Workshops
Polyvagal Theory Workshops for therapists:
What is Polyvagal Theory, and how can I integrate this neuroscientific approach into my therapeutic work?
Polyvagal theory has emerged as an effective framework for addressing trauma, and working with a client’s ‘traumatised state’. The healthy person can rely on their body to respond to challenges in the world when challenges are realistically assessed, and can then rely on their body to return to a regulated, open, connected and social state when the challenge has been met. Trauma can interrupt this important process, leaving the body trapped in an unsafe state.
The traumatised client can present in many ways
Anxious and withdrawn
Experiencing panic attacks
Exploding in anger
struggling in relationships
Being supremely driven
Numbed out and lost
Hyper and energetic
Remote and distant
The Polyvagal approach involves working from the body up, learning to effectively ‘operate’ our nervous systems as a route to health and safety in the world.
Wherever possible, I will draw from my own experiences of practising in this way over the past four years.
What we will cover
- Understanding the autonomic nervous system’s role in keeping us safe.
- Mapping out your own autonomic ‘landscape’ and developing skills to get a deeper understanding of your client’s autonomic landscape.
- Exploring Deb Dana’s step-by-step approach to Polyvagal work, but also thinking about what your individual approach might be.
- Engaging in both brain-work for understanding the theory, along with somatic, or body-work, in creative exercises aimed at deepending an understanding of Polyvagal principles, and how we can engage our bodies in this process.
I run workshops for small groups of up to 6 therapists, focusing on integrating Polyvagal Theory into your therapeutic practice.
These workshops are conducted on Fridays at my home practice, and on Saturdays at Five Valleys Counselling Practice in Stroud.