Polyvagal Flip Chart: Understanding the Science of Safety

by Deb Dana

When clients are stuck in the cognitive experience of their story, an explanation of polyvagal theory helps to bring their attention to the autonomic experience— to bring the importance of the biology of their experience back into awareness. Yet polyvagal theory can be challenging and intimidating to explain.


This flip chart offers therapists an easy, standardized way to support clients in understanding the role of the autonomic nervous system in their lives. Using a flip chart makes psycho- education an interactive experience. Therapists can feel confident in teaching their clients polyvagal theory by following the chart.


With a flip chart visible during sessions, the therapist



remind clients of the ways the autonomic nervous system has been shaped and is active in their daily living experience,
display a page corresponding to the present moment, thus anchoring that experience in the theory,
keep a page of the hierarchy visible when working with a client's habitual response pattern.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Counselling

78 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2020

About the author

Deb Dana is a clinician and consultant specializing in working with complex trauma and Coordinator of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium at the Kinsey Institute, Indiana University. She developed the Rhythm of Regulation clinical training series and lectures internationally on ways in which polyvagal theory informs work with trauma survivors.

Reviews

[Morgan Blackledge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super useful psycho educational tool.

I love it.

But…

The graphics are distasteful (to me).

They’re like these creepy (in the bad way) medical clip art graphics.

Yuck!

I have been making my own presentations on Polyvagel Theory based on the contents of this flip chart.

Only with my own (much funner and cooler) graphics.

Anyway…

If you can stomach the crummy style.

This thing is gold!

4/5 ⭐️

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is exactly the tool I needed to help clarify and provide concise visuals for my otherwise kind of clunky attempts at explaining polyvagal concepts to my clients. So grateful that this exists, and grateful for the work of Dr. Porges and Deb Dana to help us understand the ways that trauma impacts the nervous system as we seek healing.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is hard enough as a mental health counselor to understand many medical theories and terminology. This flip chart will not only be useful for myself but to explain the Polyvagal Theory to clients in a way that I probably would not be able to explain. It is also large which makes it a great tool when doing on-line therapy.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great idea, but many pages are a little complex for clt facing material, unless your clt is really into polyvagal psychoed. I used only the pages associated with worksheets for clt hw, but that was pretty much it. Big enough for use on telehealth (unless they are on a phone, then...nothing is really big enough for them to see).

[Suzanne Henwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a coach I have this in my office and Virtually every client who comes in is shown some of the pages to explain working with the polyvagal theory in practice.

It is absolutely genius and saves so much time, simply outlining the theory prior to working with the clients nervous system

I love it

[Miriam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great way to explain how and why we respond to trauma and fear the way we do. And, why it can be so difficult to regulate.