This is a recording of Kathryn Hansman-Spice’s virtual Class that was held on October 28, 2020.
TRAGER as a Trauma Sensitive Approach
The Polyvagal Theory, developed by Stephen Porges, expands our understanding of the ANS beyond the balance of the stress and relaxation responses to include the freeze response. It offers a new perspective on the power of the Vagus Nerve as a major conduit for the flow of information between the body and the brain. It helps us understand the power of The Trager Approach to create a safe container for clients to receive the benefits of touch and movement.
In this class, we will explore 3 key concepts of the PVT, as distilled by Deb Dana, LCSW, in her new book, Polyvagal Exercises for Safety and Connection:
AUTONOMIC HIERARCHY: How the vagus nerve evolved over time, from reptiles to mammals, to shape how we protect ourselves. Do we Freeze, Fight or Flee, or Socially Engage? These responses represent 3 circuits which are embedded in our nervous system and recruited in a certain order. We will look at how we move up and down the Autonomic Ladder:
Ventral Vagal (I feel connected. Life is good)
Sympathetic (I am in danger. I need to act now)
Dorsal Vagal: (I feel threatened. I can’t cope. I need to shut down/collapse)
NEUROCEPTION: We are wired to scan for risk and safety without awareness. We read facial expressions, tone of voice, body gestures and posture. Within seconds our body responds physiologically, based on our perception, effecting breathing, digestion, heart rate, etc and shaping our health.
CO-REGULATION: Our brain is social. It s through our relationships that we learn what safety feels like, and how to self-regulate,—to notice how we are feeling and how to shift from one state of mind to another.
The big question is SO WHAT? We will use break out groups to discuss the concepts and begin to apply them to our work.