Trauma can have a profound impact on the body, disrupting your ability to feel safe and connected. It can leave you feeling frozen, tense, and detached. Understanding the link between trauma and the nervous system can help you learn how to activate the body's natural calming responses that bring relief.

At Williamson & Associates in Olds, Alberta, we use trauma-informed approaches such as Polyvagal theory to help clients understand and regulate their nervous systems for lasting healing.

Understanding Polyvagal Theory

Dr. Stephen Porges' Polyvagal theory explains how the autonomic nervous system reacts to the environment, affecting our emotional and physiological states. According to the theory, our nervous system continually scans for cues of safety, danger, and life threats, shaping our responses to the world around us.

In response to unresolved trauma, you may remain in a constant "fight-or-flight" state or experience dorsal vagal shutdown—a response your body uses when overwhelmed by stress or unresolved trauma, marked by feeling disconnected and immobilized. The body's "shut down" response to extreme stress is not conscious; it's meant to conserve energy and protect us.

What is the Vagus Nerve?

The vagus nerve is central to polyvagal theory, as it helps explain how trauma disrupts our ability to feel safe and calm.

The vagus nerve, the longest cranial nerve in the body, connects the brain to several vital organs. It plays a key role in regulating heart rate, digestion, and our ability to relax. It is a critical part of the parasympathetic nervous system, and it helps regulate rest, relaxation, and digestion. The vagus nerve plays a crucial role in our emotional regulation and stress response, making it central to understanding trauma responses.

Our therapists at Williamson & Associates use this knowledge to help clients manage anxiety, stress, and trauma-related symptoms.

The Three Neural Pathways in Polyvagal Theory

According to Polyvagal theory, three neural pathways dictate how we respond to our environment:

Ventral Vagal Complex (SAFETY)

This pathway supports social engagement and the "rest and digest" state. When the ventral vagal complex is activated, we feel calm, secure, and socially connected, allowing us to engage with others and recover from stress.

Sympathetic Nervous System (DANGER)

When we detect danger, the sympathetic nervous system triggers the "fight or flight" response. Heart rate increases, and our body prepares for action, either to confront the threat or escape it. This state is essential for survival in dangerous situations but can become overactive in people with trauma, leading to chronic anxiety.

Dorsal Vagal Complex (LIFE THREAT)

The dorsal vagal pathway is responsible for the "freeze" or shutdown response. In moments of life-threatening danger, when neither fight nor flight is possible, the body may shut down as a form of self-preservation. This response, while protective, can lead to feelings of numbness, detachment, and depression when activated by chronic stress or unresolved trauma.

Polyvagal Theory: A Ladder of Nervous States

The polyvagal theory can be imagined as a ladder with three rungs, representing different states of the nervous system: ventral vagal at the top (safety and connection), sympathetic in the middle (danger and mobilization), and dorsal vagal at the bottom (life threat and shutdown). Understanding your place on this "ladder" can help you achieve safety and heal trauma.

Neuroception

Neuroception is the subconscious process by which our nervous system detects safety or danger cues. Unlike perception, which is a conscious experience, neuroception happens without awareness, continuously scanning the environment for signs of threat. Trauma can cause neuroception to become overly sensitive, leading you to perceive danger even when you're safe. This causes you to feel anxious and hypervigilant.

Co-Regulation

Co-regulation involves using social connections to regulate our nervous system and move from a state of dorsal vagal shutdown, to a state of engagement and emotional balance. Positive interactions, such as those in a therapist-client relationship, activate the ventral vagal system, leading to feelings of safety and calm.

Trauma and the Nervous System: A Polyvagal Perspective

Trauma can impact the nervous system by altering our movement up and down the polyvagal ladder. In people with PTSD, the sympathetic nervous system may stay on high alert, keeping them in a fight-or-flight mode. Others may experience frequent dorsal vagal shutdown, feeling emotionally disconnected and numb.

Strategies for Activating the Ventral Vagal Pathway

Activating the ventral vagal pathway is critical to managing stress and anxiety. Exercises to help strengthen this pathway include:

Deep breathing
Progressive muscle relaxation
Physical movement
Social connection
Mindfulness practices
Grounding exercises

Integrated Trauma Therapy Approaches

At Williamson & Associates, we apply trauma therapies that integrate polyvagal theory to support your healing process and promote recovery.

EMDR Trauma Therapy and Polyvagal Theory

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing helps reprocess traumatic memories while feeling safe, keeping the nervous system regulated.

Somatic Experiencing Trauma Therapy and Polyvagal Theory

Somatic experiencing helps to release built-up trauma by tuning into bodily sensations and supporting the body's natural healing process.

Accelerated Resolution Trauma Therapy and Polyvagal Theory

ART uses guided visualization to help you process trauma. It creates a sense of safety and resolution by connecting you with your emotions in a natural, empowering way.

Emotionally Focused Therapy and Polyvagal Theory

EFT is about helping partners support each other and rebuild a sense of safety.