Vagus Nerve Stimulation:
Natural Neural Exercises to Enhance Emotional & Physical Health. Starting September 9, 2025.
Learn with Arielle
Join Dr Arielle Schwartz, PhD, CCTP-II, E-RYT, an internationally sought-after teacher, therapeutic yoga instructor, and leading voice in healing PTSD and complex trauma.
This program offers a unique opportunity to enhance your clinical practice with cutting-edge techniques promoting physiological and psychological wellness.
Dr. Schwartz will explain the science of natural vagus nerve stimulation and guide you through an experiential process, allowing you to sense the benefits of these practices for yourself and teach them to others.
Course Timing
The first live online session of this course is September 9, 2025.
Self-paced content will be available starting August 26, 2025.
This is a hybrid course that will meet for 2 hour long sessions on Zoom every third Wednesday at 12 pm ET.
Course Schedule of Live Sessions:
- September 9, 2025
- September 30, 2025
- October 14, 2025
Recordings of previous live sessions will be available on our learning platform.
Convert the listed times to your own timezone, here.
Course Description
Join Dr Arielle Schwartz, PhD, CCTP-II, E-RYT, an internationally sought-after teacher, therapeutic yoga instructor, and leading voice in healing PTSD and complex trauma. This program offers a unique opportunity to enhance your clinical practice with cutting-edge techniques promoting physiological and psychological wellness. Dr. Schwartz will explain the science of natural vagus nerve stimulation and guide you through an experiential process, allowing you to sense the benefits of these practices for yourself and teach them to others.
Vagus Nerve Stimulation
Research on vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of autonomic dysregulation associated with chronic physical and mental health conditions including depression, epilepsy, obesity, migraine headaches, among other conditions. Historically, this stimulation has occurred through the use of surgically implanted devices and more recently through external transcutaneous devices. In this course, you will learn and practice a range of natural vagus nerve stimulation techniques using breath, sound, eye movements, self-applied touch in areas where the vagus nerve comes close to the surface of your skin, and gentle somatic movements that are highly effective, easy to implement, and affordable.
Healthy vagal tone is an optimal balance between parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system actions. High vagal tone is linked to improved stress resilience, better mood stability, and autonomic stabilization. Conversely, low vagal tone heightens stress responses, including anxiety, fear, and anger. While most people need to down-regulate their nervous system into the parasympathetic due to busy, stressful lives, some individuals require up-regulating strategies to combat fatigue or collapse. This course will provide you with a wide array of neural exercises to support you and others with nervous system informed care for your emotional and physical health.
Grounded within the principles of Polyvagal Theory, affective neuroscience, and trauma-informed care, this course with leading Polyvagal Theory expert Dr. Arielle Schwartz will help you gain a better understanding of how your brains and body responds to stress and trauma.
Free Course Info Session
We invite you to a free course info session on Tuesday August 5, 12-12:30pm ET.
If you can't join us live in real time, the recording will shared with you via email within two business days of the event ending.
Extra Details
This is a hybrid course. There are no pre-requisites. This course is intended for a wide audience.
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Individuals with chronic emotional and physical health conditions; parents looking for tools to support children;
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Psychotherapists and coaches wanting to empower clients with nervous system-informed care; medical professionals seeking to enhance a sense of safety for your patients; teachers seeking regulation interventions for the classroom
Course Framework
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Learning Objectives
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Diagram: Autonomic Nervous System States
FREE PREVIEW -
9 min intro video: Trauma and the nervous system: a polyvagal perspective
FREE PREVIEW -
Emotional support & other support resources
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Watch: Navigating the Nervous System: A Polyvagal Guided Approach with Deb Dana, LCSW
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Slides: Navigating the Nervous System Powerpoint
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Watch: Polyvagal Theory: A Neuroscience Explaining Reactions to Safety and Threat with Dr. Stephen Porges
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Slides: A Neuroscience View Powerpoint
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Learning Objectives
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First Live Session
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Learning Objectives
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Second Live Session
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About this course
- $699.00
- 19 lessons
About Your Instructor
Arielle Schwartz
Arielle Schwartz, PhD, is a psychologist, internationally sought-out teacher, yoga instructor, and leading voice in the healing of PTSD and complex trauma. She is the author of eight books, including The Complex PTSD Workbook, EMDR Therapy and Somatic Psychology, and The Post Traumatic Growth Guidebook. Dr. Schwartz is an accomplished teacher who guides therapists in the application of EMDR, somatic psychology, parts work therapy, and mindfulness-based interventions for the treatment of trauma and complex PTSD. She has a depth of understanding, passion, kindness, compassion, joy, and a succinct way of speaking about very complex topics. She is the founder of the Center for Resilience Informed Therapy in Boulder, Colorado where she maintains a private practice providing psychotherapy, supervision, and consultation. With over twenty years as a therapeutic yoga teacher, Dr. Schwartz believes that the journey of trauma recovery is an awakening of the spiritual heart. Discover more at drarielleschwartz.com.