TPP 311a: Deb Dana on Befriending Our Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory

Deb Dana, a clinician, consultant, and author, gives us a primer of the key points of Polyvagal Theory, and in doing so, explains the ways in which it can support the way we parent our differently-wired kids. Deb explains the nervous system pathways, why co-regulation is essential to our survival, what befriending and listening to our autonomic nervous system looks like in practice, and the benefits of having a breathing practice. We also talk about why these concepts can change our relationships to our daily life even if our circumstances stay the same. 



Things you'll learn from this episode


The mission behind Deb’s book Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory

What the nervous system pathways are and the three states we can be in

What aspects of our nervous systems are innate or “hardwired” versus routed in nurture or life experience

Why co-regulation is essential to our survival and examples for ways in which we constantly do naturally

What befriending and listening to our autonomic nervous system looks like in practice


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