Book Review: The Pocket Guide to the Polyvagal Theory

I came across the polyvagal theory some time ago in my ongoing study of finding ways to help people recover from trauma. I have come to realize that there is so much to this theory that pervades all of our behavior and feelings. Stephen Porges’ polyvagal theory is truly phenomenal. Porges’ book, The Pocket Guide to the Polyvagal Theory: The Transformative Power of Feeling Safe is another in the Norton series on interpersonal neurobiology and was written to give a nontechnical overview of the theory. It is organized in the form of edited interviews and conversations, mostly with Ruth Buczynski of the National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine. The book begins with an extensive glossary of the terms used in polyvagal theory and a chapter on the neurobiology of feeling safe. Porges writes about the evolution of his theory over the course of his career, which began in in the 1960s in psychophysiology and the study of heart rate variability. Porges’ research helped move psychology from a focus on solely behavior and the cognition to also include feelings and feedback from the body. Eastern philosophy has long recognized the oneness of mind and body, but the polyvagal theory has helped the Cartesian west move into recognizing that the dichotomy of mind and body is false. Polyvagal theory is revolutionary in many ways and Porges’ scientific research has had an exceptional and positive effect on trauma treatment. The theory has mad...
Source: Psych Central - Category: Psychiatry Authors: Tags: Book Reviews Neuroscience Psychiatry Psychological Assessment Psychology PTSD Trauma eastern philosophy Polyvagal Theory Psychophysiology Source Type: news