Deb Dana - Neuroception, Polyvagal Theory & Trauma

This episode provides a detailed explanation of the 2nd organising principle of Polyvagal Theory: Neuroception. Learn how the nervous system detects whether situations or people are safe, dangerous, or life threatening. Where do these states leave us on the Autonomic Ladder? And how does it fit into the "Safety/Danger Equation?
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The autonomic nervous system is at the heart of daily living powerfully shaping experiences of safety and influencing the capacity for connection. Polyvagal Theory, through the organizing principles of hierarchy, neuroception, and co-regulation, has revolutionized our understanding of how this system works. We now know that trauma interrupts the development of autonomic regulation and shapes the system away from connection into patterns of protection. For many clients, states of fight, flight, and collapse are frequent, intense, and prolonged while the state of safety and connection is elusive. Their autonomic nervous systems now respond in characteristic post-traumatic patterns of hyperarousal, hypervigilance, disconnection, and numbing.
A Polyvagal approach uses an updated map of the autonomic circuits that underlie behaviors and beliefs so clinicians can reliably lead their clients out of adaptive survival responses into the autonomically regulated state of safety that is necessary for successful treatment. Polyvagal Theory gives clinicians a guide to help clients safely tune into their autonomic states, reshape their nervous systems, and rewrite the trauma stories that are carried in their autonomic pathways.
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This session was recorded as part of "A Day on Trauma" Conference in August 2020. To access the full conference package, as well as supporting materials, quizzes, and certification, please visit: theweekenduniversity.com/lect...
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Deb Dana, LCSW is a clinician and consultant specializing in working with complex trauma. She is a consultant to the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium in the Kinsey Institute, Clinical Advisor to Khiron Clinics, and an advisor to Unyte. She developed the Rhythm of Regulation Clinical Training Series and lectures internationally on ways Polyvagal Theory informs work with trauma survivors. Deb is the author of The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation, Polyvagal Exercises for Safety and Connection: 50 Client-Centered Practices, co-editor of Clinical Applications of the Polyvagal Theory: The Emergence of Polyvagal-Informed Therapies, and creator of the Polyvagal Flip Chart. For more information, please see: rhythmofregulation.com
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Links:
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- Deb Dana’s website: www.rhythmofregulation.com/
- Deb Dana’s books: amzn.to/3lkgTUO

[@Anna-jb9cr]

Thank you Lady, you're a precious gift from the sky.

[@christinee6678]

Very interesting talk. As a trauma survivor, it is a more of a rarity to experience ventral vagan at the level of Neuroception than it is to experience a protective state. It also explains the paradoxically high-risk choices that trauma survivors often make because of continual exposure to mismatched cues as a child: I’m in real physical and psychological danger, but the source of the danger poses as a restorative resource.

[@anavartalitis8425]

"Friend or foe?" Splendid litmus test! Thank you!

[@SarahDunlap]

Fascinating. I’ve been looking for help because even after the years of CBT, trauma, emotional regulation therapy, I know that I’m safe, and I’ve worked on core beliefs so thoroughly, but I still I startle so easily! It’s so frustrating bc I’m living with my fiancé and he’s super careful about how he comes into view for me, (he’s well aware of the persistent trauma and he’s my safest space in all of my life) but still I jump when I see him. I cannot help this but I hope that someday I can or it lessens in time. I want nothing more than to see him come around the corner and have the natural reaction of my love for him and not this unconscious split second fight or flight. To be fair he’s the only one I’ve ever been close to that I haven’t had to be on guard or ready to defend myself against and I’m 43, so that is buried deep. I pray it gets better.

[@dr.davidgerstenaminoacidth2421]

This added some pieces to my understanding of polyvagal theory.

[@kimberlys4728]

Beautifully explained Deb Dana. 🦋 Thank you .👏🏼

[@bhh965]

This was a good listen. However I don't know any cues of safety, it would be nice to have an example. What am I looking for in my body and in the environment that is safe?