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from Justin Sunseri, LMFT99147
Polyvagal Intro
The fundamentals of the Polyvagal Theory
What is the Polyvagal Theory?
The Polyvagal Theory, in essence, is the science of how mammals connect, but also how they respond to danger. You've heard of fight & flight. Wellll, there's more to it than that. The PVT is the first to explain that there are actually three distinct primary states the body may be in:
Shutdown
(aka "dorsal vagal") 2nd parasympathetic
Life threat response - allows for the end of life with little to no pain. Numbing and dissociation allow for possibility of escape.
Active when the internal or external worlds are perceived as life threatening.
Body numbs, dissociation, drop in blood pressure and heart rate.
Mixed states
Those 3 are just the primary states. It's also possible to have "mixed states," meaning the primaries are activated at the same time. Just like mixing primary colors creates another color. But you can't create a primary color by mixing other colors. They simply exist on their own.
Built on
the Polyvagal Theory
Just like my free resources, my courses are also built from the ground up on the Polyvagal Theory. I adhere to the fundamental teachings from the primary sources.
