276 books
—
200 voters
Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-regulation” as Want to Read:
The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-regulation
by
This book compiles, for the first time, Stephen W. Porges’s decades of research. A leading expert in developmental psychophysiology and developmental behavioral neuroscience, Porges is the mind behind the groundbreaking Polyvagal Theory, which has startling implications for the treatment of anxiety, depression, trauma, and autism. Adopted by clinicians around the world, th
...more
Get A Copy
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
The Polyvagal Theory,
please sign up.
Be the first to ask a question about The Polyvagal Theory
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30
Start your review of The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-regulation
I'm giving this book 4 stars because of the importance of the research and theory that Porges presents here.
The book itself is however very difficult to read. Many of the chapters repeat the previous chapters at length which is very frustrating.
That all being said Porges contributions to the fields of medicine and psychology are seminal and paradigm changing. His formulation of the hierarchical organization of the autonomic system in humans and its evolution explains human development and psycho ...more
The book itself is however very difficult to read. Many of the chapters repeat the previous chapters at length which is very frustrating.
That all being said Porges contributions to the fields of medicine and psychology are seminal and paradigm changing. His formulation of the hierarchical organization of the autonomic system in humans and its evolution explains human development and psycho ...more
This book is an important contribution. But it is also frustratingly repetitive. For a more comprehensive view, this book is best paired with Panksepp & Biven (2012). Archaeology of Mind: Neuroevolutionary Origins of Human Emotions.
I present Porges' main thesis here: https://kevinbinz.com/2019/02/05/the-...
Why is this book need to be complemented by another? A metaphor may help motivate my recommendation.
The brain is a vehicle, with many interlocking subsystems contributing to overall driving ...more
I present Porges' main thesis here: https://kevinbinz.com/2019/02/05/the-...
Why is this book need to be complemented by another? A metaphor may help motivate my recommendation.
The brain is a vehicle, with many interlocking subsystems contributing to overall driving ...more
The Polyvagal Theory offers a paradigm shift in neuropsychiatric approaches to treatment. Porges explains why medicine, psychology and social behavior hinges on neurophysiological underpinnings, and how current practices need to change to become more effective. Everyone with a brain should read this book! Here is a podcast interview with Stephen Porges of the Brain-Body Center at University of Illinois at Chicago, in which he discusses the principles of polyvagal theory: .
This one was pretty dry and repetitive, but the information is so valuable, it was worth it. Porges integrates emotion, visceral states, brain regulation, evolution, and a bunch of other cool stuff into a framework that makes everything make sense. Thank you, nature, for my myelinated vagus.
Polyvagal Theory (PT) is an evolutionarily grounded, neuroscientific and psychological construct that explains the role of the vagus nerve in mammalian threat response and emotion regulation via social connection (co-regulation) initially introduced by Stephen Porges in 1994.
This book is ridiculously dense.
And notoriously unrelatable.
But kind of a must-read if you’re interested in PT.
That being said, don’t start with this one.
I know I sure didn’t.
Start with:
The Pocket Guide to the Polyvagal The ...more
This book is ridiculously dense.
And notoriously unrelatable.
But kind of a must-read if you’re interested in PT.
That being said, don’t start with this one.
I know I sure didn’t.
Start with:
The Pocket Guide to the Polyvagal The ...more
I am now complete with this book. It is a heady read. Took me three years to slog through it. Whew! Sure am glad that's over! Sorry, Stephen Porges, I think overall I must be honest...your writing is - well - beyond me . . . in all ways . . . finally.
...more
The theory is excellent and extremely valuable in informing case conceptualization and treatment for a variety of emotional, social, and mental health challenges. However, the text is a hard read for non-neuroscience clinicians (at least, it was for me). I read the book hoping to better understand how the Polyvagal Theory applied to individuals who had experienced psychological trauma; this book met this goal, but I often got lost in the technical terminology. If this is your goal, I would recom
...more
Interesting stuff, but the book comes across as a collection of essays that the author has only invested minimal time to integrate. As a result, for example, the basics of the Polyvagal Theory are reiterated over and over again throughout the book.
Stephen Porges extensively details the physiological reality of safety. In other words, what happens in our nervous system for our bodies to feel safe. I think most of us would acknowledge there is interplay between body and soul, but it seems that most of us (at least the people I run with and including myself) have not given thought to what our bodies are communicating to us.
My largest take-away for the book was explanation on how nervous system can respond beyond the fight or flight reaction. ...more
My largest take-away for the book was explanation on how nervous system can respond beyond the fight or flight reaction. ...more
This text contains incredibly important and enlightening information about how the human body reacts to stress and social interaction. Unfortunately, it is written in a very dry, scientific voice that can be difficult to comprehend. I think the book could be much improved, and the information made more accessible, by giving more background on physiology (I had to look up and research a lot to keep up with everything) and by explaining the concepts with examples and more layman terminology.
Nov 12, 2020
Rick Wilson
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
psychology,
trauma-and-other-fun-party-tricks
It’s a fascinating theory. Very technical at times. “This nerve connects to that process” type writing. The writing is not very engaging or particularly well presented, but I think this is a really important theory if proved out a bit.
Essentially, we look at the nervous system as a series of layers that react to external stimuli/threats. Our ultimate goal is survival. So Porgess examines these responses and their neurological basis. Which results in a lot of dry talk. But the ultimate gist I go ...more
Essentially, we look at the nervous system as a series of layers that react to external stimuli/threats. Our ultimate goal is survival. So Porgess examines these responses and their neurological basis. Which results in a lot of dry talk. But the ultimate gist I go ...more
While the information presented throughout the book was incredibly informative, it seemed more like a messy compilation of research journal articles than a well thought-out and put together book. This book is definitely geared towards those practicing in a medical or research setting, and while the information can be useful background knowledge for those working with clients with trauma backgrounds and attachment disorders in other settings and in a variety of other roles, there is very little i
...more
The subject matter is intriguing and important, and deserves a higher rating. However, the book is hindered overall by repetition and medical language. No doubt this is due to the book being a compilation of essays, papers and research that, to doctors, therapists and others in the medical field the medical jargon, is essential. To the everyday reader, however, the repetitive segments and research procedures take away from the wonderful connections made.
Written mostly for an audience fluent in neuroscience, this book was nonetheless a fascinating compilation of papers exploring the importance of the vagus in regulating emotional states and the benefits of vagal studies. With implications in physical and mental disorders, human behavior, and therapy, Porges' polyvagal theory makes for insightful reading.
...more
Not an easy read, but very informative and worth the effort in helping understand our responses to traumatic events and mange our emotions. It also looks at these things from a scientific lens, specifically evolution based. I'd love to read more on this topic. A great book for clinicians in understanding anxiety, trauma, and attachment.
...more
A highly detailed and somewhat repetitive tome on the polyvagal theory and neuroception. However, the pervasively interesting message that we can only connext creatively and intimately with each other under conditions of unconsciously perceived conditions of safety, is a compelling one.
Not quite as informative from a scientific perspective as I had hoped for, as far as application goes, but very good and I think still pretty groundbreaking.
Introduction to/definition of Polyvagal theory appeared at the beginning of every chapter, which seemed too repetitive.
The idea itself was interesting.
The idea itself was interesting.
One of the best on what distinguishes humans from other mammals, and about the vagal system that can override the autonomic nervous system if properly developed.
Scientific. Interesting and helpful for therapist.
Really poorly put together book with solid information, although definitely some very problematic aspects, particularly in his discussions on gender/sex.
This book is not for light reading.  It is better understood by professionals in the medical and mental health field. Even for a mental health professional, such as myself, it is still very heavy on medical terminology which is complicated and difficult to understand in much of the book.  Reading this book made me feel like a medical student, and maybe not even that, because of how difficult it was to make it through some of the reading. It’s an in depth understanding of affect regulation
...more
This book has some interesting ideas, but I have a few gripes with it.
1) Structure
The book has an interview form, which in the beginning is nice, but which, by the end, becomes repetitive. He keeps explaining the same things over and over again, and it becomes frustrating as a reader, because you keep on reading this stuff you already got because you want to see if there's something new.
2) No ambitious solutions
Several times Porges states that if your neurosystem is overactive, you need to tend ...more
1) Structure
The book has an interview form, which in the beginning is nice, but which, by the end, becomes repetitive. He keeps explaining the same things over and over again, and it becomes frustrating as a reader, because you keep on reading this stuff you already got because you want to see if there's something new.
2) No ambitious solutions
Several times Porges states that if your neurosystem is overactive, you need to tend ...more
This book presents a complicated picture of the important and cutting edge polyvagal theory that has begun to inform trauma based care in psychology. While it was highly technical and beyond my ability to understand in places, the overall understandings that I gleaned from the text will help me in my work as a social worker, as well as my life as a mom and wife. Excellent research, thought provoking and informative. Highly recommend to anyone interested in psychology who is willing to plow throu
...more
Extremely dense and close to the primary research. Probably mostly relevant for the nerds. It's almost like reading peer-reviewed articles, so don't believe you're going to surf through this stuff. Porges has fortunately started working with practitioners that seem more capable of articulating the theory in more accessible ways. If you're just getting into polyvagal theory, I would strongly recommend you just find one overview article by the author, read through the wikipedia article on the topi
...more
Porges' theory is incredible, but this book is not for the faint of heart. I guess it isn't fair to give it three stars based on the fact that I could hardly follow or understand it due to the mere reality that I'm not smart enough or educated enough, but I can only work with what I have. I'm hoping his book about the polyvagal theory in practice might be more accessible. If you don't have an advanced understanding of technical terms and neuroscience, this may be difficult for you, too.
...more
This book is so dense and highly technical. I recommend reading a summary or other clinical texts that you can more readily use in practice. It reads like a medical school gross anatomy and / or physiology text.
Woah I'm not going to give this any stars because it all went way over my head so I don't think it would be appropriate for me to judge the quality. Hahahaha yikes
...more
I actually listened to the unabridged audio version of the book.
Would have given it 5 stars if it was actually edited, not a repetitive compilation of stand-alone articles on loosely related applications of the theory.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Readers also enjoyed
109 users
30 users
27 users
26 users
14 users
11 users
10 users
6 users
4 users
3 users
Related Articles
Across the U.S., many high-school seniors are entering the nail-biting period of waiting for college admissions decisions. While the die has been...
31 likes · 7 comments
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“Playing nice" comes naturally when our neuroception detects safety and promotes physiological states that support social behavior. However, pro-social behavior will not occur when our neuroception misreads the environmental cues and triggers physiological states that support defensive strategies. After all, "playing nice" is not appropriate or adaptive behavior in dangerous or life-threatening situations. In these situations, humans - like other mammals - react with more primitive neurobiological defense systems. To create relationships, humans must subdue these defensive reactions to engage, attach, and form lasting social bonds. Humans have adaptive neurobehavioral systems for both pro-social and defensive behaviors.”
—
12 likes
“The detection of a person as safe or dangerous triggers neurobiologically determined pro-social or defensive behaviors.
Even though we may not always be aware of danger on a cognitive level, on a neurophysiological level, our body has already started a sequence of neural processes that would facilitate adaptive defense behaviors such as fight, flight or freeze. ”
—
7 likes
More quotes…
Even though we may not always be aware of danger on a cognitive level, on a neurophysiological level, our body has already started a sequence of neural processes that would facilitate adaptive defense behaviors such as fight, flight or freeze. ”
