Polyvagal Techniques
When Your Body Doesn't Feel Safe, You Can Learn to Feel More Grounded
Stress and difficult experiences can affect how your body responds to the world around you. You may notice tension, restlessness, shutdown, difficulty settling down, or a sense that you're always on guard. Polyvagal-informed techniques can help you notice these responses with greater awareness and practice strategies that support a greater sense of grounding, safety, and connection.
When Your Body Reacts Before You Know Why
You may understand that you're safe in the present moment while your body continues to respond as though something is wrong. Exploring your nervous-system responses can help you notice these patterns and consider what may help you feel more grounded.
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Always on Alert
You may feel tense, restless, watchful, or easily startled even when nothing obvious is wrong. You can explore what helps your body begin to settle.
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It's Hard to Slow Down
Your mind and body may stay activated long after a stressful situation has passed. You can practice ways to create moments of greater calm and grounding.
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You Feel Disconnected
At times, you may feel numb, distant, shut down, or disconnected from yourself or your surroundings. Therapy can help you notice these responses with greater compassion.
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You Know You're Safe, But Don't Feel Safe
You may know you're okay while your body continues responding with tension, fear, or withdrawal. Exploring these responses can help you find what supports you.
What Polyvagal-Informed Therapy Can Feel Like
Polyvagal-informed work can help you become more aware of how stress shows up in your body and experiment with strategies that may support greater grounding and regulation. The goal isn't to force yourself to feel calm, but to develop a better understanding of what your body is communicating and what helps you feel more settled.
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You Learn to Notice Your Body
You and your therapist can explore physical signs of activation, tension, shutdown, or overwhelm and become more aware of what happens before you react.
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You Explore What Helps You Feel Grounded
Together, you can identify sensory experiences, breathing practices, movement, connection, or other strategies that feel supportive for you.
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You Practice in Manageable Moments
Rather than waiting until you're completely overwhelmed, you can practice techniques during everyday moments so they become more familiar and accessible.
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You Build a More Compassionate Relationship With Your Responses
Instead of seeing your reactions as something wrong with you, you can begin to understand them as responses worth noticing and exploring.
When You Understand Your Body's Signals, You Can Respond With More Choice
When you begin to recognize how stress and emotion show up in your body, you may be able to notice what's happening before you feel completely overwhelmed. With greater awareness, you can pause, reconnect with the present, and respond with more intention and compassion. Over time, this can help your reactions feel less outside of your control.
Your Path Through Healing
There isn't one approach that works for everyone. Trauma therapy can be tailored to your experiences, needs, and goals, drawing from different approaches to support you along the way.
Find a Therapist Who Feels Like a Good Fit
Finding the right therapist can make a meaningful difference in your experience of therapy. Get to know our therapists, learn about their approaches and areas of focus, and find someone who feels like a good fit for you. And if you're not sure where to start, that's okay—we can help you explore what kind of support may be right for you.
FAQs
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We can explore how your body responds to stress, what may contribute to feeling activated or disconnected, and what helps you feel more grounded and present. Together, we can practice ways to notice and respond to these patterns with greater awareness and self-compassion.
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They may be helpful when your body continues to respond with tension, alertness, shutdown, or overwhelm even when you recognize that you're safe in the present. Therapy can help you notice these responses and experiment with grounding and regulation strategies that may help you feel more settled.
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You don't have to find every technique helpful. Different strategies work differently for different people, and some practices may even feel uncomfortable at certain times. Your therapist can help you explore a variety of approaches and identify what feels most supportive for you.
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Yes. Our therapists participate with a variety of insurance plans. Your cost will depend on your individual insurance benefits and the therapist you choose. We also offer self-pay options for clients who are not using insurance.
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Step 1: Connect With Us
Take the first step by contacting us. We're here to answer your questions and help you get started.
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Step 2: We'll Guide You
Together, we'll help you find the therapist who is the best fit for your needs, goals, and preferences.
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Step 3: Begin Healing Together
Meet your therapist, build a trusting relationship, and begin working toward meaningful growth and lasting change.