The vagus nerve sends information from the gut to the brain, which is linked to dealing with stress, anxiety, and fear–hence the saying, 'gut feeling'. These signals help a person to recover from stressful and scary situations. The word ‘vagus’ comes from Latin and means wandering, describing the way this nerve wanders through the body, connecting the brain stem to organs and cells, allowing communication to flow.
According to Stephen Porges, Polyvagal Theory, the vagus nerve has different responses to threat that have evolved over time. The ventral vagal state is where we can heal through social connection, this is where we land when we are feeling safe.
When we encounter a traumatic event, we will enter a fight or flight response, our Vagus nerve serves to protect us and we enter a sympathetic nervous system state. This is where we get defensive or aggressive.
If we don’t succeed in feeling safe from our efforts to fight or flee, we enter a complete shutdown response. Fight, Flight, Freeze or Fawn. This is the dorsal vagal state, here we are disassociated, and our defence is to try to please in order to avoid conflict.
All these states are valid survival responses to perceived threat, however healing and restoration cannot occur in these sympathetic states.
EFT Tapping not only works at a vagal level letting our nervous system know that we are safe, but the vagus nerve is stimulated through forming a trusting connection with a practitioner, from facial queues that signal safety to being witnessed and valued.
Improving your vagal tone means you will find emotional regulation, a greater connection with people, and better physical health as well. You are more resilient and able to pull yourself through trauma and troubles.
A healthy vagal tone will mean you are more likely to be happy and successful in life.
In one session we can begin to work on your most pressing issue and you will learn a valuable self help tool that can help tone your nervous system.
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