Listen to the episode above. There are also three more episodes on this topic. You can find the playlist for the series here.
Poster
Here is my poster for episode 149. Download and print on 11x17 paper if you have it. :)
Show notes
Stucknaut letter from Sieghild Liza, 65y/o Austrian woman
*behindthename.com
I listened to a podcast (Complex Trauma Recovery) you were a guest on and ended up buying your course (Polyvagal 101?). I got through the first part of the course but I am a little confused. I have a limited understanding of psychology (or whatever the proper term is) and I'm getting caught up in how all these systems and ideas fit/don't fit together.
Yes, things are confusing
BSA is about increasing the vagal brake strength through practicing being in safety
PVT101 is about learning the biology underneath our mental health
General mh ideas fit into PVT because PVT is not mental health specific, it’s cross-professions
It’s science. It’s foundational to other professions.
So the question then is how to other psychological ideas connect to PVT? Where is the intersection?
I am looking to take courses like yours but I'm reaching information overload. I've been studying attachment theory, abandonment issues, been doing cbt and emdr in therapy, and have heard about inner child healing, shadow work, somatic therapy, and I'm sure there are hundreds of ideas I haven't come across yet.
Problem but not a problem
Competition is good
Consumers need to be aware and look for what clicks within us
I am not interested in psychological constructs like parts work, reparenting, shadow work, ego
Unnecessary cognitive layer for me
Competing therapy modalities is okay too
But the basics is what works
I've been diagnosed with adhd, anxiety, cptsd, depression but like you mentioned in the podcast, I'm not sure if the diagnostics are really that meaningful or even accurate.
They’re really not imo
And they can become part of our identities
Not temporary state dysregulation
And professionals disagree about this stuff all the time
We don’t even agree on the purpose and functionality or criteria of dx
There is no blood test or urine test
Is polyvagal the best place to direct my energy? Are there other resources/theories you think are essential to learn in congruence?
Foundational knowledge, helpful concepts, psychological constructs and therapeutic techniques
Understanding concepts is important, like attachment and abandonment
These are truths that could apply to your life
Important for learning and applying
Not enough on their own
Understanding psychological constructs is less important
These are not true, but could be applied to your life as a metaphor/reframe
Functional in state regulation
Not enough on their own
Doing specific techniques is important, but also not as important as therapy alliance
Techniques can be helpful, like reframes, talking to an empty chair, reality testing, practicing listening and communication skills
But not sufficient on their own
PVT is foundational knowledge
To understanding consciousness, connection, danger
Imo, this is the starting point if you’re open to something new
Are these other ideas in conflict with polyvagal theory?
No, but how do they connect?
These are mostly top-down reframes to the brain stem
These help with state regulation
There is no shadow state, no parts state for different internal family members
They may get your closer to your state by regulating enough and then looking inward
But this is an added cognitive layer too
And this relies on an expert giving wisdom about shadow selves and parts and egos and child selves and true selves
I’ll make one up right now!
Puzzle Completion Therapy (PCT)
You’re missing a puzzle piece to become your completed self
You need to identify where the missing piece is inside of you
A technique is to start with the outside edges
Like maybe the easier facets of your life - like school
Then work toward the middle pieces, aka the traumas and attachments and abandonments
PST will be available for coaching soon, called Puzzle Self Coaching
Is polyvagal the best place to start or are there other things I need to master before/alongside?
I think it’s foundational knowledge, great place to start
Somatic focused things
But comprehensive of thoughts, feelings, sensations
Not just moving around, dancing, breathing
SE seems great
BSA is the next step imo
PVT101 and then BSA
Honestly, I'm just really overwhelmed and heard you give a little push back on inner child work on the podcast so I thought I'd ask which ideas are the most valuable. I feel really behind and it seems that polyvagal is the best place to start, but I feel like I'm dipping my toes into a little bit of everything and not really retaining a lot of info. Thank you again for your work. It's succinct and easy for me to process, I just worry I don't know how any of this works.
You’re welcome
Yeah, it’s overwhelming
I hope this was clear for you as well
And thanks again for taking one of my courses
Disclaimer
This and other content produced by Justin Sunseri (“JustinLMFT”) (i.e; podcast, YouTube, Instagram, etc.) is not therapy, not intended to be therapy or be a replacement for therapy. Nothing in this creates or indicates a therapeutic relationship. Please consult with your therapist or seek for one in your area if you are experiencing mental health symptoms. Nothing should be construed to be specific life advice; it is for educational and entertainment purposes only.
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