The pain from trauma runs deep, and its impact lingers in both the brain and body. And so often, people who have experienced trauma are embarrassed by their body’s response to the event – the way it shut down on them when they needed protection most. But in the video below, Stephen Porges, PhD explains […]
Polyvagal Theory in Action – How Heart Rate Figures Into Trauma Treatments
How can the body become a resource for a patient who’s experienced trauma? Polyvagal Theory helps us answer this question by explaining how people process their environment and how the body regulates itself in the face of stress and trauma. Watch the video below as Stephen Porges, PhD shares one way to apply Polyvagal Theory […]
Polyvagal Theory and How Trauma Impacts the Body
Can trauma haunt the body the same way it haunts memories? According to Stephen Porges, PhD, and polyvagal theory, not only does the body remember a traumatic experience, but it can actually get stuck in the trauma response mode. So even when the threat is gone, the body still perceives danger and its defenses stay […]
How to Work with Trauma without Triggering Fear
We know plenty of strategies for engaging our trauma patients. But do we know what to avoid? How to help patients heal is not always clear. And trauma patients, given all their diverse history and symptoms, can be some of the most challenging. So it almost goes without saying that, when working with clients who […]
The Polyvagal Theory: Looking at Trauma through a New Lens
Can trauma haunt the body the same way it haunts memories? According to Stephen Porges, PhD, not only does the body remember a traumatic experience, but it can actually get stuck in the trauma response mode. So even when life becomes safe, the body still perceives danger and its defenses stay engaged. Why does this […]