Polyvagal Theory is a neuroscience-informed framework that helps therapists understand how the autonomic nervous system shapes emotion, behavior, and social connection. Built on decades of psychophysiology research, the theory offers language and clinical guidance for noticing how clients move in and out of different physiological states, and how those shifts affect safety, relationship, and the capacity to engage in therapy.

People often imagine therapists as endlessly calm, steady, and unshakable. They picture someone who listens with patience, offers thoughtful guidance, and somehow manages to stay grounded no matter what storms are happening around them. While it is true that therapists train to hold space for others, it is also true that they carry a very real emotional load. Behind every session is a human being who feels, thinks, processes, and sometimes struggles.   That is why therapists