Description
Deb Dana’s work as a clinician, consultant, lecturer, and Coordinator of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium in the Kinsey Institute is focused on using the lens of Polyvagal Theory to understand and resolve the impact of trauma and create ways of working that honour the role of the autonomic nervous system as we move through states of protection and connection in an ongoing quest for safety. The autonomic nervous system is a common denominator in the human family. We all share the same biobehavioral platform.
Polyvagal Theory offers a neurophysiological framework to consider the reasons why people act in the ways they do. Through a polyvagal lens, we understand that actions are automatic and adaptive, generated by the autonomic nervous system well below the level of conscious awareness. This is not the brain making a cognitive choice, these are autonomic energies moving in patterns of protection and with this new awareness, the door opens to compassion.
Out of Stephen Porges’s brilliant work developing Polyvagal Theory continued by amazing people like Deb Dana, a worldwide community of Polyvagal-informed people and systems is developing as we better understand the power of the autonomic nervous system to guide our movements and shape our stories.
Looking Through the Lens of Polyvagal Theory
The autonomic nervous system is at the heart of daily living powerfully shaping experiences of safety and influencing the capacity for connection. Guided by Polyvagal Theory, we have a deep understanding of the ways experience shapes the nervous system and of the pathways that lead to healing. With this updated map of the autonomic circuits of connection, mobilization, and collapse, we now have practical ways to effectively help our clients identify and interrupt their familiar response patterns and strategies to shape their systems toward safety and connection.
Webinar Recording 1 – Principles of Polyvagal Theory
This webinar recording will lay the foundation for the rest of the series as participants learn the fundamentals of Polyvagal Theory.
Learning Objectives
Participants will be able to:
- Describe the three organizing principles of Polyvagal Theory
- Describe three elements of autonomic safety
- Discuss ways the principles and elements are active in therapy sessions
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Schedule
— Introduction to neuroception, hierarchy, co-regulation
— Introduction to context, choice, connection
— Q&A
Webinar Recording 2 – The Social Engagement System and the Vagal Brake
This webinar recording will introduce two important autonomic components; the Social Engagement System and the vagal brake.
Learning Objectives
Participants will be able to:
- Describe the pathways of the Social Engagement System
- Identify specific cues of safety and danger experienced in social engagement
- Discuss the function of the vagal brake
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Schedule
— The architecture of the Social Engagement System and the use of eye gaze, prosody, head movement in co-regulation
— Engaging the vagal brake
— Q&A
Webinar Recording 3 – Mapping Your Nervous System
This webinar recording will introduce the process of autonomic mapping, the benefits of mapping, and how to create and use an autonomic map.
Learning Objectives
Participants will be able to:
- Complete a Personal Profile Map
- Discuss the impact of mapping with clients
- Explain how an autonomic map supports the therapy process
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Schedule
— Working with the Personal Profile Map
— Introducing and using autonomic maps in clinical work
— Q&A
Webinar Recording 4 – Navigating Your Nervous System
This webinar recording will address the use of autonomic tracking as a strategy to identify and interrupt habitual survival patterns and savor patterns of regulation.
Learning Objectives
Participants will be able to:
- Identify and track shifts within and between autonomic states
- Describe common response patterns
- Discuss the importance of tracking states across time
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Schedule
— Working with continuums
— Common autonomic loops
— Q&A
Webinar Recording 5 – Shaping Your Nervous System
This webinar recording will introduce strategies to re-shape responses from survival to safety.
Learning Objectives
Participants will be able to:
- Assess shaping practices using the stretch to stress formula
- Utilize breath, movement, and intention as neural exercises
- Discuss the use of work between sessions as a shaping resource
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Schedule
— Breath, body, and brain practices
— Stretch and savor
— Q&A
Integration Webinar Recording
The fifth webinar recording is followed by the Integration Webinar recording. The series revealed how to help your clients feel safe enough to get to the real issues so that they can finally heal from trauma, depression, addiction and other Mental Health challenges. The main goal of this 1.5-hour webinar recording is to support you to integrate the material into your practice.
Deb Dana, LCSW is a clinician and consultant specializing in working with complex trauma. She is a consultant to the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium in the Kinsey Institute and Clinical Advisor to Khiron Clinics. She developed the Rhythm of Regulation Clinical Training Series and lectures internationally on ways in which Polyvagal Theory informs work with trauma survivors. Deb is the author of The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation, Polyvagal Exercises for Safety and Connection; 50 Client-Centered Practices, created The Polyvagal Flip Chart, and co-edited, with Stephen Porges, Clinical Applications of the Polyvagal Theory: The Emergence of Polyvagal-Informed Therapies.
for more information: rhythmofregulation.com
