Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory

Description

Discover your bodys neural pathways to calmness, safety, and connection.

An intense conversation, a spat with a partner, or even an obnoxious tweetthese situations arent life-or-death, yet we often react as if they are. Thats because our bodies treat most perceived threats the same way. Yet one approach has proven to be incredibly effective in training our nervous system to stop overreacting and start responding to the world with greater safety and ease: Polyvagal Theory.

In Anchored, expert teacher Deb Dana shares a down-to-earth presentation of Polyvagal Theory, then brings the science to life with practical, everyday ways to transform your relationship with your body. Using field-tested techniques, Dana helps you master the skills to become more aware of your nervous system moment to momentand change the way you respond to the great and small challenges of life.

Here, youll explore:

Polyvagal Theoryget to know the biology and function of your vagus nerve, the highway of the nervous system
Befriending Your Nervous Systemattune to whats going on in your body by developing your neuroception
Using Your Vagal Brakediscover key techniques to consciously regulate the intensity of your emotions
Connection and Protectionlearn to recognize and influence your internal cues for safety and danger
Your Social Engagement Systemfind ways to create nourishing relationships with others and the world around you
Practices and guidance to gently shape your nervous system for greater resilience, intuition, safety, and wonder

Through guided imagery, meditation, self-inquiry, and more, Anchored offers a practical users manual for moving from a place of fear and panic into a grounded space of balance and confidence. Once we know how our nervous system works, we can work with it, teaches Deb Dana. We can learn to access an embodied, biological resource that is always present, available, and there to guide us toward well-being.

Author Information

Deb Dana, LCSW, is a clinician and teacher specializing in complex trauma, as well as a consultant to the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium in the Kinsey Institute. Debs work is focused on using the lens of Polyvagal Theory to understand and resolve the impact of trauma in our lives. For more, see rhythmofregulation.com.