Porges’ Polyvagal Theory (PVT) is made up of 3 core pillars: Co-Regulation, Connectedness, and Reciprocity. PVT is fundamentally a science of safety. PVT places emphasis on feelings (versus on events and objects). Thus, the issue becomes not WHAT happened to us, but our body’s response to it. PVT takes an optimistic perspective and retunes our autonomic nervous system (ANS) by rewiring it. The ANS sends cues to our conscious brains regarding safety – when we are safe, we can then use higher-order structures (i.e., thinking and planning) more readily and effectively. This leads to improved functioning and living in a less-hypervigilant state.
