Polyvagal Theory

Understanding Your Nervous System & Finding Safety

Polyvagal theory helps explain how our nervous system responds to safety and threat, and why trauma can make life feel intense, overwhelming, or emotionally numb. Rather than asking “What’s wrong with me?”, polyvagal-informed therapy asks, “What is my nervous system trying to protect me from?” At its core, this approach recognizes that our bodies are constantly scanning for cues of safety or danger — often outside of our conscious awareness.

According to polyvagal theory, we move through different nervous system states, including mobilization (fight or flight) and shutdown (freeze or collapse), depending on what our system perceives as happening around us. Trauma can cause the nervous system to get stuck in these survival states, even when the present moment is safe.

The Window of Tolerance
The window of tolerance refers to the range of nervous system activation where we feel grounded, present, and able to cope with daily life. When we’re within this window, we can think clearly, feel our emotions without being overwhelmed, and stay connected to ourselves and others.

Trauma can narrow this window, making it easier to tip into:

Hyperarousal (above the window): anxiety, panic, irritability, racing thoughts, or feeling constantly “on edge”
Hypoarousal (below the window): numbness, shutdown, dissociation, exhaustion, or feeling disconnected

Polyvagal-informed therapy focuses on gently expanding your window of tolerance so your nervous system has more flexibility and resilience.

Who Polyvagal-Informed Therapy Can Help
This approach can be especially helpful for people who:

Feel emotionally overwhelmed or shut down without knowing why
Struggle with chronic anxiety, panic, or emotional numbness
Notice strong body-based trauma responses
Want practical tools to feel safer and more regulated in daily life

What to Expect in Polyvagal-Informed Therapy
Sessions often include learning to notice your body’s signals, identifying what helps your system feel safe, and practicing regulation strategies that work with your nervous system rather than against it. This may involve breathwork, grounding, movement, imagery, or small shifts in awareness and pacing.

Polyvagal-informed therapy isn’t about forcing calm — it’s about building safety, choice, and self-trust. Over time, many clients experience greater emotional steadiness, improved connection, and a nervous system that feels less reactive and more at ease in the world.