A Journey from Objectivity to Subjectivity in the Context of Polyvagal Theory
Organizer: Esra Canpolat
The contemporary psychotherapy approaches whose efforts are as jointly directed towards a better understanding of human’s thoughts, emotions, behavior and bodily reactions tend to integrate the various brain and nervous system studies into psychotherapy. One of these theoretical and clinical studies that have been carring out for the purpose of legitimating clinical interventions and improving the understanding toward human’s psychological structure and regulation system is polyvagal theory by Stephan Porges. Polyvagal theory that is a nervous system related and so- cial engagement theory based theory explains neurophysiological patterns of regulation and expression of emotional and social behavior to make sense how their nervous system shapes people’s experiences, but also gives them a concrete explanation to reshape those experiences toward safety and connection in therapy. Even polyvagal theory charts an objective path for understanding human experiences in the clinical field, at the same time, every experience is related to subjectivity of human and also intersubjectivity. Especially working with polyvagal theory in therapy room, is like going through a funnel. The general information given at the beginning about the nervous system pass- es through the client’s subjectivity and is experienced by client in his/her own subjectivity while therapy progresses. This process is a funnel journey from objectivity to subjectivity. In this panel, the social engagement theory that is a ground for polyvagal theory, polyvagal theory that is neurophysiological approach to human regulation skills, subjec- tivity in polyvagal theory and polyvagal in practice with a case will be discussed.
Keywords: polyvagal theory, social engagement theory, human regulation skills, subjectivity
Polyvagal Theory In Practice: Illustrated narration via a case
Esra Canpolat / Master Student in Clinical Psychology, Uskudar University, Turkey
Psychotherapy Institute, Turkey esraccanpolat@gmail.com
Recent studies on the nervous system, in addition to the sympathetic and parasympathetic system via the vagus nerve, describe a ventral vagal system that is associated with the parasympathetic system, activated by the social engagement system and affecting body functions above the diaphragm. In this system, Porges identifies a third type of nervous system response based on the social engagement system. While closure, freezing, fainting, immobility, dissociation responses occur through the dorsal branch of the vagus nerve, and mobility, fight-and-flight responses occur through the sympathetic system, feeling and experiencing the environment safely occurs through the social engagement system, that is, the ventral branch of the vagus nerve. Considering all these developments in the ner- vous system, an important point that should not be missed: Although there are similarities in the nervous system structures of people, each individual experiences their own experiences in their own way. Each person unconsciously catches social cues and then uses these cues to shape the way they react to or perceive others, but how they catch these cues is up to the subjectivity of the people. Similarly, in essence, what makes people empathize and feel next to each other is the synchronization of each other’s nervous systems. While this structure, called co-regulation, is the ul- timate tool for each individual to form a strong connection, knowing how to use and experiencing this system differs from person to person. Clinical practices of polyvagal theory should highlight the importance of one’s subjectivity. In this panel discussion, the polyvagal theory will be explained through the painting drawn by a client who was exposed to emotional and sexual trauma in her childhood.
Keywords: polyvagal theory, case report, nervous system, illustrated narration
Neurophysiological Approach to Human Regulation Skills: Polyvagal Theory
Habibe Aykan / Family Counselor, Psychotherapist Psychotherapy Institute, Turkey terapistaykan@gmail.com
People are focused on the desire to understand the reason for their behavior. Polyvagal theory provides therapists with a framework for assessing why their clients behave in a certain way. According to the polyvagal theory, behaviors are created by the autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system is the neuronal platform that under- lies every experience. Experiences are based on this platform. According to the working principles of the autonomic nervous system, every reaction is an act that render service to survive. Before the brain can make sense of an event, the autonomic nervous system evaluates the environment and initiates an adaptive survival response. How we be- have in life – to withdraw, to orient, sometimes to connect, sometimes to isolate – is guided by the autonomic ner- vous system. In order to provide this guidance, the autonomic nervous system looks for safety/danger signals from the environment. It learns to recognize safety or danger signals through life experiences of human. One of the basic requirements for the survival of the organism is also safety. The autonomic nervous system needs to move towards trusting relationships and connections where safety will be established. The polyvagal theory states that a sense of safety can be achieved through co-regulation in trusting relationships. This co-regulation function is defined as a bi- ological imperative. In every relationship, autonomic nervous system learns something new about the world via every new experience. Although every person has an autonomic nervous system, the survival responses of the autonomic nervous system are subjective. In this study, the journey of polyvagal theory, which is a neurophysiological approach to human regulation skills, from objectivity to subjectivity will be discussed. Subjective autonomous regulation for- mulation guide will be presented on the basis of the framework for understanding human behavior that the polyvagal theory offers to therapists.
Keywords: Polyvagal theory, subjectivity, autonomic nervous system, co-regulation
Social Engagement System on the Ground of Polyvagal Theory
Aslıhan Beyza Odabaş / Psychotherapist Psychotherapy Institute, Turkey aslihan.beyza@gmail.com
Human life is based on choices. Each choice takes its source from the records that are sealed in the body with emo- tions such as joy, sadness, fear and anxiety. According to the Polyvagal Theory, these preferences turn into behavior by traveling on the Autonomic Nervous System. The Autonomic Nervous System is divided into three in its most basic form. Parasympathetic Ventral Vagal tract. Sympathetic Nervous System and Dorsal Vagal tract. Since every healthy person is born with the same autonomous system as creation, if it is considered how this subjectivity that emerges with different preferences and behavior patterns can be explained, Polyvagal Theory explains this question with the Social Engagement System. The Social Engagement System is activated on the Ventral Vagal pathway and both searches for safety clues in the environment and sends these clues to other people through tone of voice, facial expressions, hand-arm gestures in order to reveal behaviors that are more compatible with social life. If it is consid- ered as a surveillance system, thanks to the feedback received here, people feel the need to connect because they are safe or to stay alert because they are in danger. In the absence of a functioning vagus nerve, social behavior will be compromised, and instead more primitive defensive and sends these clues to other people through tone of voice, facial expressions, hand-arm gestures in order to reveal behaviors that are more compatible with social life. If it is considered as a surveillance system, thanks to the feedback received here, people feel the need to connect because they are safe or to stay alert because they are in danger. In the absence of a functioning vagus nerve. social behavior will be compromised, and instead more primitive defensive strategies such as fight-or-flight and freeze will come into play. There are many different alternatives as which stimuli from the environment are safe and which stimuli are dangerous will be shaped according to the family, environment, culture and time in which the person grew up. In this study, the relationship between the Social Engagement System and subjectivity will be examined by making a literature review.
Keywords: Polyvagal theory, autonomic nervous system, social engagement system, subjectivity
Subjectivity In The Line With Polyvagal Theory
Ayse Ozata / Psychologist Psychotherapy Institute, Turkey ayseozata@outlook.com
The concept of subjectivity describes each person’s separation of their own existence from the world they live in, eval- uating the world with their own individuality and not reacting. In other words, it enables a person to separate himself from the world in which he has his own existence and transform it into the world that belongs to him (Sayman, 2015, p.41-44). Özakkaş (2018), “The human being is an entity that is so subjective that it can never be like any other.’’ He draws attention to the concept of ‘subjectivity of the individual’ by saying (p.13) that ‘’Every movement, action, that is, his thought, emotion, behavior and physiological reactions are instantaneous and can never be repeated again.’’ This situation reveals the existence of the subjectivity of the therapist, the subjectivity of the client and the intersub- jective relationship between the two in psychotherapy practices. Examining psychotherapy theories and case studies throughout the history of psychology, it is seen that the concept of subjectivity has been handled in different ways. In the current literature, it is seen that different sources of subjectivity are mentioned (Sayman, 2015, p.41-44). The Poly- vagal theory put forward by Dr. Stephen Porges also explains the reason why individuals’ emotions, behaviors and sub- jective responses vary in different situations. The polyvagal theory is important in terms of explaining the deterministic structure of some clinical findings such as somatic experience, emotion regulation, trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which differs in each individual, and how intense stress can cause dissociative or freezing reactions, and to explain issues such as reading body language. . The polyvagal theory helps to reveal how new therapeutic meth- ods work (such as dance and movement therapy, MBSR, MBCT) where the social nervous system can be activated by simple, rhythmic movements when the body does not feel safe in therapy rooms. It helps to explain how a person can develop anger and freezing reactions when he has negative experiences, and how calm and cheerful tones cause relaxation. In addition, activities that support the social nervous system such as yoga, dance and meditation seem to support coping with negative experiences and increasing psychological resilience. However, it is thought that the Polyvagal theory can help to cope with a subjective experience such as trauma (Havuş, 2020:79-83). In this study, the concept of subjectivity, its relations with the subjects studied in the psychotherapy room and the contribution of the concept to field applications within the scope of Polyvagal theory will be discussed.
Keywords: Polyvagal theory, subjectivity, psychotherapy, nervous system