Polyvagal Theory: Part II
Hello Readers! In our last post we explained the basics of polyvagal theory and the terminology necessary to fully understand it. In today’s post we would like to go through a couple of exercises in order for you to better understand how this theory can be used both individually and through therapeutic services.
Understanding the Autonomic Hierarchy
When you are fully aware of the hierarchy and what each state means (and looks/feels like to you), you are able to easily move from one state to another. Though it can eventually become a smooth process, it can take a lot of work to get there. This activity is built around you understanding yourself and the hierarchy role within you.
In an ideal world you would start in ventral vagal. When reading through Deb Dana’s book, “Anchored”, she describes it as the part of the hierarchy that oversees the entire system as a whole. By having a regulated ventral vagal system, it allows the sympathetic and dorsal systems to work in the background. (Dana, 2021). For the first part of this activity, think about how these three systems work within you. If you were to close your eyes and imagine them, what would they look like? What picture would they depict? Deb Dana shares that she sees the ventral vagal system as giving a warm embrace to the sympathetic and and dorsal systems, or even as an overarching umbrella. (Dana, 2021)
Questions to ask yourself
What happens in your body when the dorsal or sympathetic states act on their own?
What changes do you notice when moving from regulation to disconnection?
Where does your body hold that feeling of collapse or shutdown?
The final part of this activity is to give a name to each of the three states. You can choose to use the biological terms (ventral, sympathetic, and dorsal) or you can label them however you feel best fits. For example you may find that the states could be labeled as sunny, stormy, foggy, flow, chaos, collapse, activated, etc. Sometimes the use of more commonly used words helps us to better understand what state we are experiencing rather than having to remember what the scientific term means.
Designated Landscapes
Another activity used to describe our states involves designating each state with a specific landscape. Sometimes, when thinking about a specific type of landscape, not only are we able to picture it in our minds, but we are also able to sense the different feelings it sparks as well.
First, think back to a time where you feel you were experiencing regulation and were deeply rooted, or anchored, in your ventral vagal system. This moment should make you have feelings of safety and connection. Now, look within your body and mind, what do you see? Is it an actual place, a specific thing, a color, feeling, etc? Whatever you are seeing then becomes your designated landscape for your ventral vagal state.
Follow the above steps for both the sympathetic and dorsal states as well. Give each of these states a designated landscape. Note that each of the states should be different landscapes as they are all very different systems within the hierarchy.
Once you have been able to designate three specific landscapes and what they allow you to feel within the autonomic hierarchy, you can then begin to practice moving from one state to another. Once you begin trying to move from one state to another it can be helpful to document what you are feeling or experiencing for future practice. Always begin and end in your ventral vagal state when practicing this activity.
These two activities are commonly used with the polyvagal theory. You may find them to be helpful, or you may find that they don’t benefit you in a way that you would like. Either way there are no right or wrong outcomes for these activities, it is all based around the individual and their life experiences. In our next blog post we will continue to work through the polyvagal theory and understanding its connections within ourselves and the world around us.
As always, if you have any requests or questions, feel free to reach out!
