Polyvagal-Informed Perspective

What is polyvagal theory?

Polyvagal theory was first put forward by Stephen Porges in 1995.¹ Polyvagal-informed work often uses it as a simplified way to describe three broad kinds of response.² One is feeling safe and connected. Another is being on alert, ready to fight or flee. The third is shutting down. These can overlap, and you may notice more than one at the same time.

Porges uses the word neuroception for the idea that your nervous system picks up signs of safety or danger. This often happens before you are aware of it.² It is a way of describing experience, not something a therapist measures.

Three states, in plain terms

When you face a threat, your body responds in several ways, such as a change in how fast your heart beats.³ Some people freeze or can't move when something feels like too much. Research in animals and people describes this freezing as an automatic defensive reaction.³ “Shutdown” is a descriptive word used in polyvagal-informed work for feeling numb, flat or far away. It is not a diagnosis, and there is no test that measures it.

What this can look like in therapy

The practices below come from the approaches of clinician Deb Dana, who adapted polyvagal ideas for use in therapy.^4, 5 Some practices may suit you and others may not. The pace is set with you.

A polyvagal-informed perspective looks at your reactions with curiosity. Feeling on edge, or shutting down, may be ways your body once tried to protect you.²

We use these ideas alongside other approaches, such as EMDR and IFS. It is a perspective used within therapy, not a standalone treatment.

Early on, your therapist may invite you to describe each state as you know it. That can include what happens in your body, what goes through your mind, and what you tend to do. This is called a personal profile map.⁴

You only touch the hard states lightly, enough to put them into words, and the exercise usually ends in the state of safety. Later, one short question can help you find your place: “Where am I on my map?”⁴

You might also look at what moves you from one state to another. The cues that set off alarm or shutdown are called triggers. The small moments of safety and connection are called glimmers, such as spotting a bird or seeing the stars early in the morning.^4, 5

Glimmers are easy to miss, especially when you feel on edge or shut down.⁵ Noticing them doesn't mean ignoring what hurts. Both are worth noticing.⁴

Together, you may list what helps you come out of alarm or shutdown, and what helps you stay steady. Some of it you do on your own, and some with other people. The list can change as therapy goes on.⁴

During a session, your therapist may pause with you to notice which state you are in, name it, and get curious about it. Some clients also use a short check-in sheet between sessions.⁴

It is common to meet your own reactions with criticism. Another way is called befriending your nervous system: turning toward your reactions with curiosity and kindness, and seeing them as ways you learned to get through.⁴

The relationship with your therapist is part of this. A steady presence and a warm tone of voice can help some people feel steadier during a session. Co-regulation, settling in the company of another person, can be a base for learning to settle on your own.^4, 5

Change tends to come in small steps. One way to picture this is a line that runs from stretch and savor to stress and survive. The aim is to stretch a little, pause to take it in, and stop before it tips into stress.⁵ In a session, that might mean staying a little longer with a moment when you felt safe.⁴

Some people find words for reactions that used to confuse them. Others start to notice glimmers they used to miss. Your experience may be different, and that is something we explore together.^4, 5

References

1. Porges, S. W. (1995). Orienting in a defensive world: Mammalian modifications of our evolutionary heritage. A Polyvagal Theory. Psychophysiology, 32(4), 301–318. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8986.1995.tb01213.x
2. Porges, S. W. (2025). Polyvagal Theory: Current status, clinical applications, and future directions. Clinical Neuropsychiatry, 22(3), 169–184. https://doi.org/10.36131/cnfioritieditore20250301
3. Roelofs, K. (2017). Freeze for action: neurobiological mechanisms in animal and human freezing. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 372(1718), 20160206. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2016.0206
4. Dana, D. (2018). The polyvagal theory in therapy: Engaging the rhythm of regulation. W. W. Norton. [Book]
5. Dana, D. (2021). Anchored: How to befriend your nervous system using polyvagal theory. Sounds True. [Book]