Treating Trauma and Addiction with the Felt Sense Polyvagal Model™ + LIVE Q&A

This course is informative for those new to the field of trauma/addiction as well as seasoned practitioners.

Addictions and other trauma responses are increasing day by day and people are crying out for help.

We desperately need a fresh approach that treats the trauma of addiction where it lives: in the body.

The fields of treating trauma and addiction developed separately, yet when we treat one we are very often working with the other. And the state of addiction is traumatic in and of itself.

So, how do we work with both?

In this workshop we will explore the intersection of trauma and addiction and how to address both with an embodied approach.

Shifting the Paradigm to a Strength-based Approach

The Felt Sense Polyvagal Model™ shifts the current pathologizing paradigm to a strength based approach. Through the lens of Stephen Porges’ Polyvagal Theory, addiction is seen as an adaptive stress response in our autonomic nervous system.

Addictive behaviors are the bodies’ attempt to emotionally regulate by acting as propellers that facilitate neurophysiological shifts in our nervous system. Integrating Porges’ Polyvagal theory, and Gendlin’s Felt Sense Focusing Oriented Psychotherapy process, the model enables us to appreciate trauma/addictive behaviors as adaptive responses to maladaptive environments.

It provides a generic framework that can support any therapeutic modality.

The Felt Sense Polyvagal Dialogue™

The Felt Sense Polyvagal Dialogue™ is a tool that integrates Imago therapy with the model. This provides a methodology for working with couples and families that engages them in an embodied approach. The webinar series includes a description of the theoretical framework, and an introduction to The Embodied Assessment and Treatment Tool. This tool reflects the experiential nature of a body based psychotherapy. A mixture of didactic information, experiential practices, three demonstrations and case examples will guide the clinician on how to apply the model.

The course combines on-demand lectures by Jan Winhall with recorded conversations between Jan and Steven Porges which further detail polyvagal principles presented in the coursework. Also included is a live 90-min Q&A session with Jan held at 2:30pm Eastern, March 18, 2022.