EP 17: Deb Dana and the Science of Safety

"[I call polyvagal theory] the science of feeling safe enough to fall in love with life and take the risk of living."

I can't talk about therapy without talking about how important safety is. And I can't talk about safety without talking about polyvagal theory. And I can't talk about polyvagal theory without talking about two names, and one of those is Deb Dana. While others have outlined the steps and stages of safety, Deb's mission is to operationalize safety so that we therapists can use it in practical ways to help our clients. 

In this podcast we talk about:

• How much of mental illness is simply a nervous system which lacks a sense of safety
• The ladder of response and why we can't respond when we don't feel safe
• Innate cues for safety and threat

and more. 

Learn more about Deb Dana here. Also, search her books on Amazon

PS: If you enjoyed this you should check out my episode on how to become a better therapist. It's full of actionable tips. 

Listen HERE on iTunes, Here on YouTube or search Behind the Mirror on Podcast Addict (for androids)