What is Polyvagal Theory?

Ways to understand and manage the regulation of your nervous system.

The idea of Polyvagal Theory (PVT) was introduced by Dr Stephen Porges in 1994 and taken up by professionals in a wide variety of different fields. In particular it has successfully informed the work of many Movement and Body-Based Therapists.

In PVT the Autonomic Nervous System (the part of your nervous system that controls involuntary actions, such as the beating of your heart and the widening or narrowing of your blood vessels) is seen as a ladder, or hierarchical system that can be traveled along, albeit, not always at will.

In PVT there are 3 ‘responses’ to what happens in life:

1. Safe & Social, also known as the ‘Ventral Vagal’ response.

2. Mobilisation, also known as the ‘Sympathetic’ response. We sometimes simplify this as ‘Flight & Flight’

3. Immobilisation, also known as ‘Dorsal Vagal’. We sometimes call this ‘Rest & Digest’