Foster Care Training

Poly Vagal Theory is the foundation for treating anxiety, panic, OCD, trauma, and even family therapy in the playroom. Being able to explain how the nervous system works is paramount to ANY mental health work, specifically Play Therapy and working with children. Participate in FUN activities throughout. Be able to explain how attachment, stress hormones, co-regulation, shut down and SO much more impact Play Therapy Clients on a day-to-day basis and why this is also important to YOU. This training will cover regulation, attachment, the Parasympathetic nervous system, the sympathetic nervous system, and being in a mixed state. Regulation and attachment are vital in being able to access the ventral vagal. Face – heart connection, voice prosody, co-regulation, neuroception, mirror neurons, and oxytocin are all important when it comes to accessing and staying in the ventral vagal. The Parasympathetic nervous system houses both the ventral vagal and the dorsal vagal. The ventral vagal is the rest and digest state – when it is the boss, slow breathing, regulated heart-rate, and feelings of safety are possible. The dorsal vagal is the shut down state. When the dorsal vagal is activated, the cranial nerve shuts things down. This can be sever and intense or minimal. The Sympathetic nervous system is in charge of activation in are body this includes our stress hormones, fight or flight responses, and activates feelings of safety or not. Being in a mixed state means that the body is experiencing mobilization and immobilization at the same time. Helping children be able to navigate their nervous system productively is important in healing their mental health.