Understanding Polyvagal Theory: A New Lens for Healing at Tenacity Counseling Center

Mental health therapy is evolving—and one of the most transformative concepts in the field today is Polyvagal Theory. At Tenacity Counseling Center, we integrate this groundbreaking framework into our trauma-informed and relational therapy approach, helping clients understand that their emotional responses are not flaws—they’re survival instincts.

Whether you’re dealing with trauma, anxiety, chronic stress, or relational disconnection, understanding your nervous system is a powerful first step toward healing.

🌿 What Is Polyvagal Theory?

Developed by neuroscientist Dr. Stephen Porges, Polyvagal Theory explains how the autonomic nervous system shapes our emotional and physiological responses. It identifies three key states of nervous system activation:

1. Ventral Vagal (Safe & Social) – When we feel connected, calm, and regulated

2. Sympathetic (Fight or Flight) – When we feel anxious, angry, or on edge

3. Dorsal Vagal (Shutdown or Collapse) – When we feel numb, disconnected, or hopeless

Rather than seeing these states as dysfunctions, Polyvagal Theory reframes them as adaptive responses—ways the body tries to protect us based on past experiences.

Safety isn't the absence of threat. It's the presence of connection." -Stephen Porges, PhD

💡 Why It Matters in Therapy

Trauma can condition the nervous system to remain in survival states, long after the threat is gone. Clients may experience chronic anxiety, avoidance, relationship strain, or even physical symptoms without realizing it’s their nervous system trying to stay safe.

At Tenacity Counseling Center, we use polyvagal-informed therapy to help clients:

• Recognize their nervous system responses

• Practice gentle strategies for regulation

• Rebuild trust in their bodies and relationships

• Shift from surviving to thriving

This theory is particularly helpful for trauma recovery, couples therapy, chronic illness support, and those who’ve felt misunderstood by traditional talk therapy.

🧍‍♀️ A Personal, Grounded Approach

As a provider with lived experience navigating both personal trauma and long-term marriage, I understand how nervous system patterns show up in real life—in arguments, silence, panic, or even physical illness. Therapy at Tenacity doesn’t pathologize you. It normalizes, educates, and empowers.

You’re not broken. Your nervous system is doing what it learned to do. Together, we can help it find a new rhythm.

🧘 Tips for Nervous System Regulation

• Name It to Tame It: Simply naming the state you’re in (“I feel frozen” or “I’m activated”) can begin the shift.

• Ground Through the Body: Use gentle breath, soft movement, or sensation (like warm water or texture) to anchor in the present.

• Seek Co-Regulation: Safe connection with others—therapy, friends, pets—can calm the nervous system more effectively than going it alone.

• Honor Small Wins: Regulation is a practice, not perfection. Celebrate every moment of connection and calm.

  
  

💬 Ready to Feel Safe in Your Body Again?

Polyvagal-informed therapy at Tenacity Counseling Center can help you tune into your nervous system, increase emotional resilience, and move through life with more calm and connection. Whether you're navigating trauma, relational strain, or chronic stress—you're not alone, and healing is possible.

📚 Professional References

1. Porges, S. W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-regulation. Norton & Company.

2. Dana, D. (2018). The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation. Norton & Company.

3. Siegel, D. J. (2020). The Developing Mind: How Relationships and the Brain Interact to Shape Who We Are. Guilford Press.