Stephen Porges first presented Polyvagal Theory in 1994. Over the next 10 years it was gradually adopted by a new wave of leading trauma therapists who found in Polyvagal Theory (PVT) a clear explanation for the effectiveness of their body-based methodologies. For these new-thinking therapists, and the generation of clinicians who followed, PVT opened up the ‘black box’ that is our nervous system and connected, for the first time, our sense of safety with behavior and communication patterns.
In the past few years, the Polyvagal perspective has spread beyond the field of trauma to other disciplines as well as to the broader wellness and healthcare communities. We, as a society, are in the process of realizing we communicate through our nervous systems as much as our intellects.
We’ve launched Polyvagal Institute as a means to further this trend. Our mission is to advance social communication and connectivity by raising awareness, building community, facilitating research, and offering education on this new understanding of the mind/body system. We believe we can effect change at both individual and societal levels: as individuals, we become better, more compassionate communicators as we understand how human connections are formed, and as a society we can glean a new paradigm for providing care, whether the care be given in a hospital or classroom or home.
​
Thank you for joining us on this journey. Give us feedback, chime in, and if you think we’re on the right track we’d love to have your support!
OUR PEOPLE
FOUNDING MEMBERS
ADVISORS

Les Aria
Read Bio

Sue Carter
Read Bio

Diana Fosha
Read Bio

David Hanscom
Read Bio

Sid Goodman
Read Bio

Rick Hanson
Read Bio

Bessel van der Kolk
Read Bio

Ruth Lanius
Read Bio

Peter Levine
Read Bio

Gabor Maté
Read Bio

Pat Ogden
Read Bio

Chris Rutgers
Read Bio

Marilyn Sanders
Read Bio

Dan Siegel
Read Bio

George Thompson
Read Bio
