Navigating the Nervous System: 

A Polyvagal Series to Regaining Safety and Finding Regulation

At the heart of our lived experience is the autonomic nervous system.

What begins as biology shapes the way we live, love, and work. Our nervous system is both friend and foe: when at the mercy of a dysregulated nervous system, we can feel anxious, alone, and disconnected. When we are anchored in the safety of a regulated nervous system, pathways of connection come alive, pathways we can travel in service of healing.  Polyvagal Theory translates the function of the autonomic nervous system into empowerment: by providing a map of the nervous system, Polyvagal Theory allows us to use the science of connection to journey toward well-being and guide us back to ourselves. Along with this secure itinerary, Polyvagal Theory teaches skills and practices for strengthening our ability to ground ourselves and others in safety and regulation.

Join Deb Dana as we:

• Learn the art of befriending the nervous system

• Explore the use of micro-moments to reshape response patterns

• Experiment with engaging the body’s natural pathways of connection

• Discover how to use your autonomic nervous system to create an environment of safety for your clients

In this series, you’ll develop an embodied understanding of Polyvagal Theory and learn to bring the theory alive in your work.  Through didactic teaching and experiential practices, we’ll explore how to recruit the power of the autonomic nervous system in service of survival and healing.  Most importantly, we’ll learn to befriend the nervous system  – developing the skills to use the body’s regulating circuits to help clients regain a sense of safety and engage the nervous system’s natural pathways to regulation.

Session 1: The Autonomic Hierarchy — Moving from Survival to Safety

We begin our exploration with autonomic hierarchy, the first organizing principle.  In this first session, we examine how we move between safety and survival, explore the emergent properties of regulated and dysregulated states, and learn an autonomic mapping process to begin tracking movement along the hierarchy. 

Session 2: Neuroception — Exploring Patterns of Connection and Protection

We continue our exploration with neuroception, the second organizing principle.  Neuroception is the process by which the autonomic nervous system makes moment-to-moment decisions about safety and survival. In Session 2,  we explore the embodied, environmental, and relational pathways of neuroception. Using the safety/danger equation, we identify cues of safety/danger and discuss ways to rebalance the equation in support of connection and readiness for change.

 Session 3: Co-Regulation — Connecting Through the Social Engagement System

We complete our exploration of the organizing principles by looking at co-regulation.  The pathways of the social engagement system - our eyes, ears, voice, and head movements - form a biological safety circuit that creates the platform for co-regulation.  Our nervous system broadcasts and receives information through the pathways of the social engagement system, continuously sending and searching for cues of safety and danger. Our social engagement system then warns others to stay away or invites them to approach and connect.  In Session 3,  we explore the role this powerful system plays in the process of co-regulation and examine how we can create conditions to help clients move out of protection into readiness for connection.

Session 4: Integration — Anchoring in Safety

Having acquired a deeper understanding of the three organizing principles of Polyvagal Theory in sessions 1-3, Session 4 explores the essential need for ventral vagal energy in the change process.  Guided by the two central questions informing Polyvagal practice, “What does my nervous system need in this moment to anchor in regulation?” and “What does my client’s nervous system need in this moment?”,  we experiment with practices to interrupt habitual survival patterns and offer micro-moments of safety and connection.

As always, scholarships are available. Please contact Courtney@SilverBellGlobal.com to inquire.