Evidence-Based Guides, Nervous System Mapping, & Recovery Tools
Curated by Rachel Dean, MA, LPC-Associate under the supervision of Samara Orr, MA, LPC-S
When you are in a state of stress or dissociation, dense text can feel overwhelming. Use Stephen Porges' Polyvagal ladder below to identify what your nervous system is experiencing right now and access matching resources and grounding practices.
Internal Feeling: Grounded, calm, curious, present, capable of self-reflection, and emotionally connected to self and others.
Internal Feeling: Racing heart, tight jaw, panic, hyper-vigilance, emotional reactivity, or the frantic urge to appease others to avoid conflict.
Internal Feeling: Heavy, foggy, detached, "ghost-like," depersonalization, profound exhaustion, feeling frozen, or existential void.
Navigate emotional intensity, fear of abandonment, and identity struggles through Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Wise Mind practices.
Understand appeasement as an autonomic survival strategy in Complex PTSD, interoceptive dissociation, and somatic boundary repair.
Address the trauma of moral breach, soul wounds, systemic distress, and reclaiming integrity through ACT and Parts Work.
Deconstruct early attachment wounds, developmental trauma, and how historical family patterns manifest in adult nervous systems.
Unpack internal emotional implosion, invisible suffering, internalized anger, and somatic pathways to authentic expression.
Rebuild a coherent sense of self when chronic trauma, chameleon-like adaptations, and fragmentation leave you feeling hollow.
De-escalate fight-or-flight sympathetic arousal using body-based interoceptive exposure, vagal toning, and grounding practices.
Integrate rhythm stability, social rhythm therapy (IPSRT), and dialectical acceptance for severe mood oscillations.
Find meaning in the existential void without falling into forced optimism or bypass through Narrative Therapy and ACT.
A non-judgmental approach to understanding chronic suicidal ideation, building safety plans, and reducing crisis escalation.
Honor complex grief, quiet sadness, and emotional depth without being forced into toxic emotional compliance.
Moving beyond mere survival into genuine life vitality, psychological expansion, and values-aligned living after hardship.
Deconstruct intense emotional spikes, amygdala hijack, and learn evidence-based skills for emotional de-escalation.
A foundational guide to Stephen Porges' autonomic nervous system mapping, neuroception, and vagal brake activation.
Rachel Dean, MA, LPC-Associate
under the supervision of Samara Orr, MA, LPC-S
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