Nervous System Regulation and Polyvagal Theory — Why It’s Key to Trauma Recovery

Trauma lives in the body. Even after a painful experience is over, our nervous system can

remain stuck in a state of fight, flight, or freeze. This means you might feel anxious,

hypervigilant, disconnected, or emotionally numb — even when your environment is safe.

Healing trauma isn’t just about talking through the past; it’s about teaching your nervous

system to feel safe again.

Polyvagal Theory, developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, helps us understand how our nervous

system responds to safety and threat. According to this theory, our autonomic nervous

system has three main states:

1. Ventral Vagal (Safe & Social) – When we feel safe, our heart rate slows, our breathing is steady, and we can connect with others, regulate our emotions, and think clearly.

2. Sympathetic (Fight/Flight) – When we sense danger, our body prepares to defend or

escape. This can show up as anxiety, restlessness, or irritability.

3. Dorsal Vagal (Freeze/Shutdown) – When threat feels overwhelming, the body may shut

down or dissociate. You might feel numb, disconnected, or stuck.

Many of the symptoms people experience after trauma — anxiety, dissociation, chronic

pain, codependency, or compulsive behaviors — are directly linked to the nervous system

being stuck in survival mode. Simply talking about trauma often isn’t enough to resolve

these patterns, because the body remembers what the mind may not.

By regulating the nervous system, we help your body feel safe again. This process allows:

- Greater emotional stability

- Improved relationships and connection with others

- More grounded presence in your body

- The ability to process and integrate past experiences without being overwhelmed

In somatic trauma therapy, we use approaches like Somatic Experiencing, Safe and Sound

Protocol, and other Polyvagal-informed techniques to help you track and shift your nervous

system responses. The goal is to move from survival mode toward ventral vagal states

where safety, connection, and growth are possible. This work forms the foundation for

healing attachment injuries, resolving developmental trauma, and reclaiming a sense of

wholeness.

Trauma recovery isn’t just about revisiting the past — it’s about learning how your body

can feel safe now. If you’ve struggled with anxiety, dissociation, or emotional overwhelm,

know that nervous system regulation is possible. I invite you to reach out and explore how

somatic trauma therapy can help you reconnect with your body, regulate your nervous

system, and reclaim a sense of safety, connection, and resilience.