Beyond Fight or Flight: Paradigm Shift Through The Lens of Polyvagal Theory

In this Behavior Connect podcourse, we welcome back Jaqueline Jebian Garcia, a neurodivergent parent and Sensory Trained and Somatic Trauma-informed SLP, who is passionate about neurodiversity-affirming practice through polyvagal theory. We discuss polyvagal theory, reframing behavior, co-regulation, safety, and connection strategies. Jackie explains Stephen Porges’ polyvagal theory as emphasizing the autonomic nervous system and vagus nerve, describing a hierarchy of ventral vagal (social engagement), sympathetic (mobilization/fight-flight), and dorsal vagal (immobilization/shutdown), plus blended states. Key principles include hierarchy, neuroception (subconscious threat/safety detection), and co-regulation. Jackie discuss viewing children’s behaviors as adaptive survival responses shaped by environment, the role of implicit and explicit “polyvagal communication” (face, voice, prosody, posture), examples of co-regulation in real life and schools, and practical therapy-room strategies to foster felt safety so communication and learning are accessible.