Polyvagal reflections of young people, devices, schools and Mental health

Cyber Synapse Podcast

This weeks episode is epic. The content is so, so full to the brim and will also be followed by a video that I will be putting on my YouTube channel to help explain the Polyvagal theory (PVT) discussed in this episode. Using both examples that we give. (everyone likes free resources right?)

You see Justin and I are #geeks about this PVT and I brought Justin on because he has his own podcast dedicated to this topic and is the only person I know that I could totally #nerd out with over it, as its the foundational premise of my cybertrauma theory. What does happen though is we get into all forms of applying this theory which I am predicting will hit the big time trends in 2019. There is a new star on the block and he is called Stephen Porges. (Only he has been around since the 90's and I have had the privilege of attending a number of his 2-3 day workshops a few years ago and now I am beginning to see this ripple hitting the media as we speak!)

Justin and I talk about how the PVT can assist in giving people a language to narrate what they already know and understand to be true within themselves, a language to converse with others, a language for teachers, staff and professionals to use with each other and young people.

Throughout the episode we refer to the Vagal #states and what these mean and how you can begin to understand children, young people and adults in terms of what they have learned to do based on the information that is fed to their brain to make sense of. (Point to note is the Vagal nerves are not responsible for the behaviours- this will be in my video to follow)

We talk about devices, computer games, mirror neurons and arousal states, energy levels, social media and how this has an effect on young peoples mental health and wellbeing.

Through the lens of Psychotherapy, PVT and Trauma we discuss what is happening for young people today, how this affects their mental health and how we can work with them, understand their digital world and education systems.

Around 2/3 of the way into the episode there is a shift into a deep discussion around self aware parenting with raw examples from Justin and I about what this is like and why our profession and PVT has helped inform us as parents and what this is actually like. This is IMO the best part of todays episode in terms of giving you a real insight into the theory and how it is applied IRL!!

Thanks for listening/watching and see you next time.

Rate, Subscribe and share on iTunes, YouTube and beyond- lets get this theory out there to the masses and help build a new lexicon, we deserve to be shame free human beings.