Contemporary strategies for health and wellbeing fail our biological needs by not acknowledging that feelings of safety emerge from internal physiological states regulated by the autonomic nervous system. By respecting our need to feel safe as a biological response, we respect our phylogenetic heritage and elevate sociality as a neuromodulator that functionally provides the scientific validation for a societal focus on promoting opportunities to experience feelings of safety and co-regulation. Polivagal theory explains how experiences of adversity may retune our nervous system to respond to friends, caregivers, and teachers as if they were enemies. Moreover, the theory explains how signals of safety reverse these challenges by optimizing autonomic state to promote homeostatic processes that support health, growth, restoration, resilience, and sociality.

 

Presentation Topics:

• The biological and phylogenetic nature of the feeling of safety in our autonomic nervous system

• The role of connection, co-regulation, and social bonds on individuals and society

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

• The effect of signals of safety on restoring internal balance, promoting healing, resilience, and health

• The role of feeling safe as a regulator of societal systems