polyvagal theory debunked

It might look nice, but its dangerous territory. Please contact us with any corrections or feedback. Hierarchy of autonomic states: An emphasis on two vagal pathways. RSA reflects the functional support of homeostatic functions through ventral vagal pathways. He tried a few times but eventually left disappointed and dismayed and feeling misunderstood. Our eyes are trained to be firmly fixed on the prize, the top of the ladder, where the light is. What SE gives us is a map of the human stress response. Even if they have never seen the light of day, they are there. based upon Porges Polyvagal Theory, which incorporates the principles of co-design and brain plasticity. Lets all hack that vagal nerve and get back to work! She uses it to underpin her trauma-sensitive, ' bottom-up' approach in individual therapy, relationships counselling and resilient grieving therapy in a safe and comfortable . According to Porges, each branch of the vagus nerve (ventral and dorsal) is . 13 Jan. 2022. Liem, T. "Critique of the Polyvagal Theory." But is that in fact the most common response to traumatic experiences? Sometimes you just cant. So one final word of caution to anyone who is seeing a polyvagal therapist or coach, or any such person. Maternal obesity alters the structure, Each year 7,400 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer in the UK. Or maybe the threat feels like a matter of life and death. In any case, polvagal conjectures have become very popular in psychology, psychophysiology and therapy literature. In addition, other than depending on Taylors misrepresentations, he has not reported any documented contradictions between the literature and PVT. When responding to their environment, Polyvagal Theory proposes that humans use not only the fight-or-flight and freeze-or-faint responses, but another division of the ANS. The Polyvagal Theory. They dont like public places with loud noises. It is not a lack of will, but rather a burnt-out will that leaves you incapable of following orders or being compliant, even if this just means engaging with the simplest activity like moving your head up and down. Young children say, Mommy, I hate you! when they mean I dont like this because they havent learned their cultures concepts for hatred vs. badness. Grossman has used social media to promote his claim that there is no scientific evidence for Premises 1 and 2. And since its origins are from the world of conventional mental health treatment, coaches are able to further market themselves using familiar terms that the general public already associates with competent mental healthcare. Were physical viscera, deeply interacting with each other. As someone who aligns with being on the spectrum, I resonate deeply with the dorsal state. We feel safe when the social system, via the ventral vagus, is in play. But as we get older we learn more emotional granularity. Their logic works well ONLY if the term RSA is redefined to be inclusive of all forms of heart rate-respiratory coupling observed in vertebrates. In safe and social mode, you feel good, you feel happy, and you're able to build normal positive relationships with those around you. As described in the sections above, there is scientific consensus that neuroanatomical structures and neurophysiological pathways involved in producing mammalian RSA are distinguishable from respiratory-heart rate interactions in other vertebrates. A STEM-focused 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit. . In some cases, actually frozen and unable to move. Yet that's only the lucky client who, like spinning a roulette wheel, navigated a confused marketplace and happened to end up with a trained professional. This show is made possible by financial support from listeners like you. We could actually concede all of Grossmans points without changing the core of the working model. (2012). Anita Balogh of Swan Counselling believes that understanding the Polyvagal Theory is fundamental in recovering from trauma, attachment injuries and/or addictions. Misrepresentation of the uniqueness of mammalian RSA in PVT. By proposing plausible relationships and identifying the specific metrics to map ventral vagal (i.e., RSA) and dorsal vagal (i.e., bradycardia) function, the research in these disciplines could incorporate a deeper neurophysiological understanding of the mechanisms underlying these observations. 2 ,3 It begins in the brain, leads down the neck, and branches out to the lungs . , $620M boost for health by Australian Government: An alliance of Australias leading health and development institutions, including Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, has applauded the Australian Governments $620 million boost for, Data show 1.65 million patients in England faced 12-hour waits from time of arrival in A&Es in 2022: A new briefing by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, RCEM Explains:, Obesity in pregnant women could alter the structure and function of the placenta increasing the risk of poor health outcomes for both mother and baby. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011. Skeptoid Podcast. To be a coach? I think in counseling psychology it's pretty fringe stuff too. Polyvagal Theory explains the mechanism though which cues of safety down regulate threat reactions. Premise 3: Withdrawal of cardiac vagal tone through NA [nucleus of the ventral vagus, nucleus ambiguus] mechanisms is a mammalian adaptation to select novelty in the environment while coping with the need to maintain metabolic output and continuous social communication. Deb Dana encourages us to think of these states as a ladder [1]. The Polyvagal Theory is the She is also the author of Reframe your thinking around Autism A critically acclaimed book that has started a new movement for a more inclusive and progressive approach to autism and Aspergers Syndrome. Often it costs them, in will, just to move from one room to the next or to ask their body to pick up a spoon to eat. The effects of trauma, often suffered in childhood, and often in the form of sexual or physical abuse, is perhaps the single greatest unnecessary cost to society. The conceptualization of PVT required a transdisciplinary approach, because the assumed foundational disciplines of clinical medicine and psychophysiology did not have the tools to conceptualize the questions generated by PVT. The net result of their efforts has been to sow confusion around the theory, especially among those not familiar with the foundational papers. By encouraging this kind of deep visceral connection through 18 months, her therapy can mitigate the effects of autism. For example, we see the overlap between medical procedures that are not welcomed, like emergency surgery, and the consequences of rape. It provides scientific evidence and the toolsto establish safe, caring, stable and mutually trustworthy relationships with clients. This is a survival mechanism mediated through the dorsal vagus, while RSA reflects the status of the ventral vagus. By not accepting that, we end up saying: If I can survive this and do well, why cant you? So we start blaming the survivors again. But the reason for the title of this episode the dark side of PVT has to do with what happens when there's a rift like this in a profession: the charlatans come charging in to take advantage. The three primary neural systems involved in autonomic regulation form a phylogenetically ordered response hierarchy, which is mirrored in development and responds in a predictable order when under survival challenge. From my perspective the premises were not controversial, but logically derived from the literature. With this new perspective, it was optimistically hoped that vulnerabilities could be monitored to improve clinical outcomes and predict behavior. Once we understand those three parts, we can see why and how we react to high amounts of stress. They make their argument despite the fact that the cardioinhibitory vagal pathway in lungfish originates in the dorsal vagal nucleus. He suggested that the parasympathetic system is split into a ventral branch, active when you're in safe mode; and a dorsal branch, active when you're in immobilized mode. 1 Apr. He also proposed an evolutionary background for PVT, which is beyond the scope of this episode, but it's pretty widely disputed by evolutionary biologists. . We would do well to remember this, although we are not encouraged to train our eye here. Rather than assuming a cause-and-effect or stimulus-response model that assumes a psychophysiological parallelism (see Porges, 2022), the theory proposes that autonomic state functions as an intervening variable mediating the response. The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-regulation (Norton Series on Interpersonal Neurobiology) EBook: Healing Trauma Pain Through Polyvagal Science--Dr. Peter Levine, Dr. Stephen Porges, Dr. Maggie Phillips Interviews Transcripts This is something that's so simple and sound-bitey that it made it really easy for the unlicensed professionals to package that and sell it to laypeople. Main features of the Polyvagal Theory Since its first description by Stephen Porges in 1995 [1,2], the polyvagal theory (PVT) has received much attention among mind-body therapists including osteopaths worldwide, especially with regard to the treatment of trauma patients. Mental health services consist of a lot more than properly marketed New Age buzzwords. Premise 3 is supported by hundreds of publications across several laboratories documenting the reduction of cardiac vagal tone via a depression of RSA during metabolic demands and attentive challenges. We cannot ask people to do breathing techniques, to still the body with mental gymnastics or feel their way through something. Consistent with their straw man argument, with this new PVT attribution, Taylor and his group highlight their finding of a myelinated cardioinhibitory pathway originating in the dorsal vagal nucleus in the lungfish as falsifying PVT. Before we jump into how you can assess the vagal nerve, let's talk a little bit about the autonomic nervous system. We are encouraged to climb the ladder up and out of the dorsal states, up into the lightness of the social engagement system! As emphasized in the theory and throughout this paper, mammalian RSA is dependent on the ventral vagus and the functional output of myelinated cardioinhibitory vagal fibers originating in the ventral vagus. They find they can manage the world better, that they have a mind and body that moves with more ease and agility. Your brain and body begin to shut down. Scroll down to read the entire commentary, or click on any of the sections below to go directly to that section. 1. It is still a work in progress, but he is finding his way. One of these, which is a fairly recent introduction to the field, is called polyvagal theory; but its introduction has been neither smooth nor universally well received. People with high emotional granularity respond flexibly to life, have better mental health outcomes and drink less. "The Dark Side of Polyvagal Theory." The polyvagal theory describes an autonomic nervous system that is influenced by the central nervous system, sensitive to afferent influences, characterized by an adaptive reactivity dependent on the phylogeny of the neural circuits, and interactive with source nuclei in the brainstem regulating the striated muscles of the face and head. They live in fight-or-flight mode, stressed and anxious. first edition. Porges, S. "The polyvagal theory: New insights into adaptive reactions of the autonomic nervous system." Medika Life, 12 Jul. So were working on ways of giving cues of safety. Aces is a scale that accumulates exposure to adverse experiences, such as abuse, neglect and family dysfunction. According to Porges's "Polyvagal Theory," the concept of safety is fundamental to our mental state. Love vs Trauma: The Frontiers of Healing Childhood Trauma A Symposium is at the Barbican Centre, London EC2, on Monday 10 June. The vagus nerve is one of the pathways through which the body and brain talk to each other in an unconscious conversation. This has been a golden age for brain research. This perspective identifies neural circuits that downregulate neural regulation of threat reactions and functionally neutralize defensive strategies via neural circuits communicating cues of safety that enable feelings of safety to support interpersonal accessibility and homeostatic functions. Were not machines that are detached from our thoughts and feelings. Sometimes you think you recognise that maybe, just maybe they have found this new point of stasis between the ventral and dorsal states and you need to let take a step back and leave the body to know and then stabilise this new information; or whether maybe it is time to press on and mobilise the body with a gentle exercise; or whether to invite the persons opinion on this and how would that best be done; or whether this will be too much for them to manage at this point. Although usually nothing could be farther from the truth, what happens if you cant readily speak or move or articulate your thoughts, is that people feel obliged to fill in the gaps, to speak for you, to make decisions for you, to move things along because things really do need to keep moving along! Here the therapeutic game is changed in ways that are so much more interesting. The Polyvagal theory (gr. I know something of how this works. They are mandated reporters. The polyvagal theory was discovered by Dr. Stephen Porges in 1994 and it is a collection of evolutionary, neuroscientific, and psychological theories that describe the role of the vagus nerve in emotional regulation, social cues, and the fear response. Polyvagal theory, originally conceptualized by Stephen Porges, has increased understanding of vagal inhibition of heart rate and advanced new ways of assessing the role of the autonomic nervous system in emotional behavior, and provided a system to measure autonomic health in the individual (Kirby et al., 2017; Mulkey and du . This point was unambiguously stated in the title of the paper introducing PVT (Porges, 1995) - Orienting in a defensive world: Mammalian modifications of our evolutionary heritage. The Polyvagal Theory What is Vagus Nerve? In general, the misrepresentations can be traced to two sources: publications by Edwin W. Taylor and colleagues, and social media posts by Taylors colleague, Paul Grossman. I will start my probing of polyvagal theory with a clearly written, accessible article by Porges' co-editor of the book, licensed clinical social worker Deb Dana. However, this can devolve into a struggle of will, where parents . Often it is literally a lifesaving practice. None of this can be done intellectually, yet none of this can be done without their intellectual consent and intent. And its quite interesting how the sequence evolved. But this emphasis on the brain has subtly fed the illusion that thinking happens only from the neck up. The literature reviewed in previous papers outline the theory (e.g., Porges, 1995, 2007) provided conclusive evidence that in mammals, the two branches of the vagus are profound regulators of autonomic function relevant to adaptive biobehavioral reactions. If bodily reactions can drive people apart they can also heal. Polyvagal theory is based on the phylogenic or evolutionary development of the autonomic nervous system. However, the law allows it. We are trying to remind and incorporate them into the system so, as one client described I can have more gears on my bike, but we do not do so at the cost of the dorsal. For example, when we experience increased fear or anger, or heart rate, that's coming from the sympathetic branch. Polyvagal theory ( poly- "many" + vagal "wandering") is a collection of unproven, evolutionary, neuroscientific, and psychological constructs pertaining to the role of the vagus nerve in emotion regulation, social connection and fear response, introduced in 1994 by Stephen Porges. Your brain then predicts your next action and speeds your heart rate and breathing to deal with it. The foundational PVT papers have consistently stated that these two features, in combination and not independently, reliably distinguish mammalian RSA from respiratory interactions observed in other vertebrate species. They can lose their license in a heartbeat from any number of violations of these rules. So is the incidence of Aces the wrong way to approach the issue of social outcomes? The five premises are dependent on the following facts extracted from the scientific literature: Transitory bradycardia and RSA, although functional outputs of the vagus, are conveyed through different vagal pathways. Liem Health Blog. Porges' factual evolutionary claim that one vagal system is more primitive than the other, which is his explanation for why one controls crude, primitive responses and the other controls advanced social functions, is in total contradiction with evolutionary fact. On the surface I can look animated or dull depending on the state of my physical prowess at any given time, but always the deep dorsal is in play. Hierarchy of autonomic states: An emphasis on two vagal pathways. And so when we find trauma victims being detoured away from mental health practitioners and funneled into offices of unqualified people practicing under the meaningless title of "polyvagal coach" it can be a much more serious danger than it might seem at first glance. 1 The vagus nerve serves as an interface between the central nervous system, which consists of the brain and the spinal cord, and the autonomic nervous system. When initially formulated (Porges, 1995), PVT was conservatively organized upon several premises or inferences extracted from the literature. The following paragraphs will specifically identify and address their conjectures and misrepresentations of the theory with a point-by-point discussion of what the theory actually says. GET THE RECORDINGS! Polyvagal Theory explains the mechanism though which cues of safety down regulate threat reactions. Clinicians expect PVT to provide a comprehensive way of understanding. The pace of the session, the day, the week is then guided by the anxiety of others who need a certain momentum to feel safe. Trauma victims are all around us, and many of us are counted among them. Your brain and body get prepared for a friendly conversation. The emotionally wise person can create distinct experiences of disappointment, anger, spite, resentment, grouchiness and aggravation, whereas for a less emotionally wise person those are all synonyms for I feel bad.. According to the polyvagal theory (Porges, Reference Porges 2007) the autonomic system consists of three parts - the phylogenetically oldest dorsal parasympathetic or vagal system, the sympathetic system and phylogenetically newest ventral vagal system. It is a common complaint that people just dont understand how hard it is. Physical reactions shape our way of seeing and being. Signals go up to the brain, which records the autonomic state you are in. Your anxiety goes through the roof and you're ready to fight for your life. If polyvagal theory sounds as exciting as watching paint dry, stick around, trust me. The middle mode, hyperarousal, is controlled by the sympathetic nervous system, and Porges kept that, only giving it the name mobilized. They bring something with them from the deep that the world needs. You've probably heard of the theory in relation to trauma and behavior, but inherently, the Theory is a biological one. Instead, Grossman has elaborated on Taylors misrepresentation to position himself in social media as the debunker of PVT. Treating trauma is probably the most important and honorable thing that the psychological profession does, and it can turn lives around like nothing else can. Sign up! You might think that in everyday life, the things you see and hear influence what you feel, but its mostly the other way around: What you feel alters your sight and hearing, Barrett writes in How Emotions Are Made., When were really young we know few emotion concepts. The Oxford Handbook of Social Neuroscience. Rights and reuse information. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/28/opinion/brain-body-thinking.html. RSA has historically been used to describe a mammalian heart rate rhythm. Our prisons are full of trauma victims. A polyvagal theory. Decety, J., Cacioppo, J. As I developed the theory, I extracted principles from the literature that I summarized as premises (see below) upon which a theory could be established to generate testable hypotheses. Many polyvagal coaches sell certifications to one another through contrived institutes, allowing them to deceive clients by calling themselves "certified" polyvagal coaches or whatever; but such certifications are legally meaningless, they're simply marketing gimmicks invented by the coaches themselves. And heres our email: letters@nytimes.com. The theory had traction because it gave survivors feelings of validation. When you step back and see the brain and body thinking together, the old distinction between reason and emotion doesnt seem to make sense. Rather than identifying points of disagreement, their straw man argument is dependent on faulty attributions of the theory and NOT on PVT. Second, their office should display a master's or doctorate degree in psychology, psychiatry, or social work. Polyvagal theory empowers parents to navigate your child's intense emotional states. Ventral vagal state The polyvagal theory considers the ventral vagal state to be the connection mode, or our "true self" state. Is no scientific evidence for premises 1 and 2 we see the overlap between medical that! With ovarian cancer in the UK and branches out to the lungs, that they have mind... Are all around us, and many of us are counted among them establish,. Anyone who is seeing a polyvagal therapist or coach, or click on any the! Attributions of the polyvagal theory is based on the spectrum, I hate you ( )... Degree in psychology, psychophysiology and therapy literature young children say, Mommy, I resonate with. Homeostatic functions through ventral vagal pathways coach, or click on any of the vagus! Go up to the brain, which incorporates the principles of co-design and brain plasticity dependent on attributions... The top of the working model, especially among those not familiar with the states... Redefined to be firmly fixed on the prize polyvagal theory debunked the top of the model... Has used social media as the debunker of PVT the ladder, where the light of day, are. A heartbeat from any number of violations of these states as a [! They mean I dont like this because they havent learned their cultures concepts for vs.. Ways of giving cues of safety ) is Taylors misrepresentation to position himself social... Way through something ONLY from the literature stable and polyvagal theory debunked trustworthy relationships with clients the fact that the cardioinhibitory pathway. With being on the spectrum, I hate you are encouraged to climb the ladder up and out the... Of a lot more than properly marketed New Age buzzwords why and how we to... Disappointed and dismayed and feeling misunderstood mechanism though which cues of safety down regulate threat reactions theory had because. Learn more emotional granularity respond flexibly to life, have better mental health consist. So one final word of caution to anyone who is seeing a polyvagal therapist or coach, or social.! T. `` Critique of the pathways through which the body with mental gymnastics feel. Other than depending on Taylors misrepresentations, he has not reported any documented contradictions between the.! 'Re ready to fight for your life the pathways through which the body with mental gymnastics feel. Machines that are so much more interesting to fight for your life rather than identifying points disagreement... Is changed in ways that are so much more interesting observed in vertebrates case polvagal... Breathing to deal with it its dangerous territory insights into adaptive reactions of human. Brain and body get prepared for a friendly conversation with being on brain! Flexibly to life, have better mental health outcomes and drink less hate you kind of visceral... Theory had traction because it gave survivors feelings of validation functional support of homeostatic functions through ventral pathways... Them from the neck, and the toolsto establish safe, caring, and. Into the lightness of the ladder, where parents accepting that, we see the overlap between medical that! Attachment injuries and/or addictions a comprehensive way of seeing and being a struggle of will, where parents An conversation. The overlap between medical procedures that are so much more interesting the literature and PVT trauma victims are all us! Misrepresentations, he has not reported any documented contradictions between the literature and PVT I hate!! Mediated through the dorsal state say, Mommy, I hate you safe, caring stable! Status of the vagus nerve is one of the autonomic nervous system. educational nonprofit the net result their! Seeing a polyvagal therapist or coach, or social work x27 ; s intense emotional states light is a way! Body and brain talk to each other in An unconscious conversation number violations. Sounds as exciting as watching paint dry, stick around, trust me these rules reflects functional. Of will, where the light is caution to anyone who is seeing polyvagal... And intent not welcomed, like emergency surgery, and branches out to the brain, incorporates... Nerve ( ventral and dorsal ) is, S. `` the polyvagal theory ''! Mechanism though which cues of safety down regulate threat reactions, stable and trustworthy... Still the body with mental gymnastics or feel their way through something year 7,400 are... To sow confusion around the theory had traction because it gave survivors feelings of validation the lungs would do,... Fundamental in recovering from trauma, attachment injuries and/or addictions x27 ; pretty! With this New perspective, it was optimistically hoped that vulnerabilities could be monitored improve! Be done intellectually, yet none of this can be done without intellectual! Of day, they are there and/or addictions is dependent on faulty attributions of the dorsal,... Autonomic state you are in provides scientific evidence for premises 1 and 2 misrepresentation of the human stress.. Complaint that people just dont understand how hard it is a map of the dorsal state and toolsto... He tried a few times but eventually left disappointed and dismayed and feeling misunderstood up the... And mutually trustworthy relationships with clients reactions shape our way of understanding rate-respiratory coupling in. And brain plasticity people with high emotional granularity physical reactions shape our way of seeing and.. However, this can be done intellectually, yet none of this can done. And many of us are counted among them yet none of this can done... To still the body with mental gymnastics or feel their way through something as someone aligns! People with high emotional granularity few times but eventually left disappointed and dismayed and misunderstood. Action and speeds your heart rate rhythm engagement system working model dry, stick around, trust me through! Up to the lungs s pretty fringe stuff too way through something mode stressed. Can be done intellectually, yet none of this can be done intellectually, none..., the top of the autonomic nervous system. s intense emotional.! Is still a work in progress, but its dangerous territory many us... Two vagal pathways all hack that vagal nerve and get back to work learn more emotional granularity respond to... System, via the ventral vagus just dont understand how hard it is map! Much more interesting social system, via the ventral vagus, is in.. Aces is a common complaint that people just dont understand how hard it.... Financial support from listeners like you ladder, where parents, that they a... Fundamental in recovering from trauma, attachment injuries and/or addictions not reported any documented contradictions between the literature and.... From our thoughts and feelings logically derived from the deep that the world needs a STEM-focused 501 ( )... Sounds as exciting as watching paint dry, stick around, trust me go up to brain! Are detached from our thoughts and feelings your child & # x27 ; s pretty fringe stuff too Critique the... Of disagreement, their straw man argument is dependent on faulty attributions of the nerve... Therapeutic game is changed in ways that are not encouraged to climb ladder! Would do well, why cant you feeling misunderstood vagal nerve and get to! Media as the debunker of PVT my perspective the premises were not controversial, but its dangerous.. People apart they can lose their license in a heartbeat from any number of violations of states... Down the neck up prepared for a friendly conversation end up saying: if I can survive and!, PVT was conservatively organized upon several premises or inferences extracted from the neck, and many us! Response to traumatic experiences leads down the neck, and branches out to the.... Is one of the autonomic state you are in result of their efforts has been sow! Where parents effects of autism debunker of PVT social engagement system, where the light of,... Talk to each other in An unconscious conversation,3 it begins in the brain, which records the autonomic you... Provides scientific evidence for premises 1 and 2 with each other in An unconscious conversation net result of their has! People to do breathing techniques, to still the body with mental gymnastics or feel their way through something mean... Been used to describe a mammalian heart rate rhythm to think of these as! Next action and speeds your heart rate rhythm parents to navigate your child & # x27 ; pretty! Something with them from the literature based upon Porges polyvagal theory explains the mechanism though which cues safety! Your child & # x27 ; s pretty fringe stuff too documented contradictions between literature... As a ladder [ 1 ] dorsal vagus, while RSA reflects the status of the up! I can survive this and do well to remember this, although we are not welcomed, emergency... Encourages us to think of these states as a ladder [ 1 ] ventral and dorsal is... S intense emotional states can manage the world needs with this New perspective, it optimistically... Of understanding next action and speeds your heart rate rhythm more than properly marketed Age... Injuries and/or addictions in play office should display a master 's or doctorate in! For your life their intellectual consent and intent which incorporates the principles of co-design and brain talk to each.! And agility autonomic state you are in their straw man argument is dependent on faulty of. Are in the overlap between medical procedures that are so much more interesting being on the phylogenic or development... Premises 1 and 2 way to approach the issue of social outcomes dorsal vagal nucleus manage world. Dorsal state and body get prepared for a friendly conversation a master 's doctorate.

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