Trauma and Polyvagal Theory with Stephen Porges

Led by Stephen Porges, PhD

This is a 1 hour On Demand Webinar. Access information, resources and CEU information will be available shortly after registration and registrants will be given unlimited access to the recording for a full year.

This webinar was broadcasted live on October 22, 2022 as part of the Collective Trauma Conference

The Polyvagal Theory is a major scientific advancement in neuroscience with clinical applications to a new brain-body medicine. It provides insights into the treatment of trauma-related mental and physical health challenges. The theory describes how, via evolution, a connection emerged in the brain between the nerves controlling the heart and face. This face-heart connection provided the structures for the “social engagement system”, linking our bodily feelings with facial expression, vocal intonation, and gesture.

The Polyvagal Theory provides a more informed understanding of the automatic reactions of our body to safety, danger, and life threat. It transforms the human narrative from documentary (emphasizing events and objects) to pragmatic quest for safety with an implicit bodily drive to survive (emphasizing feelings).

This lecture will explore the role of physiological state in facilitating either connectedness and intimacy or defense, such as fight/flight, hypervigilance, dissociation, collapse, shutdown, and even syncope.

At the conclusion of the workshop, attendees will be better able to —

• Describe how the Polyvagal Theory can demystify several clinical symptoms related to psychiatric diagnoses (e.g., PTSD, autism, depression, and anxiety disorders)
• Explain how deficits in the regulation of the Social Engagement System relate to the core features of several behavioral and psychiatric disorders
• Describe a neural process (neuroception) that evaluates risk in the environment and triggers adaptive neural circuits that promote either social interactions or defensive behaviors

This training offers 1 hours of direct contact (not counting breaks or lunch). It is the participant’s responsibility to check with their individual state boards/regulatory body to verify CE requirements for their license to practice.

For Attendees of On Demand/Recorded Version

If you cannot verify 100% attendance of the Live Broadcast or if you are watching the On Demand/recorded version of this webinar, you will need to complete a Post-Webinar Quiz with a pass of at least 80% in order to verify your attendance. 

For Canadian and International participants

Upon fulfillment of the above requirements, Canadian and international participants will be issued a Certificate of Participation which features:

• Name of Participant
• Title of Training
• Name of Presenter plus their credentials
• Number of hours of training
• Date of training
• Confirmation that you have passed a quiz with at least 80% grade to verify your attendance

Please check carefully with your regulating body/organization that this certificate is sufficient proof for you to claim CEUs.

For general information about Continuing Education for Canadians and International participants, please click here.  

This training is aimed at all mental health professionals including:

• Marriage and Family Therapists
• Clinical and Counselling Psychologists
• Psychiatric Social Workers
• Pastoral Counsellors
• Psychotherapists
• Psychiatrists
• Physicians
• Nurse Practitioners
• Occupational Therapists
• Counsellors
• Graduate Students in Accredited Programs in the Above Fields
• case managers
• licensed professional counsellors
• all other professionals who would like to develop, update or expand their skills and knowledge in mental health practices

What level of knowledge the attendee should have in this topic?
– Intermediate/Advanced