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Safety, Connection and
the Human Experience

25 May 2025 , 10:00-19:00 (GMT+3)
Istanbul Bilgi University
santralistanbul Campus (Hybrid)

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SPEAKERS

SPEAKERS

PROGRAM

Registration and Welcome
09.30-10.15

Opening Speech
10.15-10.45

"Safety, Connection, and the Human Experience from a Polyvagal Theory Perspective" with Dr. Stephen Porges
10.45-12.00

The Polyvagal Theory developed by Dr. Stephen Porges is a groundbreaking approach to understanding the biological human need to feel safe and connected. This theory prioritizes the phylogenetic structure of the autonomic nervous system regarding the feeling of being safe and offers a scientific perspective on the determining effect of the feeling of being safe on co-regulation, social interaction and social bonds.

 

While stress and challenging experiences can disrupt the nervous system and the feeling of being connected, cues related to the feeling of being safe regulate the autonomic nervous system and re-establish internal balance. Feeling safe is at the core of health, recovery, resilience and socialization. Reminding us that our biological need for feeling safe and connected can be easily overlooked today, Dr. Porges emphasizes that feeling safe is not a personal need but a regulator that affects social orientations. In this talk, Dr. Porges will also discuss the positive effects of social connections and co-regulation on health in an environment where people feel safe.

 

Presentation Topics:

  • The biological and phylogenetic place of the sense of safety in our autonomic nervous system

  • Connectivity, co-regulation, and the role of social ties in humans and society

  • The impact of stress and challenging experiences on the nervous system and how they weaken the sense of connection

  • The impact of safe signals on healing, resilience and health by restoring inner balance

  • Feeling safe is more than just a personal need, it has a regulating role in social systems.

 

Coffee Break

12.00-12.25

"The Science Behind the Healing Power of Love: Oxytocin and Social Bonding" with Dr. Sue Carter
12.25-13.40

Oxytocin pathways—which include the neuropeptide oxytocin, the related peptide vasopressin, and their receptors—are at the center of physiological and genetic systems that permitted the evolution of the human nervous system and allowed the expression of contemporary human sociality.  In general, oxytocin acts to allow the high levels of social sensitivity and attunement necessary for human sociality and for rearing a human child. Under optimal conditions oxytocin may create an emotional sense of safety. Oxytocin dynamically moderates the autonomic nervous system, and effects of oxytocin on vagal pathways, as well as the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of this peptide, help to explain the pervasive adaptive consequences of love, trust, and social behavior for emotional and physical health.

 

Presentation Topics:

  • The biological foundations of building safe and healthy social bonds

  • The effects of oxytocin on attachment, feelings of safety, and socialization

  • The regulatory effects of oxytocin on the autonomic nervous system and vagal pathways

  • The impact of love, trust, and social bonds on emotional and physical health

Lunch Break
13.40-15.00

"Building Connection and Safety in Clinical Practice" with Dr. Sonia Gomes
15.00-16.15

Dr. Sonia Gomes, a senior Somatic Experiencing trainer, integrates Polyvagal Theory and Somatic Experiencing into her clinical practice. She will share the profound healing effects of building safety and connection-based relationships with clients in therapeutic processes. Dr. Gomes will explore the critical role of building connection and safety in therapeutic practices, addressing the neural and relational foundations necessary for clients to feel safe and connected. She will also discuss how the regulation of nervous system responses contribute to therapeutic progress and healing.

 

Presentation Topics:

  • The role of Polyvagal Theory in clinical practice

  • Building connection and safety in therapeutic approaches

  • Integration of nervous system responses into therapy

Coffee Break
16.15 - 16.40

"A Neural Love Code: The body's need to engage and bond" with Dr. Porges and Dr. Carter
(Moderator Dr. Gomes)
16.40-18.30

Using the metaphor of the “Love Code,” this workshop invites us to explore the neural mechanisms that explain why and how we connect, fall in love, and gravitate toward trustworthy people. In this workshop, Dr. Carter and Dr. Porges will address our need for close relationships and social bonds; we will explore how certain characteristics in our social environment trigger neurophysiological systems that either scare and distance us or make us feel safe and allow us to form long-term close relationships. Moderated by Dr. Sonia Gomes, Dr. Carter and Dr. Porges will discuss how forming secure relationships and attachment are not just individual choices, but survival and adaptation mechanisms, with an experiential perspective from the perspective of Polyvagal Theory.

 

Presentation Topics:

  • The impact of Polyvagal Theory on attachment and relatedness

  • The impact of the social environment on neural and physiological systems

  • Biological and neurophysiological basis of attachment and love seeking

  • The impact of safe and long-term intimate relationships on emotional and physical health

Closure Speech
18.30-19.00

The event language is English and simultaneous translation into Turkish will be provided.

Face to Face:      6500 TL (VAT inc.) until March 1

CONFERENCE FEE

7500 TL (VAT inc) until April 1

There is limited availability for face to face participation.

Online Participation: 3900 TL (VAT inc.)

yüz yüze katılım 1 Nisan’a kadar 7500 TL (KDV dahil)

Contact:

drporgesbasvuru@gmail.com

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