Resource Review: Polyvagal Theory
Polyvagal theory: freedom from anxiety, trauma, and depression through the vagus nerve, is written by Bryan Miller. This book takes a deep dive into science and research in the impact of the vagus nerve on anxiety, trauma and physical health concerns.
The basic premise of the research on polyvagal theory focuses on the concept of the vagus nerve, which connects to the safety circuits of the brain and travels into the body through several different major body systems. The writer outlines the significance of the nervous system connection as it impacts the physical concerns that occur in high correlation with trauma and anxiety disorders.
Pros:
This book is a thorough exploration on the literature on the body and brain connections related to trauma and the body and physiological concerns and diseases that are correlated with trauma and anxiety. For those familiar with the ACES study, the explanation of nervous system responses and connection to multiple systems in the body may offer a more clear explanation of the trends found in that research.
The author does note some user friendly interventions and behavioral changes that the reader can incorporate to address the concerns noted in the research through aiding or healing the polyvagal nerve.
For those struggling with specific disorders or chronic health conditions, there are thorough and specific explanations of the impact of the vagus nerve on diseases/ medical concerns like epilepsy, gastrointestinal diseases, cardiovascular concerns and more.
Cons:
For audiobook listeners, the density of the scientific references, the frequency of articles cited and the heavy use of technical terms makes the narrative somewhat challenging to fully retain fully in an auditory fashion. (It was a challenging listen for me personally anyways.) There was also what appeared to be a technical issue with the audiobook as many of the chapters played out of order, making it even more challenging to listen to. This may just not be the most audiobook friendly of resources
The density of the research presented may not be applicable or appealing to all readers.
For individuals hoping to promote self growth:
This book reads like a science textbook, so it is important to know what you are getting into. If you are looking for a lighthearted or human story of overcoming trauma and learning skills through connecting with the story of another person, this is not the book for you. If you are looking for a research dense synopsis of the body of research surrounding the body brain connection surrounding the vagus nerve, this is a great starting point.
Due to the density of the research and scientific word choice by the author, this likely would not be a resource that I would suggest to the average client. An alternative, one more user friendly resource that summarizes polyvagal theory in a more concise manner is this video on the connection of polyvagal theory and common trauma responses.
For therapist and other professional:
This book truly is a thorough and thoughtful culmination of the research on the connection between the mental health concerns and bodily ailments through the vagus nerve. For professionals that serve a population with high rates of trauma, anxiety and depression with co-occurring physical health concerns the manner in which the information is laid out and presented could be a great way to increase professional knowledge and psych-education for the client population.
Final thoughts:
This is one of the more thorough analyses of the connection between trauma, anxiety and depression and physiological concerns. For the right reader, this book may serve as a highly beneficial resource; however, it may not be the right resource of means of learning this information for everyone.
Interested in reading Polyvagal Theory: freedom from anxiety, trauma, and depression through the vagus nerve? Click here for purchase options.
(Links are included for convenience to readers. No benefit or compensation is received by Salyer Counseling Group)
If you want to take the next step in your trauma therapy, anxiety therapy or depression therapy journey, we would love to connect with you. Our team of therapists is ready to help serve you both in person at our Arlington, TX based counseling group or online through our online therapy services.
