Clinical Applications of the Polyvagal Theory

Stephen Porges has not only made one of the most profound and illuminating contributions to our understanding of the nervous system in the last 50 years, but he has made one of the most useful ones, cracking the facial code, deepening Darwin's work--an extraordinary feat--while teaching us to understand a patient's nervous system's state, sometimes when even they themselves cannot. And now, in this wonderful, illuminating book, co-edited with Deb Dana and filled with contributions from some of the leading lights from across the healing professions, we see how useful a variety of clinicians find Porges' breakthroughs. This book teaches so many practical applications and shows how creative clinicians can use this work to settle even the most distressed human beings and help them transition into the state in which they are most likely to heal.--Norman Doidge, MD, author, The Brain That Changes Itself, and The Brain's Way of Healing The autonomic nervous system, oft neglected and until recently dismissed as primitive, takes center stage as the focus of exploration in this significant work. The most important names in our understanding of interpersonal trauma are represented here as they explain Porges' Polyvagal Theory and its influence on understanding behavior and psychological processes. Safety, reciprocity, and synchronicity (to quote Bessel van der Kolk) underpin the biology of social engagement to create the substrate for healing trauma. All this is elegantly explained in this book.--Drew Pinsky MD, Internist, New York Times bestselling author, host The Dr. Drew Podcast