What is Polyvagal Therapy?
We all go through stress and traumatic situations. However, if you’re looking for a mind-body connection while approaching therapy, Polyvagal Therapy at Broward Therapists is a method that could be the right fit on your path toward better mental well-being.
It is important to note that Polyvagal Therapy is not a formally certified approach in and of itself, so there are no “Polyvagal Therapists.” However, many counselors, including those at Broward Therapists, integrate Polyvagal Therapy in their sessions and methods.
What is Polyvagal Therapy?
Created by Dr. Stephen Porges, Polyvagal Therapy is a science-based therapy approach that links psychology and neuroscience. This method focuses heavily on the vagus nerve and the role it plays in regulating your body’s response to stress and trauma.
The vagus nerve is the longest in the autonomic nervous system and influences several functions, including our heart, lungs and digestion.
Simply put, in Polyvagal Therapy, you’ll learn how you respond to stress and how to shift those responses in the future. With a licensed Broward Therapist, during Polyvagal Therapy, you’ll learn how to regulate your nervous system, identify when you shift into fight, flight, or freeze, and how to restore a sense of calm, control and safety.
How does Polyvagal Therapy work?
During Polyvagal Therapy, a trained Broward Therapist will help you understand and regulate your three nervous system states, which include:
The Ventral Vagal State: feeling safe, connected and calm
The Sympathetic State: experiencing fight or flight, anxiety or overwhelm
The Dorsal Vagal State: freezing, shutting down, feeling dysregulated, numb or disconnected
By learning these states, you’ll understand how to calm your body and mind through different tools and techniques—getting back to the Vagal State. By doing so, you’ll learn how to move out of a constant state of survival and into a place of healing, balance and calm in your life.
What tools and techniques are used in Polyvagal Therapy?
Polyvagal Therapy uses many different approaches to help return your nervous system to the Vagal State. These methods include:
Vagus Nerve Stimulation: humming, chanting or cold exposure to activate the vagal pathway
Progressive Muscle Relaxation: helps your body let go of tension held from stress or anxiety
Grounding Practices: brings you and your body to the present moment through your five senses
Co-regulation Exercises: practice synchronized breathing or movement to promote emotional connection and calm
Neuroception Mapping: recognizing environments, relationships or situations that trigger you and your safety
Somatic Tracking: increases awareness of bodily sensations with curiosity and compassion to release stored stress
What is Polyvagal Therapy like?
During Polyvagal Therapy, a trained Broward Therapist will learn about your past while discovering your goals for therapy. They will also learn about times in your life when you felt safe or unsafe and what threatened you in that moment, which will help the counselor understand your nervous system's baseline.
From there, your sessions will include your therapist helping you train your vagus nerve through different techniques, including breathing, guided meditations and gentle movement. You may also be given assignments to work on outside of sessions to help enhance your overall resilience and better your mental well-being.
Who can benefit from Polyvagal Therapy?
Polyvagal Therapy is helpful for anyone looking to return to a sense of calm and free themselves from stress, including those with PTSD, trauma, anxiety, autoimmune conditions, attachment challenges, ADHD or burnout.
Polyvagal Therapy at Broward Therapists
If you’re interested in Polyvagal Therapy and believe it could be the right fit for you, reach out to Broward Therapists. With over 20 licensed counselors, we can ensure you find the best therapist to help you feel safe, supported and connected as you begin your healing journey.