course »Restorative Practices: Understanding the Polyvagal Theory for Child Welfare Professionals

Date: 12/20/2019, 9:30 am—12:30 pm
County: Alameda County
CEUs: 3
Location: eBerkeley
Sponsor: A Better Way, Inc.
Phone: 510-601-0203
In this session, we’ll deep dive into Dr. Stephen Porges, PhDs, landmark Polyvagal Theory. Porges, the world’s leading expert on the relationship between the Autonomic Nervous System and Social Behavior, articulated the Polyvagal Theory in 1994 after having spent more than two decades studying psychophysiology and neurocardiology. The theory proposes an evolutionary heirarchy in the autonomic nervous system that supports different neural platforms of behavior coming online when we are safe, in danger, and experiencing life-threat. These platforms shape our physiological state, our sense of self, what we think and feel, our interpretation of the world, and the behaviors available to us.

In this session, we’ll study the theory and its implications for wellness, which primarily suggest to us that bringing connection physiology online is the root of wellbeing, as well as suggest that the classification of many ideopathic disease conditions arise from dysregulation of autonomic physiology in the wake of stress and trauma, many of which are systematically mis-diagnosed. This analysis leads to radical re-consideration of courses of treatment (including the Restorative Practices model itself.). We’ll also begin to differentiate between working with fight, flight, and freeze practices restoratively, as each has its own needs, requirements, and distinct processes, for coming back to baseline in safety and connection.

Take-Aways:
  1. Participants deploy the Polyvagal Theory as a lens through which to view behavior of self and others
  2. Participants experience the importance of creating a felt sense of safety for self and others, and its relationship to wellbeing.