What Happens in Vagus: An Introduction to Polyvagal Theory

You may have seen it trending on TikTok– ways to “hack” your vagus nerve through exercises like deep breathing that are supposed to help you bust stress and even heal your trauma. Polyvagal Theory has the mental wellness community and its followers all abuzz, but what actually is it? Does it work? And how can you incorporate it into your clinical practice?

Polyvagal Theory draws on many scientific disciplines to offer a framework for better understanding our Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) and in particular how the vagus nerve plays a role in our mental and emotional wellbeing. It examines the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system responses (in other words, the fight/flight/freeze/fawn response to threats and the way our bodies complete the stress cycle and return to baseline afterward) and explores a third ANS state of relaxation or regulation outside of those two processes. It offers tools for using conscious awareness of the ANS within the work of healing trauma, developing better emotional self- and co-regulation skills, and becoming better able to recognize triggers and respond to them in a less dysregulating way.

Join us for this AASECT-approved professional development workshop for a deep dive into what Polyvagal Theory is and how you can begin to incorporate it into your work with your clients. You’ll learn:

• How the vagus nerve works
• What are the two branches of the autonomic nervous system, and how they work
• How marginalized populations are affected by trauma states
• How to use interventions that include identifying the activation and moving toward a more regulated ventral vagal state

There will be time for questions, discussions, and case studies to help you better understand how to put these principles into practice and help your clients in body and mind.

This program meets the requirements of the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) and is approved for 2 CE credits. These CE credits may be applied toward AASECT certification and renewal of certification. Please select the CEU option at registration if you are eligible and wish to receive the certificate. You MUST attend the live session and confirm your attendance in the session to complete the requirements. Workshops offered by non-AASECT affiliated educators have been supervised and reviewed by an AASECT-certified supervisor. Completion of this program does not ensure or guarantee AASECT certification. For further information please contact [email protected].

This class is virtual and will be recorded, with the link to the recording provided to all registrants. Sliding scale tiers are available, and you may also inquire about sliding scale accommodations at [email protected]. Don’t forget to check out our other trainings on our website, and make sure to join our mailing list for workshop announcements, Ask a Sexpert, and free sexual and mental wellness resources!

Tamara Pincus is a licensed clinical social worker and AASECT certified sex therapist who runs The Pincus Center which offers therapy, coaching and sex education. She specializes in working with kinky, polyamorous and LGBTQ clients. Tamara has been working in the field of sex therapy since 2011 and since then has built a practice with a team of 11. Tamara is passionate about racial justice, fat justice and LGBTQ rights. She also co-authored a book titled "It's Called Polyamory: Coming Out About Your Non-Monogamous Relationships" with Rebecca Hiles. She lives in Virginia in a queer polyamorous household of chaos.

Debo Katz, LGSW, LMSW (they/them) is a queer-identified, trauma-informed, and person-centered therapist who works with clients of various identities, kinks, and relationship styles to help build skills to support curious self-reflection and empowerment. They specialize in working with members of the LGBTQ+ community, but all are welcome who are navigating issues of sex and relationships, life transitions, gender expansion, intersecting identities, trauma, substance use, fat stigma, depression, and anxiety. In addition to being a therapist and connecting with other humans, they enjoy being with nature, food, pets, and creating sounds.

The Pincus Center for Inclusive Treatment and Education specializes in working with queer, transgender/nonbinary, kinky, and ethically non-monogamous/polyamorous people. We value sex positivity (including asexuality), body positivity and fat liberation, and racial justice.

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