health and well-being. Paul is an early adopter and constantly reviews the literature on trauma treatments and the leading evidence-based techniques for helping people recover and thrive in the world at large. Paul is also trained in the Safe and Sound Protocol developed by Prof. Stephen Porges ( who created Polyvagal Theory) and welcomes opportunities to teach people about this brilliant therapeutic application. He has co-authored a polyvagal-informed children's book with Dr Lydia So entitled Safe and Sound, A story of a little girl who overcomes fear. The book has been endorsed by Dr Stephen Porges, Distinguished University Scientist and creator of The Polyvagal Theory. Paul is now working on a companion book to the Children's book that will be entitled “Safe and Sound - The Science of Parenting and Teaching." Today's conversation covers all of these areas and more. We discuss: Paul's journey through his career and the settings in which he's worked, and applied Polyvagal Theory Polyvagal theory and how Paul uses this is in work, and life How Paul discusses Polyvagal Theory with his patients to make it simple and to reduce guilt and shame The Safe and Sound Protocol Paul's book and the desire to create resources that support parents and teachers to help their children regulate their nervous systems What's next for Paul and the future resources he wishes to create to further support the health and well-being of more people This is a great discussion - and the first of three from Polyvagal Theory experts and members of the Polyvagal Institute, all of whom have worked with Dr Stephen Porges himself. We start this mini-series with Paul - and with the perfect primer, and some very practical take-homes, on Polyvagal Theory and nervous system regulation for furthering wellbeing.

In this episode, Tim talks with Michael Allison about building and maintaining resiliency as we seek to navigate through all of life's adventures. This is a fantastic conversation and a great way to close out the year 2022! To learn more about Michael and The Play Zone, click here: https://theplayzone.com/coaching or, Check out Michael's background: Michael has partnered with Polyvagal Institute and Stephen W. Porges Ph.D. in providing education and coaching of Polyvagal Theory in a variety of industries (fitness, wellness, business, etc.), and is currently leading the development of a Polyvagal-informed Certificate for Health, Wellness & Performance Coaches accredited by The National Board for Health & Wellness Coaches. His unique application of Polyvagal Theory to performance - The Play Zone - provides a paradigm shifting methodology to optimize control of our performance through skillful and conscious control of our physiology, and is endorsed by Polyvagal Institute and Dr. Porges. He was a featured speaker at the Polyvagal Institute's Annual Summit in October 2022 and will be presenting at the Innovative Education Summit at The Elms in Colwall, Uk on the 11th & 12th of March 2023 & The Master Series at Oxford University, UK on the 1st, 2nd & 3rd of September 2023. Michael is currently launching the premiere on-the-ground Polyvagal Wellness & Performance Center in Santa Barbara, California to host live and live-streamed retreats, workshops and conferences integrating a variety of Polyvagal-informed industry experts to provide experiential training, lifestyle and certificate programs for coaches, therapists, leaders, educators, organizations and the general public. Michael consults with professional, collegiate and high performing coaches, teams, organizations, athletes and performers in a variety of disciplines, as well as executive coaches, business leaders and corporate teams. He is a Health & Performance Coach, Personal Trainer, Medical Exercise Specialist, Post Rehab Specialist and Certified Oxygen Advantage Breathwork Instructor. He is the author of SMARTER Coaching, a certificated behavior change course accredited by the American Council on Exercise. In addition, Michael is a certificated ILS Safe & Sound Provider / Remote Provider and Focus System Training Provider. With more than 25 years of experience in the fitness & wellness industry, he is the founder (1999) and co-owner of Physical Focus Inc. in Santa Barbara, California (www.physicalfocus.com) and leads a team of Polyvagal-informed personal trainers, fitness instructors, health coaches, nutritionists and bodyworkers. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/original-strength/support

In this episode, Deb discussed how she was inspired after hearing Stephen Porges, Ph.D. speak about his polyvagal theory, and found ways to use this theory in helping clients to heal. She explained that there are three states of the autonomic nervous system, which are the ventral (feeling regulated, safe, connected), sympathetic (fight or flight, activated), and dorsal (collapse, shut down, disconnected) and that there are cues that trigger these states. We discussed how emotions are the labels that we attach to these states, although the same states may have different labels (anxiety vs. excitement). She pointed out that our nervous system takes in information from three pathways, which are embodied (interoceptive or internal sensations), environmental (external cues), and between nervous systems (how our nervous system is reacting to another's nervous system). She discussed how the polyvagal theory allows therapists to help clients identify the cues that trigger these states, understand these states, and they also inform the therapist as they help coregulate the client through the therapist being in a ventral state. The polyvagal theory, she pointed out, sees these states in a hierarchy, where when the sympathetic is overwhelmed, then the person moves into the dorsal state of collapse or dissociation, and to move from the dorsal state, one must go back through the sympathetic, fight or flight, state to return to a ventral state. Deb discussed how we learn to move through this system through coregulation and we discuss how this plays out with parents and children and in couple relationships. She explained that survivors of Complex PTSD, who grew up in an unsafe and/or unpredictable environment, weren't able to get that experience of coregulation to internalize, so they had to regulate themselves, and these solutions may have become maladaptive. This also creates difficulty for the client because their experience is that people are dangerous, so it is dangerous to be in the presence of another, making coregulation very difficult. Part of the therapist's work with trauma survivors is to be able to help coregulate them in a ventral state, while they also access those other states while revisiting the trauma, experiencing the coregulation in the present while engaging with the experience of the past. She discussed techniques she uses with clients such as breathing techniques, connecting to memories of times in ventral state, using objects that cue a time when in a ventral state, and a discernment question where the person is able to reflect on whether the current activation is needed for the current situation, and notice, name, and then turn towards the nervous system experience. Deb Dana, LCSW is a clinician, consultant and author specializing in complex trauma. Her work is focused on using the lens of Polyvagal Theory to understand and resolve the impact of trauma, and creating ways of working that honor the role of the autonomic nervous system. She is a founding member of the Polyvagal Institute, consultant to Khiron Clinics, and advisor to Unyte. Deb is the developer of the signature Rhythm of Regulation Clinical Training Series and is well known for translating Polyvagal Theory into a language and application that is both understandable and accessible for clinicians and curious people alike. Deb's clinical work published with W.W. Norton includes The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation, Polyvagal Exercises for Safety and Connection: 50 Client Centered Practices, the Polyvagal Flip Chart, and the Polyvagal Card Deck. She partners with Sounds True to bring her polyvagal perspective to a general audience through the audio program Befriending Your Nervous System: Looking Through the Lens of Polyvagal Theory and her print book Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory. Deb can be contacted via her website www.rhythmofregulation.com

So we are ready to go back to dating now what? Do you feel anxious, nervous, unsure of how to proceed? In this Epsiode Sarah breaks down key tools to help us navigate this experience including healing, love language, attachment style, vulnerability, emotional disregulation amongst other topics. This is such a helpful epsiode I catch myself listening to it from time to time just as a reminder and I recommend you do to.    Sarah Baldwin is a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner and Trauma Coach who is trained in Polyvagal interventions and is on the training team at the Polyvagal Institute. She specializes in somatic trauma healing; attachment work, parts and inner child work and nervous system regulation.   You can find more on Sarah and how to work with her using the links below.  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahbcoaching/ Website: https://www.sarahbaldwincoaching.com/    

If you are a regular listener of this show, you will be familiar with Polyvagal Theory, as it's coming up in multiple interviews. But this episode is the first one dedicated solely to exploring this powerful theory. And to explore it with us, I'm thrilled to be talking with Deb Dana, a clinician, consultant, and author who is known for being a translator of Polyvagal Theory, which was developed by Dr. Stephen Porges in the mid-1990s.In this episode, Deb Dana gives us a primer of the key points of Polyvagal Theory, and in doing so, explains the ways in which it can support the way we parent our differently-wired kids. Deb explains the nervous system pathways, why co-regulation is essential to our survival, what befriending and listening to our autonomic nervous system looks like in practice, and the benefits of having a breathing practice. We also talk about why these concepts can change our relationships to our daily life even if our circumstances stay the same. Deb Dana, LCSW is a clinician, consultant and author specializing in complex trauma.  Her work is focused on using the lens of Polyvagal Theory to understand and resolve the impact of trauma, and creating ways of working that honor the role of the autonomic nervous system.  She is a founding member of the Polyvagal Institute, consultant to Khiron Clinics, advisor to Unyte, and developer of the signature Rhythm of Regulation Clinical Training Series. Deb is well known for translating Polyvagal Theory into a language and application that is both understandable and accessible for clinicians and curious people alike.Deb's clinical work published with W.W. Norton includes The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation, Polyvagal Exercises for Safety and Connection: 50 Client Centered Practices, the Polyvagal Flip Chart: Understanding the Science of Safety and the Polyvagal Card Deck: 58 Practices for Calm and Change. Things you'll learn from this episode-The mission behind Deb's book Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory-What the nervous system pathways are and the three states we can be in-What aspects of our nervous systems are innate or “hardwired” versus routed in nurture or life experience-Why co-regulation is essential to our survival and examples for ways in which we constantly do naturally-What befriending and listening to our autonomic nervous system looks like in practice-What the benefits of having a regular breathing practice areResources Mentioned-Deb Dana's website, Rhythm of Regulation-Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory by Deb Dana-Polyvagal Card Deck: 58 Practices for Calm & Change-Polyvagal Exercises for Safety and Connection: 50 Client-Centered Practices by Deb Dana-Polyvagal Practices: Anchoring the Self in Safety by Deb Dana (coming March 2023)-Stephen PorgesSupport the showConnect with Tilt Parenting Visit Tilt Parenting Take the free 7-Day Challenge Read a chapter of Differently Wired Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram

If you are into personal growth, you may be wondering what all the buzz is about the nervous system these days.   It's for good reason and is a personal passion of ours and woven deeply into the work we do with couples, especially when it comes to helping partners develop secure attachment with one another.   Today, we are so excited to invite you to join expert Sarah Baldwin, training staff at the Polyvagal Institute, to receive revelatory insights into your own nervous system, and learn how regulating it can bring about profound shifts in your ability to relate to yourself, others, and the world.   This particular podcast episode is a bit more like a mini-training, rather than simply an interview, because Sarah is just so gifted as a trainer and is a beloved shining star in the world of understanding polyvagal theory and the nervous system. I adore how clearly and compassionately she explains things and how she speaks openly of her own harrowing journey of an entire childhood filled with abuse and neglect and the impact it had on her -- and her way out of trauma and into healing.   There are two things I continually hear Sarah say in the work she does: - "You make sense." - "If my nervous system can do it, so can yours."   So beautiful.   Below are the timestamps to see all of the goodness we cover.... 2:15 - How Sarah's complex childhood trauma inspired her work in somatic healing   4:30 - Why going to talk therapy for complex trauma is like going to the ophthalmologist for a hip injury   6:30 - How to discharge traumatic energy from our bodies   11:15 - A good place to begin your healing journey   13:00 - Dysregulation and learning how to drive the vehicle that is your body   18:25 - How our very own "Special Ops Team" keeps us safe   38:27 - You make sense, and you are not alone   40:30 - Words of wisdom for when we see our partner in a dysregulated state   44:55 - How our childhood creates the blueprint for our adult relationships and how to see your partner differently in challenging times   53:55 - Helpful ideas to regulate and come to the safety of the present moment, and the role of Bob Ross and Mr. Rogers in Sarah's life   1:02:48 - What having a thriving relationship means to Sarah Sarah has a huge heart, a deeply empathetic and grounded presence, and is an inspiration for countless people longing to find their way out of pain and towards the love, inner freedom, peace, and connection we all long to feel.  

Trauma Responses: Beyond Fight or Flight Childhood trauma can trigger a chronic “fight or flight” response, even when children are placed in safe, loving foster homes. How do caregivers deal with that response to build relationships? At Utah Foster Care's Annual Symposium, Dr. George Thompson provided insight into how a trauma-informed system of care can play a critical role in establishing a sense of safety. A full re-cap of our Symposium can be found on our blog here. Dr. Thompson is a child psychiatrist devoted to assisting families and healthcare organizations to build emotionally safe, curious, collaborative, and coherent cultures that transform trauma into wisdom. He, along with co-author Marilyn Sanders, is the author of the recent book, Polyvagal Theory and the Developing Child: Systems of Care for Strengthening Kids, Families, and Communities. Thompson serves on the advisory board of the Polyvagal Institute and is treasurer of the board of directors of the Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy Institute. He and his team are creating a model youth psychiatric residential program, the Thompson Centers for Heroic Change. For a copy of Dr. Thompson's Book: Polyvagal Theory and the Developing Child fill out this form. ~~~~ 2022 Fostering Community Award recipient: Rachel Garrett Check out Common Thread and all the great work they are doing for teens affected by foster care.  Visit Common Thread on the web or follow them on Instagram at @Commonthread_ut

We are talking with some of the speakers from our 2022 conference.Podcast listeners get a 25% off discount to our conference using the code HAPPYLISTENER when you register. The conference is October 21-22, and is fully virtual. If you can't attend live, registrants will have access to recordings of the presentations for 30 days, so you won't miss a thing!Today's guide is Dr. Stephen Porges, well known for the polyvagal theory, which describes the role of the vagus nerve in regulating the reaction to potential danger. Dr. Porges is Distinguished University Scientist at Indiana University, where he founded the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium, Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina, and Professor Emeritus at both the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Maryland. He has published hundreds of articles and books, and developed the Safe and Sound Protocol, a non-invasive vagus nerve stimulator which helps reduce autonomic reactivity. Learn more about polyvagal-based approaches to health at The Polyvagal Institute.Subscribe here or wherever you get your podcasts. Please rate us and leave reviews. It really helps get us to more listeners.This podcast is produced by the Northeast Region Biofeedback Society. NRBS is an organization for professionals, students, and everyone interested in neurofeedback, biofeedback, and whole body health.Learn more about Dr. Saul Rosenthal at saulrosenthalphd.com.Contact us at healthybrain@nrbs.org.

Jan Winhall, M.S.W. F.O.T., is an author, teacher, and psychotherapist. She is an Adjunct lecturer in the Department of Social Work, University of Toronto. Jan is Director of Focusing on Borden, a psychotherapy and training center. She is a partner with the Polyvagal Institute and a Coordinator with the International Focusing Institute. She teaches internationally on trauma and addiction. During this expansive episode, Jan chats to Victoria all about her journey into developing the Felt Sense Polyvagal Model, and then runs through a comprehensive overview of this model, and how to use this both in clinical practice and personally. Far more than just a treatment for addictions, this model is an incredibly powerful tool to support personal awareness and reflection - and Jan walks you through this, in depth, during this episode, sharing her wisdom and work with you. To access the slide used during this podcast, click here - or watch our visual versions on Spotify or YouTube. For a full transcript of this episode, click here. All of Jan Winhall's work can be found at https://janwinhall.com You can become certified in the Felt Sense Polyvagal Model, and you can register for this certification here. Purchase Jan's Book here. And if you are interested in attending the Polyvagal Institute Gathering, and Unyte Safe and Sound Protocol Summit, it is being held from 13-16 October in Atlantic Beach, Florida - and online. Find out more and get your ticket here. As always - if you enjoyed this episode, go and send Jan your thoughts and words on her website and public profiles. And do send to a friend, like, share and subscribe to receive more from The Unveil Podcast.

Episode 35: How To use Polyvagal Theory to Shift Your Nervous System with Deb Dana Do you know how your nervous system works? Polyvagal theory explains how our nervous system evolved and offers insight into why we become activated or shut down during stress. In this episode, Deb Dana helps us understand polyvagal theory and offers strategies to help you shift your nervous system toward connection and safety.  About Deb DanaDeb Dana, LCSW is a clinician, consultant, and author specializing in complex trauma. Her work is focused on using the lens of Polyvagal Theory to understand and resolve the impact of trauma, and creating ways of working that honor the role of the autonomic nervous system. She is a founding member of the Polyvagal Institute and developer of the signature Rhythm of Regulation Clinical Training Series. Deb is well known for translating Polyvagal Theory into a language and application that is both understandable and accessible - for clinicians and curious people alike. She has a number of resources for clinicians including The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy, Polyvagal Exercises for Safety and Connection: 50 Client Centered Practices, and the Polyvagal Flip Chart. And she partners with Sounds True to bring her polyvagal perspective to a general audience through the audio program Befriending Your Nervous System and her print book Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory. We will offer you links to get connected to these in the show notes. Key TakeawaysYour nervous system is designed for survival The vagus nerve has 2 branches: ventral and dorsal  When stressed or threatened, your body will first respond by going into sympathetic mobilization, but if you are not able to escape to safety, your body may move into dorsal vagal which leads to shut down The ventral vagal system is part of your social engagement system and leads to feelings of safety and connection Movement, touchstones, and breath can be helpful when you are stuck in sympathetic arousal Visualization, music, and gentle movement can help when you are feeling immobilized  Relevant Resources Mentionedhttp://www.rhythmofregulation.com/ (Learn More About Deb Dana) Take Deb Dana's Courses https://www.soundstrue.com/products/finding-safety-in-your-nervous-system?#62e32fcb19a88 (Finding Safety in Your Nervous System) and https://www.soundstrue.com/products/anchored?#62e32fcb19a88 (Befriending Your Nervous System) with Sounds True https://www.soundstrue.com/products/anchored?#62e32fcb19a88 (Anchored: How To Befriend Your Nervous System With Polyvagal Theory) by Deb Dana  Music for Your Sympathetic Nervous System: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9OCEfi4Lv0 (Ra Ma Da Sa) by Snatnam Kaur  Music for Your Dorsal Vagal System: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jX7M6R7ogc (It's Alright) by John Batiste (Music for  https://drdianahill.com/extras/ (Download Your Daily Practice for Episode 35 Here) Sign up for https://drdianahill.com/striving-thriving-summit-2022/ (From Striving to Thriving 2.0)  https://drdianahill.com/events/ (Join Diana at an upcoming event) https://drdianahill.com/reset-and-restore-retreat/ (Reserve your spot with Diana for Retreat in Costa Rica in 2023)! Thank you for listening to Your Life in Process! If you have any questions or feedback you can contact me by email at podcast@yourlifeinprocess.com, leave me an audio message at (805) 457-2776, or message me on Instagram @drdianahill and remember when you become psychologically flexible, you become free.  Stay tuned for my next episode on YLIP when I talk with frequent show contributor, Dr. Jud Brewer. Thank you to my team Craig, Angela Stubbs, Ashley Hiatt, Abby Diehl, and to our sponsor InsightLA Meditation for making this podcast possible. Thank you to Benjamin Gould of https://bellandbranch.com/ (Bell & Branch) for your beautiful music.  Episode Segments[00:00] Introduction [00:41] About Deb Dana

In the second part of the Vagus Nerve series, Jen talks to Deb Dana, LCSW, author & and one of the founders of the Polyvagal Institute about how everyone - even people without anxiety, need to learn how to regulate their nervous systems for better relationships in all area of life, what is polyvagal theory and how it plays into our daily life, and why certain people annoy us. For more information on Deb Dana go to: https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org/about-deb and for her latest book "Anchored: How To Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory" go here: https://bookshop.org/books/anchored-how-to-befriend-your-nervous-system-using-polyvagal-theory/9781683647065 For more information on Jen Kirkman, the host of Anxiety Bites, please go here: https://jenkirkman.bio.link and to get the takeaways for this episode please visit: http://www.jenkirkman.com/anxietybitespodcast To send an email to the show write to anxietybitesweekly at gmail dot com. Follow Jen on Twitter @jenkirkman or Instagram @jenkirkman  Anxiety Bites is distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network and co-produced by Dylan Fagan and JJ Posway. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Themes: Relationships, Attachment Theory, Polyvagal Theory Summary: I know you're going to be pumped about today's guest because her last appearance on the podcast was one of my most listened to episodes ever! Back by popular demand is Sarah Baldwin, a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner and Trauma Coach trained in Polyvagal interventions and on the training team at the Polyvagal Institute. In Sarah's previous episode, she brilliantly broke down Polyvagal theory (i.e. how the autonomic nervous system works) and briefly touched on the intersection of Polyvagal theory and attachment theory. Today, Sarah's back to dive deeper into how these two theories work together subconsciously to inform the way we relate to and connect with others. Discover: How a lack of a secure attachment with our primary childhood caregivers results in the development of insecure attachment styles in order to cope and find safety How the Autonomic Nervous System works and becomes dysregulated as a brilliant and beautiful way to self protect The relationship between who you choose as a partner as an adult and how you were related to in your childhood experiences Steps to regulate your nervous system and create secure attachment within your adult relationships Links: Listen to Sarah's first episode: The Nervous System Explained Follow Sarah on Instagram for regular supportive teachings Sarah offers small group programs, online courses and workshops. Sign up for her email list to get exclusive support, offers and her free workbook "How to Gain Control Over How You Feel" or visit her website at sarahbaldwincoaching.com. Sponsors: Organifi | Use code CREATETHELOVE for 20% off all products at organifi.com/createthelove Create the Love Cards | Use code CTLCARDS15 for 15% off at createthelove.com/cards See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I feel honored (the trauma-recovery geek in me was doing a happy dance!) to have had this opportunity to sit down with Dr. Stephen Porges, PhD, researcher, author, speaker, and Polyvagal Institute founding member. Please join us as we discuss: Dr. Porge's insights on the vagus nerve, Polyvagal Theory, and its critical importance in trauma … Continue reading Dr. Stephen Porges – Polyvagal-Informed Approaches to Healing →

"Polyvagal theory at the simplest level emphasizes that we have a physiological system, and the autonomic nervous system mediates how we react and respond to the world. When our autonomic nervous system is calm it supports our bodily functions. It also provides permission at a neural level for us to trigger other parts of our brain that results in engagement with others. The secret underlining polyvagal theory is that there was an evolutionary linkage between cardioinhibitory fibers and the nerves that regulate the muscles in the face and neck – this enables our communication, what we call sociability or sociality. These aspects are really linked to our ability to send cues of safety to others."    Episode Description: We began by recognizing the scope of Polyvagal Theory in its description of the evolutionary advance from asocial reptilian functioning to the mammalian capacity for safety and sociality. This ability to both experience and register others' trustworthiness enabled our minds to discover collaboration as well as creativity and self-awareness. The 'fittest that survives' is understood as the one who works best in groups. We consider the role of sound in establishing a sense of safety, the enervation of the facial musculature to communicate safety, and neuroception as an unconscious process that registers cues of safety. We conclude with Stephen sharing with us some aspects of his personal journey of discovery since he first described Polyvagal Theory in 1994.    Our Guest: Stephen W. Porges, Ph.D. is a Distinguished University Scientist at Indiana University where he is the founding director of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium in the Kinsey Institute. He is Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina, and Professor Emeritus at both the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Maryland. He is co-founder of the not-for-profit Polyvagal Institute. He served as president of the Society for Psychophysiological Research and the Federation of Associations in Behavioral & Brain Sciences and is a former recipient of a National Institute of Mental Health Research Scientist Development Award. He has published approximately 400 peer-reviewed scientific papers across many disciplines. He holds several patents involved in monitoring and regulating autonomic states and originated the Polyvagal Theory, which emphasizes the importance of the physiological state in the expression of behavioral, mental, and health problems related to traumatic experiences. He is the author of The Polyvagal Theory, The Pocket Guide to the Polyvagal Theory, and Polyvagal Safety, as well as co-editor of Clinical Applications of the Polyvagal Theory: The Emergence of Polyvagal-Informed Therapies. 

Two years into the pandemic of COVID-19, many people are feeling overwhelmed and over stressed. Our nervous systems are exhausted and we can more easily be in heightened states of emotions, including our fight or flight responses. Polyvagal Theory gives us language to help us understand how our nervous systems processes our emotions in states of safety and in fight or flight, and can help us navigate how to better process and interact with others.Deb Dana, LCSW is a clinician, consultant and author specializing in complex trauma. Her work is focused on using the lens of Polyvagal Theory to understand and resolve the impact of trauma, and creating ways of working that honor the role of the autonomic nervous system. She is a founding member of the Polyvagal Institute and developer of the signature Rhythm of Regulation Clinical Training Series. Deb is well known for translating Polyvagal Theory into a language and application that is both understandable and accessible - for clinicians and curious people alike.*******Deb's clinical work published with W.W. Norton includes The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation, Polyvagal Exercises for Safety and Connection: 50 Client Centered Practices, and the Polyvagal Flip Chart. She partners with Sounds True to bring her polyvagal perspective to a general audience through the audio program Befriending Your Nervous System: Looking Through the Lens of Polyvagal Theory and her print book Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory.  Deb can be contacted via her website www.rhythmofregulation.com*******The Third Place Podcast is a weekly podcast that invites listeners into the hard conversations that we have a tendency to avoid.We “go there” on things such as…How anger is beautifulHow to find presence amidst chaosHow to have difficult conversationsHow to be an allyHow to live with griefThe Third Place is a safe place where curiosity is encouraged, differences are welcomed, and empathy is embraced through healthy dialogue.We've forgotten how to talk to each other… Life has become polarized and dualistic - you're either with me or against me. To embrace the complex human experience is to see the world through other's eyes. The Third Place podcast helps with the disconnect. This looks like less conflict and tension and more like a peaceful existence with others. The Third Place podcast restores the art of dialogue.For additional resources and if you're interested in supporting the work of The Third Place Podcast, check out our Patreon page.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-third-place/donations

Themes: Polyvagal Theory, Attachment Theory, Trauma, Nervous System Regulation, Relationships   Summary:  Sarah Baldwin is a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner and Trauma Coach trained in Polyvagal interventions and on the training team at the Polyvagal Institute. She specializes in somatic trauma healing; attachment work, inner child work and nervous system regulation and I'm so excited to share her insight with you. In this episode, Sarah breaks down the brilliance of the nervous system so we can move out of dysregulated states and become the active operators of our lives.   Discover: The incredible protective force within each of us – the Autonomic Nervous System – and how this brilliant system functions to protect us from threat and danger What is happening in the body when stored traumas and/or an insecure attachment style informs the way we show up in the present moment Why a dysregulated nervous system is a primary marker for unhappiness in our lives Tips to self-regulate and move from being in fight/flight/freeze/immobility or shut down Co-regulation and why it's so important!   Links: sarahbaldwincoaching.com Instagram: @sarahbcoaching Sign up for Sarah's email list to get exclusive support, offers and her free workbook "How to Gain Control Over How You Feel" Sponsors: Organifi | Use code CREATETHELOVE for 20% off all products at organifi.com/createthelove Faherty Brand | Use code CREATE20 for 20% off your first order at fahertybrand.com/createthelove House of WiseCo. | Use code CREATETHELOVE for 20% off your order at houseofwise.co See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, I'm so thrilled to have Deb Dana (LCSW) join us. Deb is a clinician, author, speaker, and consultant specializing in using the lens of Polyvagal Theory to understand and resolve the impact of trauma and create ways of living that allow us to positively re-train and shift our nervous system responses. Deb's work helps us master the skills to become more aware of our nervous system in each moment—and change the way we respond to the big and small challenges of life—especially after childhood abuse and trauma.Do you remember a recent conversation that "set you off?" Or, a triggering moment with your partner or loved one? Or even a social media post that "over-activated" you? These interactions can cause us to react as if they are life-threatening encounters because our bodies perceived them as threats from past trauma. Deb's work on the Polyvagal approach to living shows us how we can re-train our nervous system to respond in the present with new choices, safety, and connection.Deb developed the Rhythm of Regulation Clinical Training Series and lectures internationally on ways Polyvagal Theory helps trauma survivors. Deb is founding member of the Polyvagal Institute, and her publications include The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation; Polyvagal Exercises for Safety and Connection: 50 Client-Centered Practices; and the Polyvagal Flip Chart: Understanding the Science of Safety.Deb is the creator of the audio program Befriending Your Nervous System, in partnership with SoundsTrue.Deb's just-published book is a MUST READ—it's called Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory.Again, I'm so thrilled and grateful to have Deb join us for this podcast—there is just so much to learn and so many take-aways here!

Friends, if there is one episode that you listen to, this would be the one. Honestly, when you grasp this concept and learn the tools and apply the work to your life, your life will change in the most unimaginable ways.Sarah Baldwin is a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner trained through Peter Levine's three year trauma training and a member of the Polyvagal Institute training team. She is also trained in somatic Attachment Theory, Parts Work, Psychodrama and Martha Beck's life coaching program. Sarah is based in Los Angeles and has grown to serve hundreds of clients from around the world and offers a variety of individual, group, and online coaching options.On this episode, we talk about:The history of the autonomic nervous systemLooking at yoru life in parts, what it means and why it's importantSelf compassion for the autonomic nervous systemThe important concept of titrationThe autonomic ladder and how to move up and down itThe importance of taking tolerable stepsWhat the ANS has to do with burnoutDiscovering purpose by understanding your ANSYou can learn more about Sarah, here: www.sarahbaldwincoaching.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, I am very excited to introduce Sarah Baldwin. We will be discussing emotional trauma and how we can begin to heal it. Someone from The Good Space audience asked if we could have Sarah on and we're so glad they did. Sarah Baldwin is a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner and an Embodied Coach. She is also trained in Polyvagal interventions and is on the training team at the Polyvagal Institute. She specializes in somatic trauma healing, somatic attachment work, nervous system regulation and somatic parts, and inner child work. We talk about…[4:00] Sarah's story - How healing brought Sarah to her work[8:47] What is trauma? How can someone know when they experience trauma?[14:37] How we can teach our bodies to feel safe? Understanding our bodies and recognizing dysregulation[18:28] Compiling a toolbox of regulating resources[21:31] What happens when trauma doesn't get resolved?[25:59] The difference between trauma and trauma response.[28:53] Finding the appropriate regulating resources to help your system move for the appropriate situations[32:47] Getting started with seeking help and learning how to regulate your own nervous system[35:45] Q&A - Finding sematic experience practitioners, seeking help, and where to seek resources for young people QUOTES“Trauma is about how any event overwhelms my system's capacity to process it.” - Sarah“You make sense. Every single part of you makes sense and if you make sense, it means you are not broken and if you're not broken, it means healing is possible. Your system knows how to heal. It just needs to be shown the way and that's what this work does.” - Sarah THIS WEEK'S INTENTIONI breathe in deeply to expand, pause to take this moment in, then exhale to release.  WRITING PROMPTWhat comes to mind when I think of what's blocking me from living life fully? Do I have a safe space to process or do I need to create one?  RESOURCES AND LINKS: Get on The Good Stuff waiting listJoin our private Facebook group hereOrder our productivity eBookDM me with thoughts or questions on InstagramFollow Sarah Baldwin on Instagram @sarahbcoachingLearn more about Sarah and her work on her websiteDo you have a spiritual or mindfulness question that you want me to unpack on an upcoming The Good Space episode? Or an awesome manifesting moment you want to share? Leave a voicemail right now at (917) 719-0867 FOR FULL SHOW NOTES: Click here LET'S STAY CONNECTEDSubscribe: Apple, Spotify, StitcherFollow us on Instagram: click hereGet free weekly emails on spirituality: click hereVisit our website: click here

In this episode, I am very excited to introduce Sarah Baldwin. We will be discussing emotional trauma and how we can begin to heal it. Someone from The Good Space audience asked if we could have Sarah on and we're so glad they did. Sarah Baldwin is a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner and an Embodied Coach. She is also trained in Polyvagal interventions and is on the training team at the Polyvagal Institute. She specializes in somatic trauma healing, somatic attachment work, nervous system regulation and somatic parts, and inner child work. We talk about…[4:00] Sarah's story - How healing brought Sarah to her work[8:47] What is trauma? How can someone know when they experience trauma?[14:37] How we can teach our bodies to feel safe? Understanding our bodies and recognizing dysregulation[18:28] Compiling a toolbox of regulating resources[21:31] What happens when trauma doesn't get resolved?[25:59] The difference between trauma and trauma response.[28:53] Finding the appropriate regulating resources to help your system move for the appropriate situations[32:47] Getting started with seeking help and learning how to regulate your own nervous system[35:45] Q&A - Finding sematic experience practitioners, seeking help, and where to seek resources for young people QUOTES“Trauma is about how any event overwhelms my system's capacity to process it.” - Sarah“You make sense. Every single part of you makes sense and if you make sense, it means you are not broken and if you're not broken, it means healing is possible. Your system knows how to heal. It just needs to be shown the way and that's what this work does.” - Sarah THIS WEEK'S INTENTIONI breathe in deeply to expand, pause to take this moment in, then exhale to release.  WRITING PROMPTWhat comes to mind when I think of what's blocking me from living life fully? Do I have a safe space to process or do I need to create one?  RESOURCES AND LINKS: Get on The Good Stuff waiting listJoin our private Facebook group hereOrder our productivity eBookDM me with thoughts or questions on InstagramFollow Sarah Baldwin on Instagram @sarahbcoachingLearn more about Sarah and her work on her websiteDo you have a spiritual or mindfulness question that you want me to unpack on an upcoming The Good Space episode? Or an awesome manifesting moment you want to share? Leave a voicemail right now at (917) 719-0867 FOR FULL SHOW NOTES: Click here LET'S STAY CONNECTEDSubscribe: Apple, Spotify, StitcherFollow us on Instagram: click hereGet free weekly emails on spirituality: click hereVisit our website: click here

Today on the Everything Belongs Podcast, Madison is in conversation with Sarah Baldwin. Sarah is a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner and an Embodied Coach. She is also trained in Polyvagal interventions and is on the training team at the Polyvagal Institute. She specializes in somatic trauma healing, somatic attachment work, nervous system regulation and somatic parts and inner child work. In this episode, Madison and Sarah speak on nervous systems healing, how to be with and parent all the different inner aspects of the Self, exploring ourselves through the attachment styles and, most importantly, the idea that we are not broken - we make so much sense.Listen in and find the full show notes here: http://madisonmorrigan.com/podcast-rss-feed/62Guest LinksSarah's webpage: https://www.sarahbaldwincoaching.com/Sarah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahbcoaching/Sarah's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sarahbaldwincoaching/

What we have been waiting for.......a place to learn all about the Polyvagal Theory and how to unravel key concepts to implement in life....family....pets.....education....medical work....legal system and clinical practice. Welcome to the Polyvagal Institute (PVI).I have the pleasure of speaking with the Executive Director, Randall Redfield all about the Polyvagal Institute, its mission, and learning opportunities.IMPORTANT- Course Discount Offer for our podcast listeners:  In association with the PVI we are so pleased to be able to offer a Discount to the "Art and Science of the Polyvagal Theory" Course by Dr Porges and Deb Dana.  See below for the link to order the course. The cost is in Australian dollars but transfers to around a 25% discount  (due to currency exchange).Click here to ORDER        Australian: Click here to ORDER (includes GST)THE ART & SCIENCE OF POLYVAGAL THEORY PROVIDED BY THE POLYVAGAL INSTITUTE:  Format: 8.5 hrs live-online and recorded Price: $A300 (approx 25% discount from listed price)Contact: info@integratedlistening.com.auInstructors: Stephen Porges, Ph.D. & Deb Dana, LCSW Live Q&A Dates and Times: Deb Dana, Oct 1 2021 at 11am EDT [ Oct 2, 1am AESTStephen Porges Oct 7 at 1pm EDT [ Oct 8, 3am AEST, 4am AEDT]For more detailed information please see HEREI have known Randall for some years from my early work as an Instructor for Integrated Listening Systems (iLs). Randall was an iLs Co-Founder and I loved every minute of being involved with iLs and teaching practitioners across the USA and Canada about the iLs Focus System. Randall shares his journey in first meeting Dr Porges for a podcast interview in his home in North Carolina to forming a partnership to bring the Safe and Sound Protocol out of the Lab into the therapy community. The beauty of learning Polyvagal Theory is that we can apply key principles into day-to-day life in connecting and co-regulating with family, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances. Randall speaks of his own personal journey with connecting with his sons.Listen in to learn about the PVI mission and current and future learning opportunities. The PVI is developing courses about being Polyvagal Informed in Education, Medical, Legal fields, and Equine and Animal Assisted therapy. Current courses available are taught by Dr Porges and Deb Dana.Keep an eye out for a future podcast that I have planned with Dr Rebecca Bailey about Polyvagal Theory in Equine Assisted Therapy. Dr Bailey is also developing a course for the PVI. To find out more information: Polyvagal InstituteContact me at ssppodcast1@gmail.comBreath Slow & Smile,  Joanne McIntyre

Deb Dana, LCSW, is a founding member of the Polyvagal Institute and Coordinator of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium at the Kinsey Institute, Indiana University.  Deb shares with our host, Sarah, about her work with the Polyvagal Theory, a clinical theory developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, and how she has translated the theory into clinical application, including everyday application. Deb describes the Polyvagal framework that views the nervous system as a common denominator of human experience, and shares, “It's my belief we should all learn how to operate our nervous systems in some way.” Deb breaks down the Polyvagal Theory for listeners and shares three organizing principles: hierarchy, neuroception, and co-regulation.  Deb talks further about how different life experiences, including developmental trauma, result in nervous systems moving in and out of regulation and dysregulation in different ways. Deb says, “It's not so much what happened to you, it's how your nervous system responds to what happens to you.” This understanding is aligned with the  NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM) and highlights how different people experience and adapt to the same traumatic experience in different ways.  Deb describes a “safety-danger equation” that people unconsciously calculate in order to determine what feels safe for them at any given moment. Sarah shares how this orientation aligns with what is referred to in NARM as Adaptive Survival Styles, the ways that children learn to adapt to developmental trauma and which gets carried into adulthood as filters for viewing Self, others and one's life.  Deb and Sarah both emphasize the importance of curiosity and being able to sit with the unknown, and how that leads to a greater awareness of our nervous system states. In NARM, the process of inquiry invites curiosity and compassion for the clients' experience and nervous system states, which supports what in NARM is called an “Embodied Adult Consciousness”. The conversation concludes with Deb and Sarah sharing the powerful outcomes of having more awareness of our nervous system states, more curiosity, and more compassion for ourselves.  About Deb: Deb Dana, LCSW, is a clinician and consultant specializing in working with complex trauma and Coordinator of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium at the Kinsey Institute, Indiana University. She developed the Rhythm of Regulation clinical training series and lectures internationally on ways in which polyvagal theory informs work with trauma survivors. Connect with Deb:  Deb Dana offers trainings, podcasts, interviews on her website www.rhythmofregulation.com and on the Polyvagal Institute website www.polyvagalinstitute.org   To read the full show notes and discover more resources visit http://www.narmtraining.com/podcast *** NARM Training Institute http://www.NARMtraining.com View upcoming Online Basics Trainings: http://www.narmtraining.com/onlinebasics *** The NARM Training Institute provides tools for transforming complex trauma through: in-person and online trainings for mental health care professionals; in-person and online workshops on complex trauma and how it interplays with areas like addiction, parenting, and cultural trauma; an online self-paced learning program, the NARM Inner Circle; and other trauma-informed learning resources.   We want to connect with you! Facebook @NARMtraining Twitter @NARMtraining YouTube Instagram @thenarmtraininginstitute

Self and co-regulation is an essential human need that couples need to understand to know that their relationship is somewhere they can feel safe and come home to. Deb Dana, LCSW, clinician and consultant specializing in Polyvagal theory, joins the podcast to discuss what regulation is, its role in the nervous system, and how couples can apply it to their relationships. Deb trains therapists worldwide on the Polyvagal approach. She is co-founder of The Polyvagal Institute and author of The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation and Polyvagal Exercises for Safety and Connection: 50 Client-Centered Practices.  Deb is also the co-editor with Stephen Porges of Clinical Application of the Polyvagal Theory: The Emergence of Polyvagal Informed Therapies and developer of the Rythm of Regulation clinical training series among many other pioneering works into this space. Check out the transcript to this episode in Dr. Jessica Higgin's website. In this episode: 06:21 Co-regulation is the first organizing principle of polyvagal theory. It is a biological need to survive and to experience well-being. For people living with trauma, this did not happen in a safe environment and led to self-regulation instead. 08:40 Neuroception is the second organizing principle. It refers to the nervous system's way of getting information. The nervous system is constantly listening to three pathways: inside the body, the environment, and other nervous systems. 09:57 Hierarchy is the third organizing principle. There are three states that we visit all the time: ventral (safety and connection), sympathetic (fight and flight), and dorsal (disconnect and shutdown). 13:25 Co-dysregulation in relationship is common and when this happens the prefrontal cortex doesn't work the way it should. For couple therapy to be effective, one system must be anchored in ventral. 17:52 Protective strategies keep partners sympathetically charged. Since biology keeps nervous systems in this state, timing is important so that connection happens. Reaching by one partner while the other is in this state will result in pushback. 27:28 Tips for couples in dysregulated phases and using language other nervous systems can understand. 35:01 Asking who, what, where, when is an exercise to anchor to ventral and feel safe. 43:07 Contact Deb and learn more about the Polyvagal approach. Mentioned The Polyvagal Institute Website Rhythm of Regulation Website The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation (*Amazon book link) Polyvagal Exercises for Safety and Connection: 50 Client-Centered Practices (*Amazon book link) Polyvagal Flip Chart: Understanding the Science of Safety (*Amazon book link) Clinical Application of the Polyvagal Theory: The Emergence of Polyvagal Informed Therapies (*Amazon book link) Befriending Your Nervous System: Looking Through the Lens of Polyvagal Theory (*Amazon audiobook link) Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory (*Amazon book link) Connect with Dr. Jessica Higgins Facebook: facebook.com/EmpoweredRelationship  Instagram: instagram.com/drjessicahiggins  Podcast: drjessicahiggins.com/podcasts/ Pinterest: pinterest.com/EmpowerRelation  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drjessicahiggins  Twitter: @DrJessHiggins  Website: drjessicahiggins.com   Email: jessica@drjessicahiggins.com If you have a topic you would like me to discuss, please contact me by clicking on the “Ask Dr. Jessica Higgins” button here.  Thank you so much for your interest in improving your relationship.  Also, I would so appreciate your honest rating and review. Please leave a review by clicking here.  Thank you!   *With Amazon Affiliate Links, I may earn a few cents from Amazon, if you purchase the book from this link.

In this episode, I had the pleasure of welcoming Dr. Stephen Porges, the originator of the Polyvagal Theory, to the podcast. Dr. Porges discusses the impact of trauma histories on our relationships and behaviors – sharing Polyvagal Theory's role in our physiological responses. We also discuss post-pandemic societal shifts, navigating the challenges of societal evaluation, the impact of social media, and ethical considerations surrounding digital interactions. Dr. Porges explores alternative modalities for self-regulation – emphasizing the importance of co-regulation, and shares somatic therapies for trauma healing. Listen in to this conversation that reminds us of the transformative power of connection for promoting healing and well-being. Stephen W. Porges, Ph.D. is a Distinguished University Scientist at Indiana University where he is the founding director of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium in the Kinsey Institute. He is Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina, and Professor Emeritus at both the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Maryland.  He served as president of the Society for Psychophysiological Research and the Federation of Associations in Behavioral & Brain Sciences and is a former recipient of a National Institute of Mental Health Research Scientist Development Award. He is the originator of the Polyvagal Theory, a theory that emphasizes the importance of physiological state in the expression of behavioral, mental, and health problems related to traumatic experiences. He is the creator of a music-based intervention, the Safe and Sound Protocol ™ , which currently is used by approximately 3,000 therapists to improve spontaneous social engagement, to reduce hearing sensitivities, and to improve language processing, state regulation, and spontaneous social engagement. Dr. Porges is a founder of the Polyvagal Institute. —Stephen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/polyvagalinstitute —Stephen's Website: https://www.stephenporges.com/ —Stephen's Website: https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org/ —Stephen's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/polyvagalinstitute —Stephen's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-w-porges-6514877b/ —Stephen's Books: https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org/bookstore If you want to dive deeper into Mark's content, search through every episode, find specific topics we've covered, and ask him questions, go to his Dexa page: https://dexa.ai/markgroves Themes: Relationships, Boundaries, Self-Worth, Self-Love, Health, Transformation, Grief, Trauma, Polyvagal Theory, Neuroception, Physiological Responses, Social Media, Self-Regulation, Co-Regulation, Nervous System Regulation, Nervous System, Somatic Therapy, Dysregulation This episode is sponsored by BON CHARGE: Use code MARKGROVES to save 15% at http://boncharge.com/MARKGROVES Contact us at podcast@markgroves.com for sponsor product support, questions, comments, or just to say hello!

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week I'm thrilled to be speaking with Dr. Stephen Porges, who proposed the Polyvagal Theory back in the 90's and has continued to study, write and speak about this important work ever since. In our conversation you'll hear the story of Dr. Porges's work over the past decades; find out how the Polyvagal Theory relates to our felt sense of safety; learn about the Safe & Sound Protocol; learn about the positive impact of our individual and collective healing; and much more. Stephen W. Porges, PhD is a Distinguished University Scientist at Indiana University, where he is the founding director of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium. He is professor of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina and professor emeritus at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Maryland. He has published more than 400 peer‐reviewed scientific papers that have been cited in more than 50,000 peer-review publications. He is the creator of the Polyvagal Theory and a music-based intervention, the Safe and Sound Protocol ™, currently used by approximately 3,000 therapists to reduce hearing sensitivities, improve language processing, and increase spontaneous social engagement. He is the author of The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-Regulation (Norton, 2011), The Pocket Guide to the Polyvagal Theory: The Transformative Power of Feeling Safe (Norton, 2017), and Polyvagal Safety, as well as co-author with Seth Porges of Our Polyvagal World (Norton, 2023), and co-editor with Deb Dana of Clinical Applications of the Polyvagal Theory: The Emergence of Polyvagal-Informed Therapies (Norton, 2018). Dr. Porges is a founder of the Polyvagal Institute.Find everything Polyvagal Theory at: https://polyvagalinstitute.orgVisit Dr. Porges's website here: https://www.stephenporges.com/The Institute for Creative Mindfulness is the brainchild of my friend Dr. Jamie+ Marich, an EMDR Certified Consultant & Trainer. You can save 15% on any of their trainings for the remainder of 2023 using coupon code THERAPYCHAT at this link: https://bit.ly/ICMTherapychatLive training through Academy of Therapy Wisdom with Linda Thai & Bessel van der Kolk: Working with Complex Trauma: Innovative Approaches for Restoring Mind-Body ConnectionBusiness School for Therapists is open now! Save $125 when you join using my link: https://bit.ly/Zynnyme Therapists - take note - doors are open now for the TTN waiting list! Trauma Therapist Network includes a searchable directory as well as a membership community meeting weekly for support, consultation, training and self care. Learn more here! Doors close 10/1 for early access and 10/7 for regular access. It's not too late to join the waiting list! My friend Dr. Jamie+ Marich's free webinar recording and link to learn about their course are found here: Not Faking: Dispelling the Myths & Misunderstandings Of DissociationJamie+ also has a new course on Trauma & the 12 Steps. Click the link to learn more and register!Thank you to TherapyNotes for sponsoring this week's episode! TherapyNotes makes billing, scheduling, notetaking, and telehealth incredibly easy. And now, for all you prescribers out there, TherapyNotes is proudly introducing E-prescribe! Try it today with no strings attached, and see why everyone is switching to TherapyNotes, now featuring E-prescribe! Use promo code "chat" at www.therapynotes.com to receive 2 FREE months of TherapyNotes!!Find my most frequently recommended resources for learning about trauma here - includes recommended books and trainings.Get my free PDF 5 Common Mistakes People Make When Searching For A Trauma Therapist here!Love Therapy Chat? Subscribe + Leave a rating and review on Apple podcasts to help more people find the show!Find a Trauma Therapist on the Trauma Therapist Network: www.traumatherapistnetwork.comPodcast produced by Pete Bailey - https://petebailey.net/audioAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy