Polyvagal Institute

This course is a cutting-edge approach to working more effectively in therapy. Diagnosis and presenting symptoms from clients always have an underlying physiological state. Polyvagal Theory provides the framework and understanding of supporting clients’ current presentation, as well as supporting them in their goals for treatment. 

This class will use the lens of Polyvagal Theory in applying therapeutic processes for physiological shifts, resulting in behavioral, emotional, and relational changes. These changes are directly related to clients’ needs and are at the heart of therapy. This class can be applied to a developed therapeutic approach for seasoned practitioners, or it can stand alone for newer clinicians wanting to apply Polyvagal Theory to their psychotherapeutic practice. 

Some Guiding Principles

To support a greater sense of safety and to deepen your learning, we will be emphasizing engagement through practice and participation. Learning tends to integrate more fully when we have opportunities to practice, and confidence often grows from having direct experience with the material. Our hope is that you leave this training feeling both capable and grounded in your relationship with this work.

With that in mind, we warmly encourage full participation in all practices and small groups. These experiences are designed to support both your individual learning and the collective learning of the group, helping you walk away with the skills you came here to develop.

Small groups, in particular, offer a valuable space for reflection and meaning-making. They support the kind of self-reflection that informs thoughtful, effective treatment, while also inviting the parallel process of moving toward your Essence—an important aspect of PVT-informed therapy.

There may be moments when participating in a practice feels like too much—similar to a day when, if you were seeing clients, you might choose to reschedule sessions. If this happens during the course, we ask that you let us know and complete a written reflection on the practice within three weeks of the session. The practice can be completed with another participant in the training or with another appropriate person. This helps ensure continued engagement with the skills while honoring your capacity.

Even on days when you decide not to actively practice, we ask that you remain present for small groups. Observing others and learning through the group process is a meaningful way to deepen your understanding of how to work effectively with the autonomic nervous system.

To further support you, we will be teaching skills that help you find a reliable “foothold in green,” supporting regulation, safety, and fuller participation throughout the training.

We also ask that cameras remain on and that you join from a private space whenever possible. This helps us approximate the felt sense of being together and supports connection and safety within the group. In our clinical work, we stay present and open with our clients—our “camera is on.” If you need to step away briefly, please let us know in the chat.

You will receive a Concentration in the Clinical Application of Polyvagal Theory certificate upon completion of the course.