I have been thinking about “safety” lately. I love the polyvagal theory because it places feelings solidly within the ranges of our physiological felt sense, aka interoception. Many people experience the range of their emotions as physiological sensations (or symptoms depending on perspective/severity). The polyvagal theory offers us a map to help our people interpret what the body is expressing. However, most articulations of the theory use the word “safety” in a way I find troubling.

Wellness/biohack culture is obsessed with the vagus nerve and yet often misses the point of what can be helpful about understanding the polyvagal theory and the individual dynamism of each of our vagal systems. There isn’t a shortcut for deepening our capacity for both self and co-regulation. 

It's okay to play with anatomy and our ideas together to process our understanding and share with others without being hung up on exactitude. I recently had some fun exploring the polyvagal system and its potential impact on overall patient care.

Stephen Porges’ Polyvagal Theory has altered our professional landscape in ways yet to be fully actualized. The Polyvagal concept has become popularized for good reason – it illuminates so much about both the importance of and how we can understand safety. The Polyvagal Theory could be thought to be the ground for an evolving New Science of Safety. 

Patient needs are becoming increasingly complex. The “nervous system” is recognized as a key component of this increasing complexity – but how do we work with the nervous system in a meaningful way in ever changing case scenarios? This is one of the most important questions facing healthcare today.