Let's dive into how to feel safe again after Childhood Trauma, aka CPTSD, Complex PTSD, using a somatic and polyvagal lens.
Learn the skills to Regulate your Emotions, join the membership: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/membership
Check out Dr. Schwartz' online course here- Strengthen Vagal Tone & Transform Trauma Through Somatic Practices & Spiritual Integration | Upcoming 6 month Immersion Course | Begins 11/11/25 : https://shiftnetwork.isrefer.com/go/rnshrEM/a27571/
Building Nervous system resilience- Free webinar: https://shiftnetwork.isrefer.com/go/nshrEM/a27571/
In this conversation, I talk with Dr. Arielle Schwartz about polyvagal theory and how it helps us understand trauma and rebuild a sense of safety. We dive into how the vagus nerve shapes our responses to safety and threat, and how complex PTSD from early developmental trauma impacts the nervous system. We also explore why social connection is a biological necessity and how co-regulation helps us heal.
Together, we look at the body’s tiered response to threat, simple practices to restore safety, and how combining narrative therapy with somatic tools can support recovery. We share practical strategies like using breath and posture to regulate your nervous system, and the importance of creating safe spaces where healing can happen. We wrap up with a hopeful perspective on neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to change—and how consistent small steps can open the door to real healing.
00:00:00 Dr. Arielle Schwartz on Trauma, Safety, and Recovery
00:01:31 Understanding Polyvagal Theory
00:08:14 Polyvagal Theory: The 3 Levels of Trauma Response
00:14:48 The Fawn Response in Trauma and CPTSD
00:16:36 How Submission Shows Up in Complex PTSD
00:19:08 What Really Counts as Trauma?
00:24:32 Completing the Trauma Response: Healing PTSD and CPTSD
00:26:56 Polyvagal Theory: Building Safety in the Body
00:31:24 Creating Safety in Your Environment After Trauma
00:35:34 How Safety Ripples Outward: The Power of Co-Regulation
00:38:46 Polyvagal Theory in Practice: Yoga, Meditation, Breathwork
00:45:49 Guided Seated Yoga to Restore Safety from PTSD
00:48:44 How Neuroplasticity Restores Safety after Trauma and CPTSD
00:54:30 Complex PTSD and the Need for Safe Relationships
00:57:02 Polyvagal Theory and Incremental Healing Practices
01:00:11 Where to Learn More: Polyvagal Theory and Trauma Healing
Looking for affordable online counseling? My sponsor, BetterHelp, connects you to a licensed professional from the comfort of your own home. Try it now for 10% off your first month: https://betterhelp.com/therapyinanutshell
FREE Mental Health Resources: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/free-resources
Check out my podcast, Therapy in a Nutshell: https://tinpodcast.podbean.com/
Therapy in a Nutshell and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health.
In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life's direction.
And deeper than all of that, the Gospel of Jesus Christ orients my personal worldview and sense of security, peace, hope, and love https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/believe
If you are in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ or 988 or your local emergency services.
Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC
Learn the skills to Regulate your Emotions, join the membership: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/membership
Check out Dr. Schwartz' online course here- Strengthen Vagal Tone & Transform Trauma Through Somatic Practices & Spiritual Integration | Upcoming 6 month Immersion Course | Begins 11/11/25 : https://shiftnetwork.isrefer.com/go/rnshrEM/a27571/
Building Nervous system resilience- Free webinar: https://shiftnetwork.isrefer.com/go/nshrEM/a27571/
In this conversation, I talk with Dr. Arielle Schwartz about polyvagal theory and how it helps us understand trauma and rebuild a sense of safety. We dive into how the vagus nerve shapes our responses to safety and threat, and how complex PTSD from early developmental trauma impacts the nervous system. We also explore why social connection is a biological necessity and how co-regulation helps us heal.
Together, we look at the body’s tiered response to threat, simple practices to restore safety, and how combining narrative therapy with somatic tools can support recovery. We share practical strategies like using breath and posture to regulate your nervous system, and the importance of creating safe spaces where healing can happen. We wrap up with a hopeful perspective on neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to change—and how consistent small steps can open the door to real healing.
00:00:00 Dr. Arielle Schwartz on Trauma, Safety, and Recovery
00:01:31 Understanding Polyvagal Theory
00:08:14 Polyvagal Theory: The 3 Levels of Trauma Response
00:14:48 The Fawn Response in Trauma and CPTSD
00:16:36 How Submission Shows Up in Complex PTSD
00:19:08 What Really Counts as Trauma?
00:24:32 Completing the Trauma Response: Healing PTSD and CPTSD
00:26:56 Polyvagal Theory: Building Safety in the Body
00:31:24 Creating Safety in Your Environment After Trauma
00:35:34 How Safety Ripples Outward: The Power of Co-Regulation
00:38:46 Polyvagal Theory in Practice: Yoga, Meditation, Breathwork
00:45:49 Guided Seated Yoga to Restore Safety from PTSD
00:48:44 How Neuroplasticity Restores Safety after Trauma and CPTSD
00:54:30 Complex PTSD and the Need for Safe Relationships
00:57:02 Polyvagal Theory and Incremental Healing Practices
01:00:11 Where to Learn More: Polyvagal Theory and Trauma Healing
Looking for affordable online counseling? My sponsor, BetterHelp, connects you to a licensed professional from the comfort of your own home. Try it now for 10% off your first month: https://betterhelp.com/therapyinanutshell
FREE Mental Health Resources: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/free-resources
Check out my podcast, Therapy in a Nutshell: https://tinpodcast.podbean.com/
Therapy in a Nutshell and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health.
In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life's direction.
And deeper than all of that, the Gospel of Jesus Christ orients my personal worldview and sense of security, peace, hope, and love https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/believe
If you are in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ or 988 or your local emergency services.
Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC