LibGuides: PSY679A: Week 1 Resources

Week 1 Required Resources

Textbook

Your course textbook can be accessed via the DART link in the Getting Started module.

Dana, D. (2018). The Polyvagal Theory in therapy: Engaging the rhythm of regulation. W. W. Norton & Co. ISBN: 0393712370

Chapters 1,2,3

Fisher, J. (2021). Transforming the living legacy of trauma: A workbook for survivors and therapists. PESI Publishing.

Chapters (13-19 pages), Chapter 2 (21-30 pages)

Videos

Trauma and the Nervous system: A Polyvagal Perspective

A basic introduction and overview of how trauma and chronic stress affects our nervous system and how those effects impact our health and well-being based on the groundbreaking work of Stephen Porges and his Polyvagal Theory and inspired and informed by the work of thought leaders Deb Dana, Vincent Felitti, Robert Anda, Gabor Mate, Dan Siegel, and Peter Levine.

Understanding Polyvagal Theory: Emotion, Attachment and Self-Regulation
Understanding Polyvagal Theory: Emotion, Attachment and Self-Regulation. (2012). Psychotherapy Networker.
Enhance your ability to create safety and work with traumatized client by learning “How the Social Engagement System Compliments the Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Nervous System, Polyvagal Theory, and Trauma Treatment.”

Week 1 Optional Resources

Polyvagal Theory: A Science of Safety
Porges, S. W. (2022). Polyvagal theory: A science of safety. Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience, 16, 871227–871227. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2022.871227
Polyvagal theory provides an innovative scientific perspective to study feelings of safety that incorporates an understanding of neuroanatomy and neurophysiology. This perspective identifies neural circuits that downregulate neural regulation of threat reactions and functionally neutralize defensive strategies via neural circuits communicating cues of safety that enable feelings of safety to support interpersonal accessibility and homeostatic functions.
The Brain is Adaptive not Triune: How the Brain Responds to Threat, Challenge, and Change
Steffen, P. R., Hedges, D., & Matheson, R. (2022). The brain is adaptive not triune: How the brain responds to threat, challenge, and change. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13, 802606–802606. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.802606
• From the perspective of the triune-brain theory, these three brain regions evolved separately and function somewhat independently: the basal ganglia and brain stem are involved in movement and basic life functions, the limbic system is involved in emotional responses that are seen more prominently in mammals as compared to reptiles, and the cortex is involved in cognition and executive functions and is most prominent in humans.
The Triune Brain in Evolution: Role in Paleocerebral Functions
Maclean, P. (1990). The triune brain in evolution: Role in paleocerebral functions. Plenum Press.
The studies of neuroscience, based on the classical well-known triune brain proposed by Dr. Paul MacLean around 1960, estimate that in the human brain resides the genealogical tree of the species as a result of the evolution of millions of years starting from the brain structure of the reptiles. This involves the well-known three levels of the reptilian brain (intinction), the limbic brain (emotions), and the neocortex brain (rationality). Like biological evolution, it is also possible to consider a spiritual evolution through different kingdoms of nature. The neuroscientists say that modern man has developed only one-third of his brain capacity. According to this background, the main point of this study is to postulate during the next millennia the development of improved neocortex II or “intuitional brain” with neural networks prevailing human noble qualities and subtle essential unity among beings.

The following two books are optional resources. They are recommended (but not required) to be added to your resource library for future reference.

Feldman- Barrett, l. (2017). How emotions are made, the secret life of the brain. Macmillan. 

A new theory of how the brain constructs emotions could revolutionize psychology, health care, law enforcement, and our understanding of the human mind.

Porges, S. (2011). The Polyvagal theory: Neurophysiological foundations of emotions. W.W. Norton Company 

The Polyvagal Theory gives a thorough overview of Stephen Porges’ research and theoretical contribution to science.