Beth Anne, I REALLY appreciated this breakdown and how you simplified it enough for a non-expert to understand. I'm absolutely fascinated with this topic and loving the Deb Dana quote: "Polyvagal theory is the science of feeling safe enough to fall in love with life and take the risks of living." Yes!!! It's poetic science, and I'm drooling. Added this book to my TBR, but for now I'm looking forward to more posts on this and so glad to hear that you are feeling better after everything you've been through.
Thanks so much, GG! I appreciate understanding how the post landed for you. I was a little concerned about being too circuitous or unclear. This is such a good practice for me in creating greater clarity. Glad you enjoyed!
And as always, coming in with Divine Timing Beth Anne! This is exactly what I am doing in my self healer circle right now.
I don't mean to throw more wrenches, but as I learn about this and how we regulate our bodies, I am so curious as to how we can regulate our bodies without thinking about it so much, if that makes any sense at all. I've been doing this work and reading and studying all of this and I can't help but think that to think about the healing of the intuition is almost counterintuitive and I'm trying to find ways to FEEL into the healing of this system instead of trying to think it. I may be way out on a ledge and that might not make any sense, but just something that's been going through my brain.
Nicole, that makes so, so much sense. This is something I'm still working through tons myself. Having completed two years of the somatic experiencing curriculum before the illness I experienced, I thought I was getting good at it. However it turns out I'm really
good at intellectualizing somatic processes which I think maybe you are alluding to. It's not bad or wrong but it doesn't get us into the felt sense of things. Intuition and somatics and polyvagle stuff I think is more something that comes from the body and goes to the brain with a more kind of perceptual awareness that precedes mind awareness. I'm still trying to figure it out myself and I appreciate you bringing that up. It will likely be opposed because it's so so important. Thanks for saying that here.
Beth Anne, I'll be honest - I skimmed part of this - only because I've read Deb's book, feel I "know" all this on a pretty deep level, and I'm fairly dysregulated in this moment in time. However, I have so much appreciation for the thought and effort you clearly put into teasing such a complex topic apart in an easy-to-understand way. There's a good chance I'll be sending this post to some of my clients whenever the topic of PVT comes up!
I really want to come back and re-read this when I'm in a more regulated state, but I'm also never quite sure when that time will come, and the list of things I'm "saving" to spend my regulated moments on seems to keep growing at an exponential rate (similarly to how the treasure in the Gringotts's vault in Harry Potter multiplied at an overwhelming rate). So I'm not delaying my response of gratitude until that time comes.
hey Sarah - I so appreciate you honesty and vulnerability about where you're at with this. As with everything I post on Substack, this one was a particular risk because it's a little more 'heady' and and little less of my heart and voice. I consider you a master. Permission granted (not that you need it!) to return or never return to reading this post :) And sending love to you for the grace of a regulated nervous system for you.
Beth Anne, I REALLY appreciated this breakdown and how you simplified it enough for a non-expert to understand. I'm absolutely fascinated with this topic and loving the Deb Dana quote: "Polyvagal theory is the science of feeling safe enough to fall in love with life and take the risks of living." Yes!!! It's poetic science, and I'm drooling. Added this book to my TBR, but for now I'm looking forward to more posts on this and so glad to hear that you are feeling better after everything you've been through.
Thanks so much, GG! I appreciate understanding how the post landed for you. I was a little concerned about being too circuitous or unclear. This is such a good practice for me in creating greater clarity. Glad you enjoyed!
And as always, coming in with Divine Timing Beth Anne! This is exactly what I am doing in my self healer circle right now.
I don't mean to throw more wrenches, but as I learn about this and how we regulate our bodies, I am so curious as to how we can regulate our bodies without thinking about it so much, if that makes any sense at all. I've been doing this work and reading and studying all of this and I can't help but think that to think about the healing of the intuition is almost counterintuitive and I'm trying to find ways to FEEL into the healing of this system instead of trying to think it. I may be way out on a ledge and that might not make any sense, but just something that's been going through my brain.
Nicole, that makes so, so much sense. This is something I'm still working through tons myself. Having completed two years of the somatic experiencing curriculum before the illness I experienced, I thought I was getting good at it. However it turns out I'm really
good at intellectualizing somatic processes which I think maybe you are alluding to. It's not bad or wrong but it doesn't get us into the felt sense of things. Intuition and somatics and polyvagle stuff I think is more something that comes from the body and goes to the brain with a more kind of perceptual awareness that precedes mind awareness. I'm still trying to figure it out myself and I appreciate you bringing that up. It will likely be opposed because it's so so important. Thanks for saying that here.
YES to every one of these words ❤️
Beth Anne, I'll be honest - I skimmed part of this - only because I've read Deb's book, feel I "know" all this on a pretty deep level, and I'm fairly dysregulated in this moment in time. However, I have so much appreciation for the thought and effort you clearly put into teasing such a complex topic apart in an easy-to-understand way. There's a good chance I'll be sending this post to some of my clients whenever the topic of PVT comes up!
I really want to come back and re-read this when I'm in a more regulated state, but I'm also never quite sure when that time will come, and the list of things I'm "saving" to spend my regulated moments on seems to keep growing at an exponential rate (similarly to how the treasure in the Gringotts's vault in Harry Potter multiplied at an overwhelming rate). So I'm not delaying my response of gratitude until that time comes.
Thank you!
hey Sarah - I so appreciate you honesty and vulnerability about where you're at with this. As with everything I post on Substack, this one was a particular risk because it's a little more 'heady' and and little less of my heart and voice. I consider you a master. Permission granted (not that you need it!) to return or never return to reading this post :) And sending love to you for the grace of a regulated nervous system for you.