Clinical Applications of the Polyvagal Theory

Clinicians who have dedicated their work to bringing the benefits of the Polyvagal Theory to a range of clients have come together to present Clinical Applications of the Polyvagal Theory in a creative and personal way.

Chapters on a range of topics—from compassionate medical care to optimised therapeutic relationships to clinicians' experiences as parents—extract from the theory the powerful influence and importance of cases and feelings of safety in the clinical setting.

Additionally, there are chapters which:

• elaborate on the principle of safety in clinical practice with children with abuse histories;
• explain the restorative consequences of movement, rhythm, and dance in promoting social connectedness and resilience in trauma survivors;
• explain how the Polyvagal Theory can be used to understand neurophysiological processes in various therapies;
• discuss dissociative processes and treatments designed to experience bodily feelings of safety and trust;
• examine fear of flying and how using positive memories as an active "bottom up" neuroceptive process may effectively down-regulate defence;
• shed light on the poorly understood experience of grief.

Through the insights of innovative and benevolent clinicians, whose treatment models are Polyvagal informed, this book provides an accessible way for clinicians to embrace this groundbreaking theory in their own work.