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I signed up for a course. Now what?
Welcome! We are so glad you have chosen to learn with Polyvagal Institute, the founding home of Polyvagal Theory. You will receive an email confirmation of your registration, along with a Welcome Email to your course. Both of these come through our learning management system, (from noreply@notify.polyvagal.org), so please be sure to check your spam/junk folder and mark those email addresses as "safe" so that you receive future communications from us about your course.
Your Welcome Email includes a link to an .ics calendar (find a how-to, below!) which includes all of your live course meeting sessions, if applicable. We suggest using this to add these dates to your personal calendar so you don't miss anything.
If your course includes live-online sessions, you should receive an email reminder from us through Zoom. Please be sure to mark "noreply-zoomevents@zoom.us" as a safe sender in your email so that you receive these reminders. (You may also opt-out of you do not wish to receive reminders.)
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What is "Thinkific?"
Thinkific is our Learning Management System (LMS). This is the online platform where you will find all of your course content including curriculum, video content, links to live sessions, live session recordings, quizzes, and your course schedule. (Note that each course is different and not every course or offering will include all of these elements). Many of our courses on Thinkific also include a Community Space where you can engage in discussion with your fellow learners and your instructor, access additional resources, send messages, and more.
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How do I log in to Thinkific?
Your login information was emailed to you from noreply@notify.polyvagal.org when you registered for your course. Your username is the email address you used to register.
Visit the course website here and click on the "Sign In" button in the top right corner. Enter your email and password. If you forget your password, click "Forgot Password?" and follow the instructions to reset it. See our tips for troubleshooting, below, if you continue to have problems logging in.
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Where can I find my course calendar and Zoom link?
You can find your course calendar and Zoom link in a few different places! After enrolling, you'll receive a Welcome Email from Thinkific that will contain your course schedule and the Zoom link. You can “star” or flag this email to come back to in order to find the schedule and link again later. This email will also include a link to an .ics calendar that you can use to add each live session to your own calendar (more instructions in the Tips section below). Your course schedule and Zoom link are also located inside your course in Thinkific in the “Welcome” section, and inside your Course Community Space (when applicable) under “Events”.
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Where do I find my course content?
After logging in to the Thinkific platform, navigate to your Dashboard, where all of your enrolled courses will be listed. Click on a course to start or to continue learning.
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Where is my Course Community Space?
If your course includes a Community Space, you can access it from your Dashboard or within your course. Engage by posting questions, responding to discussions, or sharing insights with fellow students and instructors. Note: We are currently in a transition period, and someof our Course Community Spaces are hosted in the PVI Online Community Space. In this case, please refer to instructions listed in your course content on how to access this space.
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How do I earn Continuing Education Credits?
Many of our courses offer the option to earn Continuing Education Credits (CEs or CEUs) which are most applicable to US-based learners who are interested in the credits for ongoing maintenance of a professional license. Learners enrolled in self-paced courses that offer CEs will find information about how to secure CEs located at the end of the course after completing your last course module.
If your live/hybrid course offers CEs, you will be given the opportunity to purchase them at the end of your course. No action is required until the end of the course. Upon completing the course, you’ll be prompted to reach out to enrollment@polyvagal.org, for verification of your attendance and additional instructions.
Please pay special attention to the Course Requirements if you are wanting to earn CEs: 100% live attendance at all live sessions is required for the majority of our courses, with a few exceptions.
Tips and Troubleshooting for your Learning Experience
General Troubleshooting Tips
If you are experiencing issues with the Thinkific learning platform, please try the following:
✔ Try refreshing your browser or logging out and back in.
✔ Clear your cache and cookies.
✔ Use an incognito window or a different browser.
✔ Disable browser extensions that may interfere with the platform.
✔ Check your internet speed and try using a wired connection if possible.
✔ Restart your device if the issue persists.
If none of these steps resolve your issue, contact us or the Thinkific support team for further assistance!
Add Live Course Sessions to Your Google Calendar
Stay on top of your live sessions by adding the .ics calendar file to your personal Google Calendar! To do so:
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Download the .ics file provided in your course, then:
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Open Google Calendar on your computer.
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Click the gear icon (⚙️) in the top right and select Settings.
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Scroll down and click Import & Export in the left menu
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Click Select File From Your Computer, choose your .ics file, and click Import.
Your live course session dates will now appear in your calendar, keeping you on track!
Course Progress Not Saving
✔ Ensure you are logged into the correct account.
✔ Try marking the lesson as "Complete" manually if it’s an option.
✔ Refresh the page or log out and back in.
✔ Clear your browser cache and try again.
✔ Use a different browser or device.
If progress still isn’t saving, contact us for help!
Certificate Not Available After Course Completion
✔ Ensure you have completed all required lessons and quizzes (all courses require 100% completion).
✔ Refresh your page and check your Course Dashboard for a "Download Certificate" option.
If the certificate still isn’t appearing, contact us for assistance.
Supported Browsers
Desktop:
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Chrome
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Firefox
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Safari
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Microsoft Edge
Mobile:
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iOS Safari
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Chrome
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Samsung Internet
Thinkific performs best on the internet browsers Chrome or Firefox. Your internet browser should be updated to one of the two most recently updated versions in order to function properly.
Note: Thinkific does not support Internet Explorer.
Trouble Accessing the Course Community Space
✔ Ensure your course includes a Community Space (not all do).
✔ Check that you are logged in with the correct account.
Refresh your browser and clear your cache.
✔ If using a mobile device, try switching to a desktop browser.
If the issue persists, contact us for access verification.
Login Problems, including Invalid Email or Password Errors
✔ Ensure you’re using the correct email and password.
✔ Try resetting your password by clicking "Forgot Password?" on the login page.
✔ If you didn't receive the password reset email, check your spam/junk folder.
If the issue persists, contact us!
Missed a Live Session
If you missed a live online session of your course, don't worry! We aim to post recordings of all live sessions to your course within Thinkific within 24-48 hours of the live session. You can watch the recording on your own time.
If you are unable to locate the live session recording after 48 hours, please contact us for assistance.
*Please pay special attention to the Course Requirements if you are wanting to earn Continuing Education Credits when applicable: 100% live attendance at all live sessions is required for the majority of our courses, with a few exceptions.
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Is this course accredited?PVI is the founding home of Polyvagal Theory, and we believe our courses offer the most accurate and up to date content about Polyvagal Theory and its many applications. There is no accrediting body for this type of curriculum. Our course descriptions will list any continuing education credits (CEs/ CEUs) or other professional benefits that might be available for the course (along with any applicable restrictions). If CEs are not listed for a particular course, then none are available.
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Does The Polyvagal Certificate Course offer a professional certification?Earning the Polyvagal-Informed Certificate in The Polyvagal Certificate Course or a certificate of completion in any of our other trainings does not offer licensure or "certification" of any kind. There is no program or formal certification process in existence or available through any organization to become a "certified polyvagal clinician." However, the Polyvagal Institute affirms that our certificate-level training results in a Polyvagal-Informed level of knowledge and application. Learners who successfully complete this course may refer to themselves as "Polyvagal-Informed" and use this term in their CVs or professional materials to convey their level of knowledge and skill.
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What is the attendance policy for a course?Live/Hybrid courses: While specific course policies may vary, we typically allow one absence for a live or hybrid course and require watching the recording and/or sometimes submitting a reflection for the missed session. If a participant is absent for more than the permissible number of live sessions, they may no longer be eligible to receive their certificate. Self-paced courses: Attendance does not apply to self-paced courses as they are designed to be consumed when the student is willing and able to take the course. All material is pre-recorded content, reading, or individual assignments. Please note that if you are enrolled in a course that offers CEs (continuing education credits) and you have opted to earn them, specific attendance policies apply and must be adhered to in order for you to remain eligible to earn CEs at the end of the course. Contact us for details if you are unsure of the attendance policy for your particular course!
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How and where are live sessions held?Live sessions are held online via Zoom. You will find your course Zoom link inside the course content on our Learning Platform once you enroll; email reminders with the Zoom link are sent to enrolled students. While having your camera on is not required, you are invited to turn your camera on during your live course session; this allows you to share in co-regulation with other learners and to build a sense of community.
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What if I am unable to attend a live session?We upload recordings of our live course sessions to our Learning Platform within 72 hours for you to view. (Please see the attendance policy above.)
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How can I tell what time the live session will be in my local time zone?To convert live course session meeting times to your local timezone, please use a conversion website like this.
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Where can I find the course material?PVI uses a Learning Platform (LMS) called Thinkific. Upon enrolling in a course, you will receive an email invite to access the course in Thinkific. This is where you'll find all of the course materials, links, and class community.
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How do I reset my password to the PVI Learning Platform?You can reset your password by going to https://pvi.thinkific.com/users/sign_in and clicking the “Forgot Password?” link. You will then enter the email address you used when creating your account to receive a one-time password reset link. Use the instructions in that email to complete your password reset. If you have any other technical questions, feel free to reach out to us at info@polyvagal.org.
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Is there closed captioning?Yes. Most of our pre-recorded course content is hosted on a platform that offers closed captioning. If you come across a video that does not have closed captioning, please send us a message at info@polyvagal.org and we will be glad to assist you.
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In which currency are your prices listed in?Our prices are listed in USD (United States Dollars). Your credit card or bank statement will likely reflect the price in your local currency.
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Will I be charged sales tax?If you are located in the US or Canada, you will be charged sales tax on the cost of your course.
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Are there scholarships available?Yes, PVI offers scholarships for all of our courses on a rolling basis. You can apply for a scholarship at https://forms.gle/vvfQdyAtw3k79LpM9.
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Are there group discounts?Yes. For groups of five or more participants, a 15% discount is available for each participant. Please contact us at info@polyvagal.org to inquire and to enroll as a group!
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What is your refund policy?We are proud to offer a 30 day Money Back Guarantee for all of our courses (from date of purchase for self-paced courses and from date of first live session for live courses). Please reach out to us at info@polyvagal.org if you'd like to inquire about a refund.
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Can I purchase a gift certificate for PVI courses?Give the gift of learning! Yes, any Polyvagal Institute course may be purchased and sent as a gift. You'll find this option during the checkout process after adding a course to your shopping cart. If you wish to send a gift of a certain dollar amount and allow the recipient to select their choice of course, please email us at info@polyvagal.org and we will gladly arrange this for you.
Have other questions?
Email Us
For questions related to your registration, CEUs, payment plans, or other administrative topics, please contact us at info@polyvagal.org
We do our best to respond to all inquiries within 2 business days.
Connect within your Course
If you are logged-in to our LMS (Thinkific), navigate to your Course Community Space* to pose your question to the group or to message your instructor.
*Not available in all courses yet! Response times may vary.