The Polyvagal Certificate Course
Safety, Connection, and the Human Experience.
Cohort 14 starts July 31st, 2026.
July 31, 2026
Learn with Dr. Stephen Porges
Alongside nine experts in the fields of neuroscience, healthcare, and therapeutics.
- Become Polyvagal-Informed by learning with PVI -- the founding home of Polyvagal Theory.
- In this in-depth exploration of the Polyvagal Theory and its application to our personal and professional lives, Dr. Stephen Porges and our team of leading experts offer a course that explores Polyvagal Theory like no other.
Become Polyvagal-Informed
Dr. Porges
Learners will participate in a live Q&A session with Dr. Porges, AND receive an ongoing invitation to sit in on Q&A sessions with all future cohorts. This ensures you have continuous access to evolving insights, fresh discussions, and the latest advancements in the field.
The PVI Flagship
This is the most comprehensive course Polyvagal Institute has ever offered on the topic of Polyvagal Theory. This is the one you have been waiting for!
Multi-Language
This course is offered in multiple languages through our international partners. Find them on our International Partners page!
Live Training
Live sessions and over 30 hours of course time offer you conversation and connection so you can learn in the moment with our global community.
Practice Pods
Connect with people learning alongside you in monthly Practice Pods over the duration of the course. Build your professional network by interacting on our special Course Communities online.
Certificate
Earn a Polyvagal-Informed Certificate from Polyvagal Institute, the founding source for learning about the Polyvagal Theory.
Course Timing
This Cohort begins with a Welcome Session on July 31, 2026 and meets live-online Fridays at 11:00 am ET.
Convert the timing to your timezone here.
You will meet with your cohort on the following dates:
This course will also be offered by some of our International Partners in languages other than English. Please view their websites for details.
Frequently Asked Questions
What will I learn in this course?
The purpose of this course is to provide a comprehensive and interactive Polyvagal Theory learning experience for a broad audience of those looking to apply polyvagal principles to their personal and/or professional lives. You'll finish this course having earned your Polyvagal-Informed Certificate, and equipped with practices, concepts, and a community to embody and refine your application of polyvagal principles with yourself, with your family, friends, clients, or colleagues.
In this course, you'll dive deeper into your understanding of the human nervous system and the role the vagus nerve plays in responding to perceived threat and stressors. From self-regulation to co-regulation, you'll learn the science behind community and connection, and how feelings of safety and trust impact our social interactions and sense of resilience so that we can grow and thrive.
Please learn more on our course landing page, here.
Who is this course for?
Mental health practitioners, life and wellness coaches, educators, executives, and anyone interested in gaining a full understanding of both the science and the application of Polyvagal Theory will find value in this course.
This course is designed for a variety of educational backgrounds. Material is accessible to anyone with at least a high school diploma, equivalent secondary education, and beyond.
The core curriculum will be supplemented with some optional advanced readings to satiate learners with advanced degrees.
Why should I take this course?
There is no other training program available that offers the depth and breadth of this exclusive certificate program. This is the Polyvagal Institute’s flagship course, a fully comprehensive look at Polyvagal Theory and its applications.
Outside of lectures, practice pods, and discussions, learners will continue to inquire and converse within a private Course Community Space. You’ll be simultaneously immersed in the broader, supportive polyvagal community of informed individuals, professionals and fellow learners.
Certificate
Upon completion of the modules, learners will be awarded a Polyvagal-Informed Certificate from Polyvagal Institute. Polyvagal Institute affirms that certificate training results in a polyvagal-informed level of knowledge and application. As a bonus, you will also be invited to audit future live Q&A sessions with Dr. Porges, extending your learning well into the future.
Learning Objectives
Describe the hierarchy of the autonomic nervous system
- Describe the organization and function of the autonomic nervous system
Explain three reasons why the vagus nerve is key to health, growth and restoration of our nervous systems
Compare the difference between top-down processing and bottom-up processing
Demonstrate 3 interventions to activate safety physiological states
Analyze how the ANS supports our health, growth, restoration and sociality ONLY when not recruited for defense
Assess various physical, emotional, psychological, social & behavioral attributes of our various autonomic states
Recite the three primary neurophysiological platforms (i.e. ventral vagal, sympathetic, dorsal vagal), and the blended/adaptive states of play, intimacy, appeasement, and freeze
Demonstrate visual stories of how this all plays out in real life, in real time, and how this influences how we experience the world
Discuss the concepts of safety and threat in the context of neuroception and explain how this dimension relates to the activation/deactivation continuum
Analyze and discuss the influence of neuroception on our daily lives, especially related to decision-making, coping, relating with others, and overall well-being
Compare examples from your own life (personal or professional) todemonstrate understanding of a) how disruptions in neuroception can lead to poor adaptation and result in suffering and b) how neuroception supports resilience, mental health, and social connectedness
Explain interoception as our sense of awareness of bodily sensation and feelings
Give three examples of interoceptive practices
Explain how neuroception and interoception relate to one another
Describe the six steps of Focusing
Discuss the seven neurophysiological states in the Felt Sense Polyvagal Model as they relate to the hierarchy of the nervous system
Apply the Felt Sense Polyvagal Grounding Practice as an Interoceptive practice
Describe the individual elements of the Social Engagement System
Create personal continuums to assess level of social engagement and readiness for connection
Apply understanding of the autonomic nervous system to guide co-regulating actions
Explain the impact of exclusion and social isolation on health and well-being
Discuss research on the healing power of community and belonging
Describe the vagus nerve and the co-regulating effects of “radical welcome”
Discuss the importance of group rituals as neural exercises
Create a plan for designing a healing community based on radical welcome and inclusion
Discuss the neuroscience of trauma from a Polyvagal perspective
Apply interventions for psychobiological regulation
Explain therapeutic yoga for trauma recovery
You'll receive a Polyvagal-Informed Certificate upon completion of the course.
*Please note: Earning the Polyvagal-Informed Certificate does not offer licensure or "certification" of any kind. There is no program available through any organization to become a "certified polyvagal clinician." However, the Polyvagal Institute affirms that this certificate-level training results in a Polyvagal-Informed level of knowledge and application
Featuring a community of over 20,000 learners
Safety. Connection. Community. That's Polyvagal.
Transformational
Every moment I have spent learning about PVT in the flagship Certificate Course these past few months has transformed the way I see my work and myself. I would also like to express my gratitude for the many opportunities for connection in our pod group, and the safe enough spaces that were gracefully cultivated.
Jillian Salis
Occupational Therapy Student
Best Investment
This has been by far one of the best investments I've ever made. I can't thank PVI enough.
Jennie Tapia Messa
Parenting Coach
Grateful
I am very grateful to be here. I am here to take my existing work with children and young mothers with less or no access to mental health support and expand it to young fathers going through substance use and systemic trauma. Gratitude!
Sabitri Sanyal
Social Worker
Instructor(s)
Creator of Polyvagal Theory Stephen Porges, PhD
Stephen W. Porges, Ph.D. is a Distinguished University Scientist at Indiana University where he is the founding director of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium in the Kinsey Institute. He is Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina, and Professor Emeritus at both the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Maryland. He served as president of the Society for Psychophysiological Research and the Federation of Associations in Behavioral & Brain Sciences and is a former recipient of a National Institute of Mental Health Research Scientist Development Award. He is the originator of the Polyvagal Theory, a theory that emphasizes the importance of physiological state in the expression of behavioral, mental, and health problems related to traumatic experiences. He is the creator of a music-based intervention, the Safe and Sound Protocol ™ , which currently is used by approximately 4,000 therapists to improve spontaneous social engagement, to reduce hearing sensitivities, and to improve language processing, state regulation, and spontaneous social engagement. Dr. Porges is a founder of the Polyvagal Institute.
Performance Consultant, Educator, & Author Michael Allison
Michael Allison is a globally recognized performance consultant, educator, and author who specializes in applying Polyvagal Theory to enhance health, resilience, and performance. He has trained hundreds of consultants and coaches as Play Zone Pros©, a methodology endorsed by Stephen W. Porges, Ph.D. Michael's expertise is sought by elite professionals across major sports organizations, including MLB, NBA, ATP, WTA, FIFA, ITF, NCAA, and others. As a contributing author for Psychology Today, he explores the physiological, psychological, and social challenges of performing in high-stakes environments in his platform titled "The Pressure Paradox."
Michael is a speaker and educational partner with the Polyvagal Institute, where he is recognized as a leading expert on its flagship course. He is the co-author of "Polyvagal Parenting" (New Harbinger, 2026) and has contributed to multiple books in the Norton Professional Series, including co-authoring "Empathy to Compassion: A Two-Step Physiological Process" with Stephen W. Porges, Ph.D. Additionally, he is a featured speaker at major global conferences, including Oxford University’s Master Series, The Polyvagal Institute's International Gathering, Global Exchange Conference, and Psychological Safety Day. His work bridges neuroscience and performance to help individuals and teams thrive under pressure.
Email Address: [email protected]
Website: www.theplayzone.net
Email
Niki Elliott, Ph.D.
Dr. Niki Elliott is a clinical professor and director of the Center for Embodied Equity and Neurodiversity at the University of San Diego SOLES. A leading voice in neurodiversity and trauma-informed education, she has trained thousands of teachers, school counselors, and helping professionals worldwide to better support students with learning differences, mental health diagnoses, trauma histories, and behavioral challenges. Her work integrates educational neuroscience, polyvagal theory, mind-body practices and embodied equity to build emotionally safe, neuroinclusive learning environments. Dr. Elliott also serves on the Board of Directors and teaches as a course partner for the Polyvagal Institute, and she is the author of the book "Heart-Centered Connection: 7 Essential Skills for Helping Neurodiverse and Marginalized Children Thrive."
Email
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.
Email
Jan Winhall
Jan Winhall, M.S.W. F.O.T. is an author, teacher and a seasoned trauma and addiction psychotherapist. She is an adjunct lecturer and practicum supervisor in the Department of Social Work, University of Toronto. Jan is director of Focusing on Borden, a psychotherapy and training center. She has built a community of people who teach and practice Focusing as a way of life. Jan presents internationally on trauma and addiction.
Her book, "Treating Addiction with The Felt Sense Polyvagal Model: A Bottom Up Approach" is the result of rethinking the Felt Sense Experience Model that she wrote about in Emerging Practice in Focusing- Oriented Psychotherapy, 2014. Her most recent book is "20 Embodied Practices for Healing Trauma and Addiction Using the Felt Sense Polyvagal Model".
Jan is Director of The FSPM Institute where she offers courses, trains therapists and supervises graduate students. She enjoys teaching all over the world. You can reach her at fspminstitute.com.
MD Mel Pohl
Mel Pohl, MD, DFASAM is a Family Practitioner. He is the Chief Medical Officer of The Pointe Malibu Recovery Center. He is certified by the American Board of Addiction Medicine (ABAM) Dr. Pohl is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Nevada School of Medicine.
He is the author of several books including A Day without Pain, revised edition and The Pain Antidote - Stop Suffering from Chronic Pain, Avoid Addiction to Painkillers, and Reclaim Your Life. Dr. Pohl filmed a show for PBS on chronic pain which aired around the country in 2016.
EdD Niloufer Merchant
Dr. Niloufer Merchant is a former Professor at St. Cloud State University, Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, where she trained mental health counselors for 28 years. She is a Licensed Psychologist, currently in private practice in Minneapolis, MN. In previous years she has also worked at community mental health agencies and served as Clinical consultant at a long-term adolescent residential treatment. Her areas of specialization include working with a variety of populations dealing with complex trauma related to war, domestic violence, sexual abuse, childhood trauma and attachment, with a specific focus on trauma related to racial/cultural issues. She is certified in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and trained in a variety of mind-body practices (Brainspotting, Emotional Freedom Techniques) and mindfulness-based approaches. She brings 35 plus years of experience working in a variety of contexts -as a therapist, trainer, teacher, board member and community activist. She has held leadership positions at her university, and state and national professional organizations (for eg. American Counseling Association, Association for Specialists in Group Work) and presented and published widely on the topic of multicultural issues and cultural competencies. Most recently she presented a TEDx talk on connecting principles of Polyvagal Theory to cultural practices and ancient wisdom, specifically her Asian Indian heritage along with presenting in state, national and international settings on use of PVT in regulating your nervous system and understanding racial/cultural trauma and healing.
MA, OTR Tracy Stackhouse
Tracy Murnan Stackhouse, MA, OTR is the co-founder and executive director of Developmental FX (DFX) in Denver, Colorado, a non-profit organization providing clinical and training services to engage and elevate pediatric therapeutic practice. She is a leading pediatric occupational therapist (OT) involved in clinical treatment, research, mentoring, and training regarding OT intervention for persons with neurodevelopmental disorders, especially Fragile X Syndrome and autism. Tracy has a Bachelor’s in Occupational Therapy from Colorado State University and found her work with Eleanor Gilfoyle pivotal in her training. She has a master’s degree in developmental psychology/ developmental cognitive neuroscience from the University of Denver and was grateful to work with Dr. Sally Rogers during her research training. She is NDT trained, and SIPT Certified with advanced autism training including DIR/Floortime, TEACCH, and the Early Start Denver Model. Tracy also has training in craniosacral therapy and myofascial release, as well as Therapeutic Listening and Dr. Stephen Porges’ Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP). Most recently Tracy has been focused on incorporating trauma-informed care, Theraplay, and interpersonal neurobiological/relationship-based approaches, as well as Germer and Neff’s self-compassion into her work. Tracy has written several book chapters on sensory integration and neurodevelopmental disorders and teaches nationally and internationally on sensory integration, autism, Fragile X, and related topics. Tracy enjoys mentoring and spends many hours a month mentoring clinicians from around the world to improve their clinical reasoning skills.
MD, FAPA George Thompson
Dr. George Thompson is a visionary child psychiatrist with over 30 years’ experience helping children reclaim trust, dignity, and self-mastery. Drawing on deep clinical expertise, cutting-edge neuroscience, and fierce humanity, he designs healing communities where even the most wounded children and their families can thrive. A national leader in trauma-informed systems and co-author of Working with Relational Trauma in Children’s Residential Care and Polyvagal Theory and the Developing Child, his work has transformed how care systems understand and respond to trauma—grounded in the nervous system’s innate drive for safety and connection. Dr. Thompson blends rigorous science with profound empathy—and holds an unwavering belief in the heroic potential of every child to heal.
Along with his two partners, Chris Perkins and Rod Andrus, Dr. Thompson is co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of the Velocity Accelerated Treatment Center, a new type of psychiatric residential program which combines intensive inpatient treatment with an integrated aftercare model designed for long-term success. The Center, located outside of Springfield, Missouri, is scheduled to begin accepting patients in the fall of 2025.
Dr. Thompson was appointed Chairman of the Polyvagal Institute’s board of directors in June 2024, and also serves as a core faculty member for PVI’s certificate course. Until recently, he was Treasurer of the board of directors for the Kansas Chapter of the National Alliance for Mental Illness. He was on the board of the DDP Institute from 2014 to 2020, serving as Treasurer for that board as well.
PhD, MPH, LPCC, BC-DMT, NCC Amber Gray
Dr. Amber Elizabeth L. Gray is a Dance/Movement Therapist, Somatic and
Human Rights Psychotherapist; yoga, Continuum and Gyrotonic®
teacher/trainer who works with survivors of war, torture, human rights
abuses and historical trauma and oppression, in the US and in active and
post conflict zones, refugee camps, and disasters. Equally activist, artist, advocate, author and therapist, her clinical, healing, educational and organizational work endeavors to promote reciprocity and empowerment, and incite meaningful change. She brings her Polyvagal, Heart and Spirit-informed Right to Embody somatic human rights
framework and Body of Change eco-somatic regenerative retreats to communities of therapists, artists, global citizens and change makers world-wide. Amber originated Polyvagal-informed Somatic and Dance/Movement Therapy through 25 years immersive mentoring and exploration of Polyvagal Theory. This work is a survivor-centered,
multi-cultural and social justice framework that reflects many years of grounded theory co-inquiry with her clients to understand how Polyvagal Theory promotes restoration and healing in the body-heart-mind-spirit for survivors of egregious human rights violations. She has been teaching this work globally since 2003 and publishes about it
frequently. She is the author of "Polyvagal-Informed Somatic Psychotherapies for Trauma: Roots, Rhythm, Reciprocity and Clinical Work", as well as "Polyvagal-Informed Restorative Movement Psychotherapy".
An Invitation from Dr. Porges
Since its inception in 2020, Polyvagal Institute has been sharing and teaching the foundations of Polyvagal Theory and its application in both personal and professional environments. Through numerous book publications, webinars, live events, and courses, PVI has brought my work and research to learners and practitioners around the globe.
It is with great excitement and pride that we bring you The Polyvagal Certificåate Course: Safety, Connection and the Human Experience. Unlike any other course available, this comprehensive study of Polyvagal Theory explores key principles through interactive lectures, embodiment practices, and multidisciplinary discussions.
We look forward to welcoming you to our community of learners.
-Dr. Stephen W. Porges, Developer of Polyvagal Theory and Co-founder of Polyvagal Institute