not to see the adaptive function of the behavior as regulating physiological and behavioral state.

The theory functionally states that if you are confronted with a challenge, based on evolution, the most recent part of your nervous system will attempt to negotiate safety by using the face and vocalizations. If that doesn’t work,

Before the Polyvagal Theory, they had no explanation of some the features their clients reported.

Within Polyvagal Theory, the neural process that evaluates risk in the environment without awareness is called neuroception

the social engagement system is not accessible in environments in which people are poking things at you.

what is the primary biological imperative for humans? It is to be connected to other humans.

These clues were known to the composers of the classic symphonies, who relaxed their audiences with the first movement of their symphonies by using lullabies—the voice of violins, the mother’s voice. Once the audience felt safe with the introduction of the melody, the composers moved the melody to lower-pitch instruments until the listener felt

I guess we can tie this all together to what happens to people with trauma and the difficulty they have of no longer being able to use their interactions with another person to regulate their physiological state. Anxious people can’t use their interaction with people to feel better about themselves. It is not cognitive—

I agree that the goal of therapy is to enable clients to experience greater flexibility in the world by having access to neural circuits that can efficiently dampen defense in appropriate settings and to utilize the phylogenetically older circuits for very positive outcomes.