Polyvagal Therapy
Polyvagal Therapy is an innovative approach to healing that focuses on the body’s nervous system response to trauma, stress, and anxiety. This therapy is based on the Polyvagal Theory, which explains how the vagus nerve influences emotional regulation, social connection, and the ability to feel safe. By learning to regulate your nervous system, Polyvagal Therapy helps you manage trauma, anxiety, and emotional distress, promoting a sense of calm and well-being.
What is Polyvagal Therapy?
Developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, Polyvagal Theory describes how the autonomic nervous system responds to stress and trauma by triggering “fight, flight, or freeze” reactions. In situations where the body perceives danger, the vagus nerve plays a key role in managing these responses. Polyvagal Therapy works by helping you recognise these automatic responses and teaches you how to shift into a state of safety and social engagement.
This approach is particularly helpful for individuals who have experienced trauma, chronic stress, or anxiety, as it focuses on regulating the nervous system to promote healing and emotional resilience.
For further information on Polyvagal Theory, visit the Polyvagal Institute.
How Polyvagal Therapy Works
Polyvagal Therapy focuses on helping you understand and regulate your body’s nervous system responses to stress. Through a combination of body-based exercises and mindfulness techniques, this therapy aims to create a sense of safety in both your body and environment. We will work together to develop strategies that help you calm your nervous system and move out of defensive states into more balanced, connected states.
Key techniques include:
- Breathwork: Focused breathing exercises to activate the vagus nerve and promote relaxation.
- Grounding Techniques: Exercises to bring you back into the present moment, reducing anxiety and stress.
- Safe and Social Engagement: Building healthy connections with others to foster a sense of safety and well-being.
Benefits of Polyvagal Therapy
Polyvagal Therapy is particularly effective for those dealing with trauma, anxiety, and chronic stress. It helps you regain control over your body’s responses to stress and create a sense of safety and calm. By understanding and regulating your nervous system, you can improve emotional resilience, reduce feelings of overwhelm, and foster healthier relationships.
Why Choose Polyvagal Therapy at Restorative Counselling?
At Restorative Counselling, I offer Polyvagal Therapy to help you reconnect with your body and learn how to regulate your nervous system in a safe, supportive environment. My approach is personalised to your needs, focusing on helping you shift from states of fear and stress to states of calm and connection.
If you’re ready to explore how Polyvagal Therapy can help you manage trauma and anxiety, contact me today. Together, we can work towards restoring balance, safety, and emotional well-being in your life.
FAQs
Counselling works best when you recognise that you’re struggling and can no longer continue as you are, and you want to make changes in your life but don’t know how. Sometimes, it may feel almost impossible to know what these changes should be. Often, the insights that arise are created during sessions through deep discussions and are developed between sessions.
Counselling can be challenging, as it may bring old memories, feelings, and past hurts to the surface. However, sharing these thoughts and feelings will give you a clearer understanding of why they still cause you pain, an ability to reduce that pain, and even help you find healing from those experiences.
I offer a Humanistic Integrative approach in a person-centred way. This means that we focus on you as an individual, working with your agenda, allowing you to explore those difficult memories and feelings. I use a combination of approaches to suit your individual needs because I believe one size does not fit all. We are all unique.
This is entirely up to you and something we can discuss during our initial consultation. Sometimes, starting with six sessions can be beneficial, and during these sessions, we can review whether you would like to continue or terminate them. Short-term counselling can be helpful during an immediate crisis to support you through it.
Long-term counselling allows for a deeper exploration of your problems, helping you understand how they affect you and where they stem from. We can start with weekly sessions and later move to fortnightly or every three weeks, depending on the situation and what would benefit you. Remember, this is your decision. At the end, we can have a final review and look at ways to help you move forward in your life, making the transition as safe and comfortable as possible.
Often, you will know when your counselling is nearing its end. You will feel more confident and at peace within yourself, and the memories will not cause you as much pain. You will be able to reflect on them in a way that no longer distresses you. We will discuss how you would like to conclude the counselling process.
We can have a final review a few weeks after counselling ends to see how you have been coping and how you’ve incorporated these changes into your daily life.
I currently charge £50 per session. I also offer concessions for those in need and will try to match your income, as I understand that affording regular counselling can be challenging.
For students studying for their Diploma or another qualification who need hours towards their personal counselling, I also offer a concession if needed.
Your first appointment may seem daunting, but it’s an opportunity for us to meet and get to know each other. We can then discuss how we can best work together and how I may be able to help you.
I also offer a free 20-minute phone call to briefly discuss the therapy and how we can begin.
