PSYCHOLOGIST INA ZEITLIN |
Solution-focused therapy for children, adolescents and adults
Polyvagal theory
The Polyvagal Theory was developed in 1994 by Dr. Stephen Porges.
His theory describes how we can use our nervous system to feel safety and strength
even though we are in dangerous and threatening situations.
Throughout our evolutionary history, as social mammals, we have a system
developed to help us mitigate or soften our responses to threats
through the sense of security.
If our autonomic nervous system is competent enough, we are resilient and will have a
experience a sense of security. That state allows for spontaneous social engagement.
However, if we are stuck in a defensive state, a sense of security is a great deal
less easy to reach.
How can we claim thisset?
First of all, we must become aware of the neurophysiological processes within us
body involved in experiencing safety, danger and threat to life. Then
we must realize how powerfulour subconscious ability is to detect signals of safety and
detect danger. Finally, we must learn through certain exercises to
notice the changes in our autonomic nervous system.
Porges summarizes all this as follows:“we have to train our nervous system for more
create self-awareness, increase our capacity for self-regulation and so more
develop resilience.”
When we face a problem and our nervous system helps us to
to feel security and belonging then we will look at it in a completely different way
problem and we see other options and new possibilities. If you are anchored in
your own safety you feel the resilience with which you can deal with difficult, dangerous
and life-threatening situations.
You learn to stand in life in a different way that helps you in a powerful way
deal with moments of chaos, setbacks and confusion.