Why polyvagal theory?

The autonomic nervous system is at the heart of daily living, powerfully shaping experiences of safety and influencing the capacity for connection.  How we move through the world—turning toward, backing away, sometimes attaching and other times isolating—is guided by this system.  We now understand how in response to traumatic experiences, autonomic pathways of connection are replaced with patterns of protection and the drive to survive operates in opposition to the need for connection.  With the development of Polyvagal Theory, therapists have a guide to the neurophysiological processes of mobilization, collapse, and social engagement and can reliably help clients reshape their autonomic responses and rewrite the stories that are carried in their autonomic pathways. With an updated map of the autonomic circuits that underlie behaviors and beliefs, we can lead our clients out of adaptive survival responses into the autonomically regulated state of safety that sets the stage for connection and is necessary for successful treatment. 

Participants will learn:

•  how trauma shapes the nervous system

•  the three organizing principles of Polyvagal Theory

•  how to create autonomic maps and use them as a guide in treatment 

•  practical ways to track and interrupt habitual response patterns

•  techniques to engage the co-regulating pathways of the Social Engagement System in your therapy sessions to improve clinical outcomes

•  how the guiding questions of Polyvagal-informed therapy influence clinical practice

A Polyvagal Theory guided approach to therapy begins with helping clients map their autonomic profiles and track their moment-to-moment movement along the autonomic hierarchy.  With this foundation, the essential clinical questions address how to help clients interrupt habitual response patterns and find safety in a state of engagement.  Working from a foundation of Polyvagal Theory, therapists have a guide to becoming a regulated and co-regulating resource, practical ways to effectively help clients identify and interrupt their familiar response patterns, and strategies to shape their autonomic nervous systems toward safety and connection.

Training Schedule

Day 1
The Organizing Principles of Polyvagal Theory
Morning break
Mapping Autonomic Pathways
Lunch
The Social Engagement System
Afternoon Break
Patterns of Connection and Protection 
Integration 

Day 2

Regulating Resources
Morning break
Shaping the System
Lunch
Anchoring in Autonomic Regulation
Afternoon break
The Polyvagal Theory Guided Therapist: Demonstration and Discussion
Final Thoughts 

Learning Objectives

1.    Analyze three organizing principles of Polyvagal Theory

2.   Develop an understanding of how the autonomic nervous system shapes behaviors and beliefs

3.   Determine ways neuroception shapes behavior 

4.  Construct an autonomic map to identify the emergent properties of states 

5.  Categorize the distinct stories that emerge from autonomic states

6.   Utilize tools to help regulate your own autonomic state to create an environment of safety for clients

7.   Apply polyvagal-informed processes to help clients move from dysregulation to regulation

8.   Apply strategies that utilize the co-regulating pathways of the Social Engagement System in clinical work to improve clinical outcomes 

9.   Assess for patterns in client autonomic states to inform treatment planning

10. Evaluate the ethical responsibilities of being a polyvagal informed therapist

This two day training is for licensed and pre-licensed clinicians under supervision. Clinicians of all experience levels will take with them practical, usefull techniques to help build safety and connection with their clients. If you have an accomodation request please contact carolyn at 609-505-3068 or Carolyn@heartbrainbalancellc.com -your positive training experience is our priority! if you have a concern or grievance you can call, send it by email or write to Heart Brain Balance, LLC c/o Carolyn Piro, MSW, LCSw 1221 North church street suite 101 Moorestown, NJ 08057