The Pocket Guide to the Polyvagal Theory: The Transformative Power of Feeling Safe (Norton Series on Interpersonal Neurobiology)

Life Changing. Dr. Stephen Porges should be awarded the Nobel Prize for his work in developing the Polyvagal Theory which describes the hierarchical evolution of a third aspect of our autonomic nervous system: the sympathetic, parasympathetic and social engagement systems. This goes back to phylogeny or the development of mammals who need other mammals to survive. The theory is complicated and the original tome Porges wrote introduced the theory for other scientists. But psychologists and especially those treating trauma realized the impact of this polyvagal hierarchy to help patients and asked Dr. Porges to write about his Polyvagal Theory in the same way that he speaks about it which, if you see him talk, he is very easy to understand. To share his work with the world at large Porges offers this Pocket Guide which is a series of interviews conducted by psychologist Ruth Buzynski, and nuanced by its shimmering subtitle, The Transformative Power of Feeling Safe. Worth its weight in gold. Thankyou Dr. Porges. Your work is incredibly enlightening and illuminating and you are a luminous luminary. We are all better for learning and applying his work.

I am forever grateful for Dr. Porges and all the work he has done that lead him to develop the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP). The therapy has been completely LIFE CHANGING for my son! My son has experienced complex developmental trauma and we were told by every professional to expect and look into residential treatment facilities. He used to be in a pretty constant state of fight or flight. This looked like extreme aggression, little to no emotional regulation, extreme non compliance along with being extremely hyperactive and impulsive. The diagnoses my son has are MANY and now no one would ever believe he has any of them. We now have a pretty typical little guy who is able to regulate his emotions, talk about his feelings, process the world around him and he is HAPPY. I highly recommend this book and if you know someone with PTSD, attachment disorders, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, ASD, SPD or anxiety... I hope you will research the SSP and what it could potentially do to help. There is a group on Facebook where I share my son's story and others are also trying the SSP and sharing their experiences, it is a great forum... just search Safe and Sound Protocol on Facebook if you would like to read detailed experiences.

But it’s by the guy who is the PVT guy. If you are studying PVT this is a must have for your library!!!

Interesting, maddening, repetitive and hard to understand - nevertheless, I’m glad to have read this book,and I think that you should probably read it too.

This book is fantastic. I loaned it to my therapist who was very interested in the content. It is a transcribed set of interviews which have been edited to be easy to understand. For the first time in decades of battling some form of over active body reactions, I understand what is happening, that my body is trying to protect me from danger and is simply tuned to be very sensitive (occurs when trauma happens in early childhood, or is repeated over a long period of time). This knowledge with Porges' continual reassurances that these reactions are normal, that you aren't broken, and you can find relief helped me turn my attention to how to better work with my autonomic system rather than fight with it.

I have read a LOT of books on trauma. A lot. I also don’t write reviews very often. But I had to come here and leave a review for this groundbreaking book. I have ptsd and am always trying to learn more about what is going on with me. I actually threw this book across the room a few times because it was so spot on.I believe Dr. Porges deserves a Nobel Peace Prize for this work and I hope that the trauma health care community adopts this viewpoint and incorporates it into the treatment of trauma.

In an excesses and fast delivery service.

I received this book as a duplicate order and planned to return it. Once I talked with a colleague about it he became so interested in the polyvagal theory he offered to buy it. It so much easier to use this Guide for discussion groups than the complete text of the theory. Although I can not judge fairly since I am on the third reading of the Theory itself. I understand the different views and applications adopted by others in the Guide. Concepts I struggle with in the research framework became much clearer in discussion. I find it particular useful it developing course work for Special IEPs and lesson plans. I am very glad I didn't return it.

This book was a great quick guide to theory! I struggled to understand and through this quick guide I found it so much easier !

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Having already struggled through the numerous repitions of Porges' origanal 2011 book (The Polyvagal, Theory), I was excited to find this book which lives up to its promise to make the theory more easily understandable. There still exists some repitition between chapters which I think could have been edited differently. Despite the repititions, I would still highly recommend this book to all therapists.

Escrito en un lenguaje claro para el profano, este libro ayuda a entender la teoría polivagal y sus consecuencias. La serie de entrevistas al Prof. Porges ayuda a afianzar conceptos a través de la repetición de los fundamentos. Una guía clara y concisa para entender la esencia de esta nueva aportación científica escrita de una manera profana aunque cargada de contenido.Written in a clear language for the profane, this book helps to understand the polyvagal theory and its consequences. The series of interviews with Prof. Porges helps to consolidate concepts through the repetition of the fundamentals. A clear and concise guide to understand the essence of this new scientific contribution written in a profane way but full of content

Selten wartet man auf ein Buch vier Jahre, ohne die Bestellung zu stornieren. So lange habe ich brav gewartet. Ich habe in der Zwischenzeit Porges ausgezeichneten und über PESI angebotenen Online-Kurs, nicht nur gekauft, sondern auch gemacht. Ich habe mich durch seine theoretischen Bücher gekämpft. Ich habe mir Interviews angesehen und analysiert. Es wird schon deutlich: Hier schreibt der begeisterte Fan.Porges gigantische Leistung, das Autonome Nervensystem in seiner Beziehung zum sozialen Handeln, zum individuellen Fühlen, zu dem, was notwendig ist, um beispielsweise Trauma endlich zu verstehen und daher endlich behandeln zu können, ebenso wie Essstörungen, wird in diesem Buch dem Laien fassbar. Porges hat die zweite entscheidende "Stressreaktion" gefunden. Nachdem jahrzehntelang Stress als Funktion des Sympathischen Nervensystems galt, hat er gezeigt, dass Stress sowohl das Sympathische Nervensystem aktivieren kann - als auch sehr alte Teile des Parasympathischen Nervensystems - je nach Einschätzung des Signals. Er hat gezeigt, warum wir jahrzehntelang sowohl Traumaopfer als auch Essstörungsopfer falsch verstanden haben. Endlich, so beschrieben, dass jeder es versteht.Das Buch erklärt alles Wichtige dieser Theorie. Warum diese Theorie für das Verständnis von Trauma wichtig ist, sogar entscheidend wichtig. Was Sicherheit für das menschliche Nervensystem, für Fühlen, Denken und Verhalten bedeutet. Warum das Gefühl von Sicherheit unterhalb der Bewusstseinsschwelle hergestellt wird - oder auch nicht - und was das für die Therapie bedeutet.Es gibt Durchbrüche, die man nicht verpassen darf, wenn man sich in seinem Fachgebiet nicht lächerlich machen will und die Polyvagal-Theorie ist eine davon. Sie wird in zwanzig oder dreißig Jahren als das erkannt worden sein, was sie ist. So wie einst die Einführung der Hygiene die Medizin revolutionierte, ist diese Theorie die Einführung der Hygiene in die Psychotherapie. Wer also Englisch kann, und nicht den Harcore-Weg gehen will, ist hier sehr gut bedient.