If you're living in trauma, you may be familiar with shutdown. This is a Polyvagal state where you feel immobilized and disconnected, often described as emptiness or numbness. It can be difficult to come out of this state, but there are ways to slowly build up your distress tolerance and begin to feel more connected again. Understand Shutdown The first step is to understand what shutdown is as a biological state of your body. Shutdown is a survival response, something that evolved to help the organism survive life threat. Even though we typically are not in actual life or death situations, this dorsal vagal system still exists within us and is active throughout the day to some degree. These biological pathways are responsible for immobilization. Think of it like playing dead. Doing so increases the chances of survival by conserving the body's resources through slowed heart rate, breathing and metabolism. You can get a deeper dive into shutdown in this chapter of my free ebook - Trauma & the Polyvagal Paradigm. When you're in shutdown, your body is trying to increase your chances of survival by conserving energy and minimizing movement. This state is different from freeze, which is a mixed state of immobilization and mobilization. This is a key differentiation and something that is often confused. Coming out of shutdown is possible The good news is that there are ways to slowly come out of shutdown and begin to feel more connected to the world around you. One key aspect is to build up the ventral vagal safety pathways, which are responsible for feeling safe and connected. As you build the strength of your Polyvagal safety state, this allows for the possibility of your body's natural capacity for self-regulation. This is otherwise known as Polyvagal ladder-climbing, a concept from Deb Dana. You can build the strength of your safety state through doing things that bring you a stronger sense of being in the present moment. Things that bring you to calm and connection. Things that allow your shutdown state to exist without getting sucked into the dysregulation of shutdown. It's completely okay to exist in a shutdown state. Coming out of shutdown is really only possible once you first allow it. But there's a big difference between allowing shutdown to exist mindfully and wallowing in it. They look and feel much different. Allow shutdown Allowing the shutdown means letting it be there without getting sucked into it. A normal part of shutdown is the impulse to be alone and to reduce stimulation. I you get sucked into it, it may look like locking yourself in a room with the lights off and sleeping all day. But it is possible to allow the impulses of shutdown and to do so mindfully. Validate that you are having that impulse to be alone and reduce stimulation. Normalize the context of that impulse. And then allow yourself to fulfill that need. If you allow yourself to be alone in shutdown mindfully, that's called solitude. If you are in shutdown defensively, that's called isolation. Being in solitude might mean you pick the safest spot in your home and turn the lights down. Or open the blinds. You should probably set your phone aside. Maybe have quiet or music that is anchoring for you in your safety state. And then experience what it's like to first anchor yourself in safety. And then what it's like to allow shutdown to be present and actually experience it for what it is. From curiosity. I recommend stillness for shutdown, but movement is okay too. Your form of solitude might be going for a slow-paced walk by yourself. Or walking your dog. Mindfully noticing the environment on your walk and being curious about what you discover. Stretching and yoga are good too. Or just being still and using your sense to orient to the environment. It's likely that as you stay anchored in your safety state, stillness will be the result as it mixes with your shutdown state. This is called a Polyvagal mixed state. Coming out of shutdown is a slow process. It's important to remember that coming out of shutdown is a slow process and cannot be forced. Shutdown is a state of conservation. It's evolutionary intention is to slow down and conserve the body's resources. Emerging from shutdown and into sympathetic flight/fight is best done slowly. You may not be familiar with the sensations, emotions, cognitions and impulses of flight/fight. Allowing these back into your system is probably best. This builds the body's capacity to not only allow this energy back into the system, but to harness and use it appropriately. Otherwise, it's common to emerge from shutdown and feel chronic irritation. You may snap at the people you care about. Be more aggressive than usual. That's because fight is actually the first shift that needs to happen. From shutdown into fight and then into flight. And then eventually into the safety state at the top of the Polyvagal ladder. If you're struggling with shutdown, it's important to remember that you're not alone. Many people who have experienced trauma struggle with chronically existing in this state. With time and patience, you can begin to come out of shutdown and feel more connected to the world around you. If you think you are ready to work on trauma recovery, I created a System for you. It's called the Polyvagal Trauma Relief System and includes not only clear and accessible teachings, not only bi-monthly virtual meetups with me, but also a private community to connect with. Phases 2 and 3 of my System will be helpful with recovering from shutdown. Phase 2 is building the strength of your safety state. And phase 3 is directly experiencing the shutdown with curiosity and allowing self-regulation to occur. Q&A Q: What is shutdown and how does it differ from freeze? A: Shutdown is a biological response that evolved to help organisms survive life-threatening situations by conserving energy and minimizing movement. It differs from freeze, which is a mixed state of immobilization and mobilization. Read more about this here > Q: How can one come out of shutdown? A: One way to come out of shutdown is to build up the ventral vagal safety pathways, which are responsible for feeling safe and connected. This can be achieved through activities that bring a sense of calm and connection and allow the shutdown state to exist without causing dysregulation. It is important to allow shutdown to exist mindfully without getting sucked into it, and to validate the impulse to be alone and reduce stimulation. This process takes time and cannot be forced. Q: What is the Polyvagal Trauma Relief System, and how can it help with recovery from shutdown? A: The Polyvagal Trauma Relief System is a system I created that provides clear and accessible teachings, bi-monthly virtual meetups, and a private community to connect with. Phases 2 and 3 of the system are helpful for recovering from shutdown, as they involve building the strength of the safety state and directly experiencing shutdown with curiosity to allow self-regulation to occur. Author Bio: Justin Sunseri is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Coach specializing in trauma relief. He is the host of the Stuck Not Broken podcast, and author of the book Trauma & the Polyvagal Paradigm. He specializes in treating trauma and helps individuals get "unstuck" from their defensive states. Quotes from this blog: "Shutdown is a survival response, something that evolved to help the organism survive life threat." "Coming out of shutdown is really only possible once you first allow it." "With time and patience, you can begin to come out of shutdown and feel more connected to the world around you." "As you build the strength of your Polyvagal safety state, this allows for the possibility of your body's natural capacity for self-regulation." "If you allow yourself to be alone in shutdown mindfully, that's called solitude. If you are in shutdown defensively, that's called isolation."

The Polyvagal Theory serves as a validating and normalizing knowledge base for anyone, but maybe especially for that person that is stuck in a traumatized state. Stuck. Not Broken! If you're new to the Theory, this is an easy and free starting point here on my site. If you're familiar with the Theory, it's still a good idea to brush up on your knowledge, especially from the primary sources. The PsychAlive video below feature's the Polyvagal Theory's creator, Dr. Stephen Porges. I'll share 3 key takeaways and my thoughts as well. #1: The upside down triangle Our nervous system functions like an upside-down triangle, with the brain circuits being regulated in the brainstem that control our underlying state. But the brainstem also receives information from the body. The polyvagal theory provides us with an understanding of three neural circuits that support different types of behavior. -Stephen Porges The Polyvagal Theory highlights that our behaviors, emotions, thoughts and interpersonal interactions are supported by the state that our body is in. There are three neural circuits that support different types of behavior: social engagement behaviors in safe environments, fight or flight mobilization in dangerous situations, and the third circuit of shutdown for life-threatening situations. The state of the body affects the state of the brainstem, which affects the potentials of the brain and its higher functions. Likewise, the brain's cognitions will affect the brainstem, which will affect the state of the body. It's a self-perpetuating loop with the brainstem being at the center of it all. "When we're in safe states, we can access higher cortical functions. When we're in danger states, those systems turn off and we're defensive." To change the stuck defensive loop of trauma, the individual needs to get in alignment with their body's natural inclination toward self-regulation. I break this down into three large phases: learning accurate information, like the Polyvagal Theory. This lays a foundation for non-judgment and validation of the self. It also allows for new narrative-building. Identify, practice and build the neural circuits for safety and social engagement, the ventral vagal pathways. Once the ventral pathways are strong enough, then allow for the natural compulsion of self-regulation through mindfully experiencing the stuck defensive state. This 3 phase process is covered in detail in my comprehensive Polyvagal Trauma Relief System. #2: Neurobiological responses Our responses to different environments, relationships and contexts are not voluntary, as our nervous system picks up information from the environment and evaluates that information on a subconscious, neurobiological level. (BTW, I really enjoyed when Dr. Porges stumbles on the word "subconscious" and says "if we want to bring that term back".) Our senses detect various levels of safety or danger in the environment. Then our brainstem uses that information to shift up or down the Polyvagal Ladder into a state of defense or safety. None of this is conscious and self-determined. These are responses that are encoded into our DNA, passed down from generations of successful evolutionary survival. This means that we may feel our heart pounding in certain environments, and that's our nervous system reacting to cues in the environment that we may not be aware of. Or maybe there's a certain smell in the environment that's a trigger for defense. Or a certain person. #3: Co-regulation Social interaction is a neural exercise of using newer mammalian structures to inhibit very primitive defensive systems. Being in the state of safety calms the defensive states. This is a biological process. And one can get into a state of safety through interactions with safe others. This means that the way we interact with others can help to regulate our nervous system, especially in safe environments where we can use our face, intonation, or voice to negotiate relationships and maintain safety. Safe others + safe environments are key ingredients for Polyvagal ladder-climbing. However, if we don't have experiences of "using people" to regulate in a pro-social positive way, people can be perceived to be threatening. Even people who are not threatening might be perceived that way from a defensive state. Him saying "using people" might sound like a negative thing. But really, he's referring to our body's natural capacity to receive cues of safety from safe people around us. It's not an intentional using of others in a selfish way. It's more like neurobiologically receiving cues of safety from safe others. Doing so builds the strength of those very important ventral vagal safety pathways. And doing that allows us to then provide cues of safety to others perpetuating the co-regulation offering over generations. Stephen Porges Quotes from the video: "If you have a history in which there are no experiences of using people to regulate in a very pro-social positive way, people will then become threatening or damaging to you." "The polyvagal theory provides us with an understanding of three neural circuits that support different types of behavior." "When we're in safe states, we can access higher cortical functions. When we're in danger states, those systems turn off and we're defensive." I'm talking about three states that provide a neural platform for a great diversity of expression." "But what if we can't get away from the danger?... The possibility is we could trigger a 3rd circuit, which shuts us down." Q&A Q: What is social interaction according to the Polyvagal Theory? A: According to the Polyvagal Theory, social interaction is a neural exercise of using newer mammalian structures to inhibit very primitive defensive systems. Q: What triggers our defensive responses according to the Polyvagal Theory? A: According to the Polyvagal Theory, our senses detect various levels of safety or danger in the environment, and our brainstem uses that information to shift up or down the Polyvagal Ladder into a state of defense or safety. Q: How can an individual change the stuck defensive loop of trauma according to the Polyvagal Trauma Relief System? A: An individual needs to go through the 3 phases of the System, which are: learning accurate information, building the neural circuits for safety and social engagement, and allowing for the natural compulsion of self-regulation through mindfully experiencing the stuck defensive state. Dr. Stephen Porges Stephen W. Porges, Ph.D. is Distinguished University Scientist at Indiana University where he is the founding director of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium. He is Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina, and Professor Emeritus at both the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Maryland. He has published more than 400 peer-reviewed papers across several disciplines. In 1994 he proposed the Polyvagal Theory, which is now leading to innovative treatments based on insights into the mechanisms mediating symptoms observed in several behavioral, psychiatric, and physical disorders. Dr. Porges has written or co-edited several books on the Polyvagal Theory and is the creator of the the Safe and Sound Protocol™. Read more here > PsychAlive PsychAlive.org is a non-profit website that offers psychology for everyday life. The PsychAlive YouTube channel features interviews with experts in the field of mental health. Video topics include mindfulness, self-development, relationship advice, attachment, parenting, suicide prevention and other key topics in psychology. PsychAlive is funded by the non-profit The Glendon Association. Learn more at PsychAlive or Glendon.org. Visit the YouTube channel here > Justin Sunseri Justin Sunseri is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Coach specializing in trauma relief. He is the host of the Stuck Not Broken podcast, and author of the book Trauma & the Polyvagal Paradigm. He specializes in treating trauma and helps individuals get "unstuck" from their defensive states.

Trauma can leave a deep impact on an individual's mental and emotional well-being. The effects of trauma can manifest in various ways, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). I'm a trauma-informed therapist and coach and I understand that recovery is not a linear process. I'll explain why understanding the non-linear process of change is crucial for trauma recovery and offer some tips to navigate the journey you might be on. Why is it important to understand the non-linear process of change in trauma recovery? Trauma can make it challenging to access or maintain a state of safety, which is crucial for recovery. When the safety state is active, it functions as a brake. It keeps the individual's heart rate at a calmer pace, something that Dr. Porges termed the "vagal brake." The myelinated vagus functions as an active vagal brake (see Porges et al., 1996) in which rapid inhibition and disinhibition of vagal tone to the heart can rapidly mobilize or calm an individual. The myelinated vagus actively inhibits the sympathetic nervous system’s influences on the heart... -Porges, The Polyvagal Perspective Translation - The newer mammalian vagal pathways calm the heart. When the heart rate is calmer, then flight/fight activation is kept at bay until actually needed. The vagal brake is essential in helping someone to exist in their state of safety and social engagement. Frustratingly, it's also the thing that someone living in trauma is unable to access. Remember, trauma means that one is stuck down their Polyvagal ladder in a defensive state. The vagal brake must be developed and strengthened for unstucking to occur. However, developing the vagal brake is not a linear process. Trauma can cause obstacles, both external and internal, that make it difficult to maintain progress. By understanding that recovery is not a linear process, individuals can prepare themselves for setbacks and challenges along the way. They can approach the journey with more patience and compassion, both for themselves and for others. It's important to recognize that progress may not always be visible, and setbacks are a normal part of the change process. It may feel like you are taking a step or two forward, then a step or two back. Or maybe even more. This is typical for any type of change. When it comes to trauma recovery, it may be. more pronounced and frustrating. The stronger the vagal brake, the less intense the setbacks will be. The path of recovery opens up and becomes more clear. What are some obstacles that individuals may face during trauma recovery? External obstacles may include real-life safety concerns, like a lack of co-regulation at home, unsafe neighborhood or a difficult work environment. These external factors will make vagal brake development more difficult. Internal obstacles will include chronic illnesses, cognitions that reinforce a stuck state and emotions that are too intolerable for the individual to experience fully. These will also make vagal brake development more difficult. Additionally, individuals may experience emotional and physical discomfort as they work to gain more access to their safety state. As they become more grounded in the present moment, they may shift out of their shutdown state and into their fight or sympathetic state. This can be uncomfortable and may manifest as anger or discomfort, which can make it challenging to maintain progress. So basically, even when successful and the vagal brake is strengthened, it may open up some dysregulation due to stuck defensive states attempting to release the frozen trauma or climb the Polyvagal ladder. New sensations, impulses, emotions and cognitions may emerge, something that I break down in my SSIEC sheet available for free in the free Members Center along with other nifty gifties. How can you navigate your trauma recovery? Okay, so we know that recovery is not linear. We know that it's going to be challenge, but there are ways to dampen the impact. Practice self-compassion: Be gentle and patient with yourself during the recovery process as best you can. Recognize that setbacks are a normal part of the change process, and progress may not always be visible. Validate your experiences and normalize them for what they are. Your feelings are true. And they make sense. Seek support: It's essential to have a support system in place during trauma recovery. This may include therapy, support groups, or trusted friends and family members. I don't think it needs to be a support system that is built around trauma recovery. It may simply be a group of like-minded people that can be with each other nonjudgmentally. This social engagement is essential in vagal brake development. My community of course students connect with each other and with me during our twice-monthly virtual meetups and our private discussion group. These connections are open to anyone enrolled in my PTRS courses. Focus on the present moment: Practicing mindfulness and staying grounded in the present moment can help individuals stay on track during the recovery process. This can include using the senses to ground oneself in the present moment. This is also essential in vagal brake development. Being in the present moment means you are in your safety state. Continually return to the present moment, especially when there is mild dysregulation. Put in the reps: Yes, there will be obstacles along the way. At the same time, recovering from these obstacles are essential in vagal brake development. One kinda needs to have challenges and then recover from those challenges mindfully. This exercises the individual's Polyvagal ladder climbing. Just like working out every day in order to run faster - you need to practice running and push yourself further, but then also allow for recovery time. Then do the same thing all over again. At first, you may just practice being in safety, then eventually practice feeling your stuck state as you are ready for it. Normalize your recovery journey Recovering from trauma is not a linear process, and it's important to understand that setbacks and challenges are a normal part of the journey. By practicing self-compassion, seeking support, and focusing on the present moment and putting in reps, individuals can navigate the non-linear process of change more effectively. Remember, progress may not always be visible, but with time and effort, individuals can methodically move towards healing and growth. Q&A: Q: How long does it typically take to recover from trauma? A: The recovery time for trauma can vary depending on the severity of the trauma and the individual's circumstances. Recovery is not a linear process, and it may take months or even years to achieve a sense of healing and growth. Common factors for more rapid recovery are: more access to the safety state and a stronger vagal brake, having connection with others, having safety in the environment, having productive things to be a part of. Q: Is it possible to fully recover from trauma? A: I think so! Though what is meant by "fully recover" might mean something different between you and me. I think trauma of course always affects someone, but it doesn't have to be a debilitating life obstacle. The impact of it changes. The meaning of it changes. I generally think one can live in a state of safety and social engagement and live a fulfilling life. I believe this so much that I created my own System to teach people how to do so. Q: What are some other techniques for accessing a state of safety in trauma recovery? A: Other techniques for accessing a state of safety may include deep breathing exercises, visualizations, guided meditations, and progressive muscle relaxation. It's essential to find what works best for each individual's unique needs and circumstances. I don't think there is one answer for everyone, though there may be commonalities. About Justin: Justin Sunseri is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Coach specializing in trauma relief. He is the host of the Stuck Not Broken podcast, and author of the book Trauma & the Polyvagal Paradigm. He specializes in treating trauma and helps individuals get "unstuck" from their defensive states.

Are you familiar with the term "Polyvagal safety"? If not, don't worry - you're not alone. But it's an important concept to understand if you're dealing with trauma or emotional dysregulation. I'll explain the difference between accessing your Polyvagal safety state and coping with emotional dysregulation, and how you can utilize both. (You'll need to head to this Polyvagal Intro page if you're brand new to the Polyvagal Theory.) What are we talking about? First, let's define some terms. The Polyvagal Theory suggests that our autonomic nervous system has three branches responsible three different states: safety & social engagement, flight & fight mobility and shutdown immobility. If you want a more academic look at these states, I of course recommend the primary source himself, Dr. Stephen Porges. (Have a dictionary handy.) The Polyvagal state of safety and social engagement is central to your ability to feel things like: calm, relaxation, play and connection with yourself and others. Polyvagal safety vs Coping So, what's the difference between accessing your Polyvagal safety state and coping with emotional dysregulation? Coping involves using techniques to manage uncomfortable emotions, while accessing your polyvagal safety state involves actually experiencing a state of calm and connection. Examples of coping would be counting things in the environment, breathing exercises, fidgets, distraction through media and so on. Coping techniques can be helpful in the moment, but they don't necessarily address the underlying issues that are causing emotional dysregulation. Accessing your safety state can look similar, but is fundamentally different. Safety means you are activating the ventral vagal pathways and able to experience connection. Being in safety means bringing a level mindfulness and present-momentness to what you're doing. So instead of fidgeting in panic, you would fidget from curiosity and actually experience what's like to use that fidget. How to tell if you are coping or in safety There are some key ways to identify the difference: 1. One way to determine if you're accessing your polyvagal safety state or just coping is to ask yourself if you're mindfully experiencing your sensory experience. Are you able to notice what your senses are telling you and how it's affecting you? Or are you simply distracting yourself with coping techniques like holding an ice cube or doing breathing exercises? 2. Another indicator is curiosity. Are you curious about your inner experience, or are you just trying to make uncomfortable feelings go away? If you're curious, it suggests that you're well anchored in your safety state. If you're trying to make uncomfortable feelings go away, it suggests that you're in a more defensive state. It is eventually possible to actually welcome and experience those uncomfortable feelings, something you can learn and practice in depth through Unstucking Defensive States. 3. A third indicator is the impulse to connect. When we're in our safety state, we have an impulse to connect with others or with ourselves. If you find yourself wanting to connect with others or take a break to breathe and connect with yourself, it suggests that you're grounded in your safety state. Transitioning from coping to safety Of course, transitioning from coping to accessing your polyvagal safety state is easier said than done. It's okay to segment and just deal with the situation at hand through various coping mechanisms. You will likely take this information and reflect on yourself, but with evaluation and not curiosity. That's normal. As best you can, invite some curiosity into your system and notice when you are coping compared to when you are actually grounded in your safety state. Accessing your polyvagal safety state is about more than just coping with uncomfortable emotions. It's about experiencing a state of calm and connection, and it's a key part of trauma recovery. By being mindful of your sensory experience, staying curious, and following your impulse to connect, you can begin to access your Polyvagal safety state and find relief from emotional dysregulation. If you think you are ready to get to the next level in your trauma recovery, I created a multi-phase System that will address everything you need. Not just my courses, but a private community that meets twice a month virtually with me for open Q&A. You won't be alone in your recovery and will never have to wonder if you are understanding the material or not. It's called the Polyvagal Trauma Relief System, find out more here or contact me through email if you have questions about it - justinlmft@gmail.com FAQ Q: How do I know if I'm truly in a state of safety versus just coping with my emotions? A: Three ways: are you able to notice your sensory experience? Are you curious? And do you want connection with yourself and/or others? Q: Is it possible to transition from coping to experiencing mindful curiosity in my safety state, and if so, how? A: It is, but not easily. At first, you might cope with your dysegulation. Once that is "under control" enough, you can do some safety anchoring and ground in your safety state. Q: Can the Polyvagal Trauma Relief System help me build the strength of my safety state and learn to access my curiosity in a more grounded way? A: Heck yes. The second phase of PTRS is all about building the safety state. This phase is consistently overlooked in therapy and other trauma-informed practices, modalities and service-providers. Author Bio: Justin Sunseri is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Coach specializing in trauma relief. He is the host of the Stuck Not Broken podcast, and author of the book Trauma & the Polyvagal Paradigm. He specializes in treating trauma and helps individuals get "unstuck" from their defensive states.

What does it mean to be "unstuck"? And what is the relevance to understanding trauma and the autonomic nervous system? I'll cover what it means to be "stuck" in a defensive state, the two paths to trauma, and the process of becoming "unstuck." Defining "Stuck" Before we can understand "unstuck," we must first define what it means to be "stuck." "Stuck" refers to the autonomic nervous system being unable to shift out of a defensive state. It's when the autonomic nervous system is stuck down the Polyvagal Ladder (a concept from Deb Dana) in a defensive state and cannot self-regulate up the ladder back into its safety state. Being "stuck" is a biological phenomenon, and it occurs when the autonomic nervous system is primarily in a defensive state and unable to regulate to the Polyvagal safety state. This is what trauma is - having an autonomic nervous system that is stuck in a defensive state. Stuckness can manifest in emotions like sadness and anger or in cognitive processes like self-blame or self-judgment. Two Paths to Trauma There are two paths to being in a traumatic state. The first path is an acute life threat reaction, which comes from surviving a one-time event like an assault, explosion, surgery, fall, or accident. In this path, the body neurocepts that its life is in danger, and the autonomic nervous system gets stuck by not being able to complete its survival response. The second path is a chronic disruption of connectedness, which comes from multiple events that sever one's impulse to connect and attach to safe others. This can include abuse and neglect in childhood or domestic violence. Children are more prone to this path of trauma because they have an attachment impulse. When adults in a child's life repeatedly cut off that natural impulse to connect, that directly negatively influences the strength of their safety state or the strength of their vagal brake. The state does not develop as it would if the child were in an environment with good enough attachment, good enough predictability, good enough basic needs being met and good enough environmental safety. Unstucking from Trauma The process of becoming "unstuck" from trauma involves building the capacity to stay anchored in the body's Polyvagal safety state and allowing the autonomic nervous system to climb the Polyvagal Ladder. In the acute life threat reaction path of trauma, you get unstuck by building the strength of the safety state and allowing the body to complete its survival impulse through mindful experience and then discharging the stuck defensive state. The immobility aspect of freeze needs to be thawed first, then the stuck flight/fight state can be completed. In the chronic disruption of connectedness path of trauma, you get unstuck by building the capacity to exist in and stay anchored in the body's safety state and allowing the autonomic nervous system to climb the Polyvagal Ladder. There is a natural capacity for self-regulation that will kick in with mindful attunement to the body's inner sensations and impulses. The processes for unstucking from both of these paths of trauma is taught in much more depth in Unstucking Defensive States and also includes guides and practice on how to do so. What Does "Unstuck" Mean? "Unstuck" is the process of the autonomic nervous system shifting out of a defensive state, specifically accessing the safety state. It's first and foremost a biological process. As you practice and time goes on, you will notice changes in your emotional, impulsive, cognitive, and sensation experiences. You will experience greater distress tolerance, and things that used to be very triggering might not be as triggering. But again, change is essentially a biological process that drives these experiences. Change your state, change the other domains of your SSIEC. Realistic Unstucking Goals The goal is not to have a hundred percent constant safety. I don't think that's realistic. Being "unstuck" is staying anchored in your safety state and being able to tolerate the stuck defensive energy you have within you. Unstuck means that you have enough capacity to handle life's obstacles, like disagreements with a spouse or being cut off on the freeway. These relatively minor challenges won't be as dysregulating for an unstuck ANS. They are manageable and your safety state is still accessible. Being unstuck also means that you will be able to navigate new things that come up for you in life, like job opportunities or difficult discussions that need to take place. Maybe it's just me, but 100% safety states sounds kind of... boring. Is it just me? Don't we need to be challenged, dysregulated and then to re-regulate in order to grow? Let me know what you think in the description! FAQ Q: Is it actually possible to relieve my trauma? A: I generally think so. I created my entire Polyvagal Trauma Relief System with this very hope in mind! Q: What is the autonomic nervous system? A: The autonomic nervous system is the part of the nervous system responsible for regulating automatic bodily functions like heart rate, digestion, and breathing. Q: What are the two paths to being in a traumatic state? A: The two paths are an acute life threat reaction and a chronic disruption of connectedness. The path of trauma will affect the process of getting unstuck, but there are similarities in getting unstuck for both paths. Author Bio: Justin Sunseri is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Coach specializing in trauma relief. He is the host of the Stuck Not Broken podcast, and author of the book Trauma & the Polyvagal Paradigm. He specializes in treating trauma and helps individuals get "unstuck" from their defensive states. Justin's Quotes: "The goal is not to have a hundred percent constant safety. I don't think that's realistic." Being "stuck" is a biological phenomenon, and it occurs when the autonomic nervous system is primarily in a defensive state and unable to regulate to the Polyvagal safety state." "The process of becoming "unstuck" from trauma involves building the capacity to stay anchored in the body's Polyvagal safety state and allowing the autonomic nervous system to climb the Polyvagal Ladder."

Hey again, Fellow Stucknaut! Get cozy for this one. It's a longer blog. Embarrassing story time, yay! Desperation can bring us to scary places. My own desperation got me to somewhere scary I wanted to share with you. Maybe you can relate. This is how my desperation started... In Octoberish of 2022, my wife and I ran face first into some major financial concerns as our careers made unexpected deviations from the path we charted. I won't go into it in detail, but basically, the life we planned on living the next couple of years simply wasn't going to happen. And if it did, it would come at the expense of our mental and physical health. It wasn't a sacrifice we were willing to make to ensure comfort. So we made some big career changes, resulting in a cut of our combined annual income of over half. Our cozy life was turned upside down literally overnight and now everything was in the air. To say I was stressed is an understatement. There was a week or so where I didn't really eat all that much. I knew I should, but I just wasn't all that hungry. I mean, I did eat. Just not like I usually do. I lost like 10 pounds. Was I in a defensive state? Uhhhh yeah. Yeah, I was. Some flight, but honestly, mostly fight. Not aggressive and uncontrolled. More motivated and pointed. There was a problem and I could solve it. I would make it happen. My mind was a singular focus - how to keep my family of four afloat through financial turmoil. And my mind had a singular answer - use my business to make more money. The problem was I had almost no idea how to do that. Not very well, at least. I have historically been terrible at selling my courses lol. I know they're amazing courses and provide exactly what I intended for the participants - getting unstuck. But the courses being amazing doesn't mean s*** in the world of entrepreneurship if you don't know how to sell them. Click here to check out my Polyvagal Trauma Relief System btw > Somewhere during the first weekish of us making this big decision together, I started getting desperate. My motivated fight energy turned into something else... This is when I decided it was time to buy a course myself. Perfect timing! What kind of course was I searching for? A course on how to sell courses, of course! I went to YouTube and searched for who was selling what. I know these business types like to give out free info and then make an offer so I listened to a few. And I got exactly what I expected - skeevy, slimy salespeople. Yuck. But then one person - who I will keep anonymous because they threatened to come after me with their millions of dollars (I'll explain later) - felt like she was speaking directly to me. She understood my pain. She knew exactly what I needed. And wouldn't you know it - she had the answer too! The price of her course wasn't mentioned. But I scheduled a chat with her to see if I was a good fit for her program. Then I spoke with one of her people during the phone call. Seemed a likable fellow. He made small talk at the beginning, asked where I was from. He wasn't overly aggressive with me, but he obviously was sending me through what seemed like a scripted sequence of talking points. Even the opening chit chat felt scripted. I was aware of this... but looked the other way. "I suppose it's just normal in the world of business. They have the skills I don't - so who am I to question it? Do I want help or not?" He asked me a few questions about my business and my motivation level. And apparently it all checked out because he proclaimed that he thought I would be a good fit for their program. Hazza! Still no mention on the price of the course. "It's probably like ten grand or something. Crap, I can't afford this. But I also can't do this on my own! I need what they have and I'm going to suck it up. Something in my life has to change; I am going to make this work so my family can have a better life. I don't want to lose my house or sell all my stuff or take the kids out of their extracurricular activities that are so healthy for them both emotionally and socially!" (Remember - story follows state.) So I asked him how much it costs. He said very cooly and calmly, with a wave of his hand like it was nothing - "$8,600." I know for some, that is nothing. And good for them. But it's definitely something for me. A lot of something. "Yeah, I don't have that." "How much do you have?" he asked. That felt a bit forward. But I answered him. And he assured me that the payments could be broken up into 4 installments for a total of $9,000. "But what if I'm not able to pay that? I won't be taking money out of my family's account. This would come from my business account." I asked, "What happens if I'm not able to make the payments?" He assured me - once I'm in the program, I'd be making money like so many other people before me. "Yeah, that makes sense. And damnit, I'm betting on myself here. I'm not going to let anything get in my way!" He also tossed in this - "I mean, how hard is it really to come up with the money? You could pull from your family's account, you could borrow from somebody or even put it on your credit card." That was all a big red flag for me. And I ignored it. Why? Because I was desperate. Because they had what I needed. And I was in enough dysregulated fight energy to plow through anything in my way and take any kind of reassurance that was being thrown my way. "F*** it, let's do it," I told myself. And that's how I put down a couple grand and committed to seven more. So Justin, are you rich beyond measure now? Was the course amazing? No, I'm not. And no, it wasn't. Not for me, at least. I absolutely hated it. I went in with all guns blazing though. I gave it an honest shot. But oh wow was I a terrible fit for that course. It's a good fit for the person that wants to sell sell sell. And then sleep and sell some more in their sleep. The person that wants to spend 8 hours a day in DMs, like one of the lesson modules recommended. The person that wants to script their conversations with the "avatars" that would schedule calls with them. I feel gross just writing this to you, Fellow Stucknaut. After 4 days in the course, I messaged one of the teams leads with an email titled, "I'm not a good fit for [course]." And I proceeded in that email to grovel for my money back and to be cut loose from the agreement. I took full responsibility for my decision and begged for them to do me a favor. We had a contract that I was obliged to, but wow did I regret it. "It's entirely on me. I made the decision to commit to being here and pay you the money. And I still will if I am unable to leave the program with a refund. But I am hoping you would be willing to refund me the money that I put in and let me out of our agreement." Something like that. Being in the course was eating away at my stomach. Intense anxiety and embarrassment. And regret too. And feeling stupid. And... just, lots of stuff. A refund and a threat The lead I emailed set up a phone call with me to discuss this more and try to talk me into staying. I explained why I wasn't a good fit for the course like five different ways. "I'm sure the course is great and I see people in the group that are getting results. I just don't want to be a part of it. It's not the type of culture I am looking to be a part of and the course design makes no sense to me." (I may not know how to sell, but I can design a course with the best of them. They know how to sell, but their course design is atrocious.) She struggled to understand how I could be wanting to back out, said they don't give refunds, but she would get back to me. The anxiety of being in this course and committing myself financially to something that I didn't believe in was still eating away at my stomach. Later that day, I got an email that explained they had no obligation to, but would allow me out of the contract minus "administrative fees" of like $400. Yes! I was out! The email also was very clear that I was not to share their information with anyone else. Not a problem! And it was clear that if I did - including telling anyone that I got a refund - that they could take legal action against me. "Yikes, getting a refund is that hush hush?" I thought to myself. Seems odd that someone with a "millionaire mindset" and an "abundance mindset" would clutch onto their money so tightly, but I'm not a millionaire and I don't have that mindset, so what do I know? But whatever, I was out and I feel they did me a favor. Onward! I found something that was perfect for me And he was right in front of me the whole time. I don't know why I didn't think of him sooner, especially in my moment of desperation. It was Pat Flynn. I don't expect you to know about Pat. If you're in the business world, then you have probably heard of him. I had been listening to his podcast for maybe a year or so. My son and I watched him and his son on his Pokemon card channel. I was well aware of his business credentials, his story and his offerings. Why didn't I think of Pat when I needed it?! How frustrating. But that's where I turned and it's been amazing. Find Pat here > So now you're making a ton of money, right, Justin?! Nope. Not at all. Er, not yet. I'm sure I'll get there. In the meantime, what I am getting is connection with other individuals that are like me. People trying to build their businesses and figuring it out from the bottom up. I'm also getting great education from Pat, including on this email stuff. And I am re-learning the importance of making connections with my audience. Who that audience is. And how to provide for them as well as I possibly can. Lessons learned Here's a few rapid-fire lessons I learned that I want to pass onto you. Desperation is okay, desperate decision-making may not be. You might have what you need right in front of you. Plan ahead for things in life, lay foundations and build from there. One last thing - intent matters a lot Look, the practices in the first course in and of themselves aren't bad. I've actually been using basic things like giving away free content and then offering my courses. Heck, I gave away all my Polyvagal Theory knowledge on the podcast... twice! Episodes 1-9 and then 101-109 go over the entirety of the Theory for traumatized people or for therapists. And I have the Polyvagal Intro page too. And now I offer people a chance to schedule a short chat with me before they purchase a course, an idea I got from that awful course I was in. I think the intent is what matters. When someone schedules a chat with me, my goal is not to sell them my course. It's not. My goal is to make 100% sure that they have the clarity they need to make that decision themselves. I don't ask them for payment. I don't pressure them to use their family's money or put it on their credit card. I'm there for them to answer whatever question or concern they have in as much brutal honesty as possible. You're still here!? Wow, that means a lot to me! Do I have a secret gift for you? No. Just my appreciation. I'm glad you've spent some of your day here with me through this blog. Justin

When I first learned the Polyvagal Theory and the autonomic aspects of trauma recovery, I got something wrong. I thought that getting unstuck was done all at once. I remember learning from Peter Levine and seeing him work with people. It seemed like they were healing entirely in one moment. His oft-repeated story of Nancy shaking and trembling in session, releasing the trauma that was stuck inside of her. His work with Ray on stage, getting him to slowly open his jaw and allow a trauma release. And a video of working with a baby, gently touching his back and allowing the baby to release its trauma while being held by his Mother (I think someone linked me to that one, can't cite it for you, sorry). Things that seem like miracles. Turns out, Levine was doing some great work, yes. But Nancy and he continued to work on her trauma. And I can't cite it because I didn't note it, but he said in one of his books that he doesn't work with clients in the same way as he did with Nancy afterward. I don't know if he regretted doing the tiger image thing with her, but it's something he took more time with. And the soldier with PTSD, Ray? That wasn't a one-time event on stage either. Ray was in a group in the audience of people that had been through some preliminary work using Somatic Experiencing and had some follow-up meetings with Levine. His traumatized state didn't go away all at once either. I thought my clients were supposed to be going through the full-body trauma releasing shaking and trembling. I thought it was all-or-nothing. But I was not seeing that in my clients for the most part. And the first time I did, the client came back the following week - and although things were different - they said they were still living in a mostly traumatized state. Huh?! Why was this? Why weren't they able to access and stay in their safety state? Why weren't they releasing their trauma? Why did their presenting problems persist?! I'll be honest. I was disappointed in myself. Frustrated and confused and doubting myself. Lots of reasons There's way too many reasons they didn't have a miraculous change. From family context to the path of getting traumatized they went through. From the strength of their vagal brake to their reliance on behavioral adaptations. Lots and lots of reasons. The issue in trauma work is not simply releasing the trauma. I wish it were, but it's not. It's as much an issue of developing the safety pathways, the vagal brake. We need more distress tolerance before releasing trauma. And by the way, "releasing trauma" correlates with one path of trauma - shock trauma. Or an acute life threat reaction. This applies to the person that is immobilized while also ready for flight/fight sympathetic activity; the person stuck in a freeze state. For the individual that is living in a dorsal vagal shutdown, "releasing the trauma" doesn't really apply to them necessarily. For them, it's more about coming out of a dissociative disconnection, then allowing sympathetic activity to return. But recovering from both of these paths of trauma is not done all at once. Releasing a shock trauma is not just a matter of shaking and trembling. And allowing sympathetic energy to return is not a matter of willing it to do so. Although there are indeed lots of reasons why someone may stay stuck in a defensive state, the similarity they will all have is an inability or difficulty with accessing their safety state. Click here to learn more about accessing your safety state > Change is not linear Developing the vagal brake is a gradual process. And it's not a linear one. That means that there will be obstacles along the way. These could be real-life obstacles, like literal safety problems. This could also be internal world obstacles, like chronic illness. I'm more concerned with the obstacles that emerge from your emotions, cognitions, impulses and sensations. As you gain more access to your safety state, what happens is that the stuck defensive state begins to emerge. The natural process of self-regulation begins to happen. For example, as one becomes more grounded in the present moment through anchoring in their senses, their shutdown state will naturally alleviate and then fight energy will enter their system. This shift is different and uncomfortable for people, so they end up going back down their ladder into their shutdown state. Change is not linear. There will be moments that feel like progress and moments that feel like setbacks. This is the normal process of change, as frustrating as that is. Change requires dedication and practice Making change is gradual and that definitely includes developing the vagal brake. The gradual process of increasing distress tolerance is something that needs to be done with a dedicated practice, like through my online course, Building Safety Anchors. With my therapy clients, we're able to access safety in each session, stretch the capacity of their vagal brake through working on defenses and then coming back to safety. And I always give my therapy clients something to work on during the week to continue to strengthen their safety state between sessions. I challenge my clients to further feel into their defensive state as they are ready for it. But by and large, especially in the beginning stages of therapy, building the safety pathways is the primary concern. In session and also between sessions. Therapy is different, I know. The co-regulation of it; being able to work individually with an expert. Much different. The dedicated practice is the commonality I want you to get from that. Be patient with yourself To sum it up, Fellow Stucknaut, I invite you to be as patient with yourself as you can. Change will happen, especially if you're focusing on developing your distress tolerance through a dedicated practice like Building Safety Anchors. Celebrate your wins when you notice them by mindfully feeling the pride or clarity you're opening up. And when you have setbacks, learn from them and re-dedicate yourself to your practice.

I think when people first get interested in the Polyvagal Theory, they're looking for answers. They want to know what to do with their trauma. They want relief and they want to make change. They find the theory and see there is some avenue for learning and applying new knowledge. They want to identify their stuck defensive state and then climb their Polyvagal ladder into their safety state. And yeah, I totally get it. Of course. And yes, the PVT can provide some insight into these things. It can, but it's also not prescriptive. It's science, not therapy. It's knowledge, not medicine. It's research, not technique. The real benefit to learning the PVT Really, the immediate and potential lasting impact of the PVT is applying it to yourself. When you do that, it opens the potential for you to create a new narrative for yourself. A new story of your past. Before PVT, you might be looking at past events and blaming yourself. Saying, "Why didn't I do this" or "Why did I have to do that?" After learning PVT, you might instead be able to realize, "Oh, I was stuck in a freeze state and that's why I didn't do that." Along with that blame, you might be shaming and judging yourself. "I'm so stupid, why didn't I..." and "I knew it, I'm unlovable and not worth anything, that's why..." After learning the PVT, you might realize that the people in your life - even your parent(s) - are working from their own stuck defensive state and were not able to care for you the way that you needed and deserved. And maybe that's still true for them. Allow the learning to settle I know you might be wanting to recover from trauma and ready to take the next steps. I've got you covered through my Polyvagal Trauma Relief System. Click here to learn more about the Polyvagal Trauma Relief System > But before that, allow your Polyvagal learning to really settle. And by that, I mean to take your time, learn it as deeply as you can and don't try to do anything with it quite yet. Besides learn and sit with your learning. Once you think you understand it well enough, what you can do next is apply the knowledge to yourself in your present moment. Not the past; not yet. Just focus on the here and now and apply this knowledge to yourself with as much curiosity as you can. When you're ready to, then apply the PVT knowledge to your past as you can handle it. Build that new narrative of yourself through the lens of the Polyvagal Theory. I have some prompts for you below. Don't answer these unless you think you can handle it. It's totally okay to come back to this point when you are ready. New past narrative prompts Here are some prompts to help you develop that new narrative of your past: How much access did you have to your safety state? Was it realistic to be able to develop your safety state in that context? How much access did other people have to their safety state? Is it possible that you had to exist in a defensive state in that context? Is it possible you existed in a defensive state to get your needs met? Do you think your body actually did its job by putting you into a defensive state in that context? Do you think that you had an impulse to connect with others in safety that maybe could not be returned by them? For all this to really click, you must have a clear understanding of the Polyvagal Theory and how it connects to trauma. My Polyvagal 101 course gets you from Polyvagal confusion to Polyvagal clarity. With my simple but solid Polyvagal education in place, you can then begin to apply it to yourself and build your new, judgment and shame-free narrative. Click here to learn more about Polyvagal 101 >

No, me saying I'm "shocked" in the title is not an understatement. Maybe I shouldn't be. I'll also share the reason why I think people are confusing these two different Polyvagal states. If I'm right, it's a ridiculous reason. I hope I'm wrong. Shutdown and Freeze are not the same thing I used to make this same mistake. I would use the word "freeze" when referring to the state of immobilization, the bottom rung on the Polyvagal ladder. I even used it on my podcast for the first 15 episodes until I talked with the Theory's creator, Dr. Stephen Porges. That's when he told me this - There is this whole ambiguity because people use the word ‘freeze’ when they really mean “shutting down.” The mouse in the jaws of a cat is not frozen, it’s just limp… The limp loss of muscle tone is a dorsal vagal response (Porges, Stuck Not Broken episode 15). Shutdown is collapsing or going limp. Freeze is stiffening. Let me do a little Porges translation here. He's saying freeze and shutting down are distinct. They aren't the same. He uses the example of a mouse in the jaws of a cat. And he uses the imagery of the mouse being limp. That's shutting down; what he calls a "dorsal vagal response," which is the bottom of the Polyvagal ladder. Freeze is also a dorsal vagal response, but different. Freeze is the combination of dorsal vagal shutdown plus sympathetic flight/fight response. Freeze is flight/fight in combination with shutdown. Mobilization and immobilization at the same time. There is an intense and rapid buildup of energy to run or fight, while at the same time the body is immobilized or immobilizing. When functioning defensively as a fight/flight machine, humans and other mammals need to move. If we are... placed in isolation or restrained, our nervous system… wants to immobilize (Porges, Pocket Guide to the Polyvagal Theory 67). The body will immobilize with a neuroception of life threat. This can be through external physical forced immobilization or the internal perception that the body is going to die. Assaults are an obvious example - there is an impulse to run away, but the individual may be unable to do so for various reasons. They also aren’t able to fight back. They may also be physically forced into immobilization with the sympathetic energy in their system. As a result, they may enter a freeze mixed state. Why I think people continue to confuse the two I really hope I'm wrong, but I think people love to focus on "trauma responses" that start with the letter "F". The idea is absurd, I know. But that's what I see over and over and over again. People in the trauma content creation space love their "F" trauma responses. From fight and flight to fawn and flop to friend and forget and even f***. I hope I'm wrong. But I don't think people want to say "shutdown" because it breaks the F pattern. Truth is, I had a hard time letting go of it too after Dr. Porges clarified the difference for me. *sad face* I want you to have clear and accurate information That's why I made Polyvagal 101. It's my course that teaches the Polyvagal Theory clearly. You'll know the theory and be able to connect it to trauma. Doing so will also lay the foundation for you to have a new self-narrative and reduce your self-blame, shame and judgment. Click the link below to find out more about Polyvagal 101. ​Click here to learn more about Polyvagal 101 >​

I think this is what most people get wrong about the Polyvagal Theory... When I see what others are putting out about the Polyvagal Theory, they tend to focus on a couple of things. And both are short-sighted. The first thing that they focus on is the behavioral aspect of the Theory. Specifically, the "trauma response" aspect. They've learned that the PVT has something to do with trauma and lump it in with other vague learnings about "trauma responses". You'll often see people talk about "fight, flight and freeze." Sometimes they mention "fawn." Sometimes they mention "friend" or "f***" or "faint" or other things that all seemingly somehow start with the letter "f". This is a convoluted mess. It's unnecessary and confuses the issue of understanding trauma and understanding the Polyvagal Theory. Click here to learn the Polyvagal Theory simply the first time in under 2 hours > The other thing they tend to focus on is an over-emphasis of the biology. People love love love to mention things like "dorsal vagal" and "ventral vagal". They love it. Really, they do. Oh and the "vagus nerve"? Forget about it. Talk of the vagus nerve is all the rage. Stimulating it? Sure. Resetting it? Heck yeah. Rewiring it? Maybe? Activating it? Most definitely. All of these things at the same time? I mean, sure, why not, right? Then they instruct you to do things like gargle. Or tilt your head and stretch your neck. Or rub your neck. Or go into a cold body of water. Or splash water on your face. Or dance or sing. Huh? What is this accomplishing? How can you tell? (This is all a convoluted mess as well. Unnecessary and confusing to the beginner.) The reality is the heart of the Polyvagal Theory has little to do with the vagus nerve itself. I know, I know. This doesn't make sense. The PVT is much more than the vagus nerve. It's much more than "trauma responses". It's much more than - you guessed it - gargling. The PVT is a biological unified theory of various human domains. Thought, emotion, sensation, impulse, autonomic state. The Theory connects the biology of our everyday experience to the theory of evolution. It's the science of connection and survival. It's not a psychological theory. It's not an educational one. It's not a medical one. It's all of these and more. It's the underlying biology of what makes us who we are (and other organisms too, but focuses on mammals), which is then applied to various professional pursuits. It doesn't belong to the trauma sphere. Nor the educational. Nor the psychological. Nor any other. It unifies each of these professions. And yeah, it's more than the vagus nerve. It describes how the brainstem and our senses are involved in something called "neuroception". It connects to other biological processes, like optimizing bodily resources for safety or defense. (Things that I lack knowledge in, sorry.) The vagus nerve is the conduit. Messages are sent from the brainstem down to your various bodily organs and processes. The vagus nerve is like a highway the information travels. That's it. If you don't believe me, give my interview with Dr. Porges a listen (he created the Theory). He says so himself - The vagus nerve is a conduit. It's a wire. That's not what we're really concerned about. We're more concerned about the regulator that's sending signals through that wire and the impact of those signals to the target organs and then the target organs through the sensory part of the vagus sending signals back to the brain. So we're more concerned with the feedback loop between organ and brainstem that's going through the vagus than the nerve itself. Click here to listen to the entire interview from my podcast > We need clarity, not novelty and confusion The Polyvagal Theory is deep and complex and highly academic. Rather than attempting to fit it into other ideas you already have about "trauma responses" or popular psychology trends, focus on understanding the Theory for what it is. Yeah, it's fun to connect to other things and I have done a lot of that on the podcast. But you need to have a clear understanding of the Theory first. Podcast listeners and students of my online courses tell me consistently that I make the Polyvagal Theory easy to understand right away. Thom is a member of my Polyvagal 101 course and he said in a feedback form that he got "a clearer understanding of the fundamentals of the polyvagal theory and its relationship with trauma." And that's exactly my goal when I teach the PVT. Easy peasy, no confusion. Makes sense the first time. No more and no less. Click here to learn more about my Polyvagal 101 course >

The Polyvagal Theory is complex, especially if you're starting from the primary source - Dr. Stephen Porges. No, he doesn't make it easy to digest. Deb Dana does a great job in translating and I've done my translations through my many pieces of free content. But what if you're a total and utter beginner in the PVT? What are the essential aspects of Porges' Theory? No jargon. No complexity. Just the absolute basics that you can build from. PVT Basic #1: Biological States of the Body The mammalian body can be said to exist in basically one of three states. (For you PVT Nerds out there, I know. Slow your roll. I'm focusing on the basics for the total beginner here, not the mixed states!) Three states of the Polyvagal Theory: These three states are the result of the body's detection of safety or danger and have specific autonomic biological pathways: Social Engagement - biology that is responsible for your ability to connect with and socially engage with others when safe Flight & Fight - biology that is responsible for your ability to mobilize - to run from or fight off danger Shutdown - biology that is responsible for immobilizing when life is in threat and "play dead" The PVT says that if the underlying biology is not active, then you won't be able to engage in these specific behaviors and the feelings and thoughts that come along with them. For example, if the biology for safety and social engagement is not active, then you won't be able to smile, make eye contact gently or give a hug. On top of that, existing in one state cuts off your ability to use the behaviors of the other states. So if you are in a flight/fight state, then you won't have the ability to socially engage. You also won't have the ability to immobilize. Likewise, if you are in a shutdown state, you'll lack the capacity to mobilize with energy or to connect with others. (Again, I know, PVT Nerds. It's more complex. Calm yourself! Extend your exhale lol) PVT Basic #2: Biological States of the Body are Unconscious These biological states of the body are activated through unconscious means. The body receives input from its senses, then determines what level of safety or danger or life threat it is under. From there, the body shifts into one of the three basic states. Polyvagal state evolved within us to ensure survival These biological responses evolved within us to increase the chances of survival or bodily functioning. Running or fighting are going to help you survive when in danger. Immobilizing in collapse will help you to survive in life threat. And being in your safety state will optimize bodily resources for "health, growth and restoration," something Dr Porges says often. All of this means that you can't consciously choose your Polyvagal state. Increase the chances of being in your safety state You can, however, increase the chances of being in your safety state through manipulating your environment and creating passive safety cues. You can also do something that increases your feelings of safety, like dancing (barf) or playing with a fidget. You can create a list of safety anchors to use that will help activate that state. And you can definitely practice being in your safety state to increase the strength of those pathways. So there are things you can consciously do to increase the likelihood of being in your safety state, but it's not simply a choice to exist in that state. Stop trying to "hack" And no, it's not as simple as "hacking" or "resetting" or "activating" your vagus nerve. That kind of wording is common in the Polyvagal sphere, with a focus on the nerve itself. This is misleading and creates the impression that one can simply choose to do a certain thing to turn off or on their Polyvagal states. PVT Basic #3: It's Biology First Polyvagal Theory is a unifying theory The PVT connects to pretty much everything in our experience: thoughts, emotions, sensations, relationships and more. How can this be? Because the PVT is a unifying theory. It takes these domains and provides an underlying explanation. And the explanation is a biological one. Basically, PVT is saying that biological shifts are first. Then, when those shifts happen, they will result in other shifts that might be noticed by the individual. Think of it like a couple dominoes falling. When one domino falls, it hits the other and then that one falls too. The autonomic nervous system is the primary factor The dominoes in the PVT are biological ones. A bit more specifically, they relate to the autonomic nervous system. When the autonomic nervous system makes an adjustment, then feelings, thoughts and behaviors follow. I see other Polyvagal enthusiasts focusing on various "trauma responses" and behavioral-level aspects of the theory. Which is important and valid. But what gets lost is the primary catalyst of those behaviors, which are the biological shifts happening in the autonomic nervous system. Recommended further reading: Polyvagal Intro If this blog has interested you and you're ready to go deeper in your learning, check out my free Polyvagal Intro page to learn more about the essentials of the Polyvagal Theory and be connected to more free resources. Click here for my free Polyvagal Intro > Q&A What are the three ways in which the mammalian body can exist according to the Polyvagal Theory, and what determines which state the body is in? The three states are Social Engagement, Flight & Fight, and Shutdown, and the body's detection of safety or danger determines which state the body is in. Can an individual consciously choose their Polyvagal state, and what can they do to increase their chances of being in the safety state? No, an individual cannot consciously choose their Polyvagal state. However, they can increase their chances of being in the safety state by manipulating their environment and creating passive safety cues, as well as practicing being in the safety state to strengthen those pathways. What does the Polyvagal Theory say about the relationship between biological shifts and other shifts in an individual's experience? The Polyvagal Theory states that biological shifts are first, and when those shifts happen, they will result in other shifts that an individual might notice in their thoughts, emotions, sensations, and behaviors. Quotes from this blog: "The mammalian body can be said to exist in basically one of three states... These three states have specific autonomic biology." "...You can't consciously choose your Polyvagal state... it's not simply a choice to exist in that state." "The PVT connects to pretty much everything in our experience: thoughts, emotions, sensations, relationships and more... When the autonomic nervous system makes an adjustment, then feelings, thoughts and behaviors follow." Author Bio: Justin wrote the book Trauma & the Polyvagal Paradigm and receives 150k monthly downloads as the host of the Stuck Not Broken podcast. He specializes in treating trauma and helps individuals get "unstuck" from their defensive states as a therapist and coach. Learn what makes Justin different > Contact Justin >

You’ve heard about this Polyvagal stuff and are interested to learn more. Specifically, what the heck is the safety stuff and how to use it? A great question! What is Polyvagal Safety? As I am apt to point out often on the podcast, Polyvagal safety is a reference to biology first and foremost. In the PVT, we are discussing biology. Not simply feelings. Not just “trauma responses.” But biology. Polyvagal safety refers to the ventral vagal pathways of the autonomic nervous system. When active, these ventral vagal pathways result in your ability to connect with yourself and with others. They allow you to socially engage and provide cues of safety to another, a process called co-regulation. When you’re in your safety state, you can then: smile genuinely, use vocal prosody, make eye crinkles from listening or smiling and get close physically to another. You also are able to use a couple of Polyvagal mixed states - play and stillness. Meaning, you can mobilize while socially engaged in play and/or you can immobilize without fear in stillness. If the safety state is not active, then these mixed states and their resulting behaviors and experiences are not possible. Of course, you can learn a lot more about the Polyvagal Theory in my Polyvagal 101 course. It covers the essentials of the Polyvagal Theory in a self-paced course. You’ll also be able to join me once a month in an Open Office Hour to ask questions about the PVT or other topics of interest. You’re probably wondering how to access your Polyvagal state of safety and social engagement. A fair question. Accessing Polyvagal Safety To access Polyvagal safety, you need a couple basic things: Environmental safety - You need literal safety. To be free from actual danger to your person. This also includes a more subtle form of "safety," which involves passive cues of safety from the environment. Things like the hums of electronics, loud sounds, harsh lighting and crowded spaces will all give you cues of danger, even though they are not literally dangerous. Interpersonal safety - Again, literal safety. To be free from danger from others. But it's more than that. This involves receiving co-regulative cues of safety from others. Smiles, eye crinkles, vocal prosody, you get the idea... Having these two pieces are essential to accessing the Polyvagal state of safety and social engagement. However, it may not be that simple. Duh. If you live in a traumatized defensive state, then accessing and remaining in your state of safety is a significant challenge. Those pathways may not be developed enough yet. Feeling your safety state might be uncomfortable, things like feeling trust and vulnerability. It's exceedingly important that you not only access safety once, but continue to do so. So on top of the two things listed above, you also need to have a third, which is to practice being in safety. Building Polyvagal Safety The safety state needs to be exercised, just like anything else. Through exercising it, you build the strength of the pathways. This builds the strength of your "vagal brake," (another Polyvagal concept) which is the influence of the social engagement system on the heart, keeping it at a calmer pace and keeping sympathetic energy from activating. Polyvagal safety is not something to be used. It's something to be developed. It's not something you can make a conscious choice to turn off or on. You can definitely increase the chances of your safety state being active. You can do so through creating passive safety cues for yourself in your environment. In BSA, this is the starting point for building safety. Creating environmental safety cues. From there, you can then create active safety cues. These would be activities that you can do, like mindfully using your senses or movement, to feel more safety in your system. If you can mindfully do so, you can then exercise and increase the safety pathways.