Active Pause

Stephen W. Porges, PhD, is a professor of psychiatry and the director of the Brain-Body Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He is a former president of the Society for Psychological Research and also the Federation of Behavioral, Psychological, and Cognitive Sciences.  He is a former recipient of a National Institute of Mental Health Research Scientist Development Award.  He has published more than 200 peer-reviewed scientific papers across several disciplines including anesthesiology, critical care medicine, ergonomics, exercise physiology, gerontology, neurology, obstetrics, pediatrics, psychiatry, psychology, space medicine, and substance abuse.   His research has been cited in several thousand peer-reviewed articles and has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health since 1975. In 1994 he proposed the Polyvagal Theory, a theory that links the evolution of the vertebrate autonomic nervous system to the emergence of social behavior.  The Polyvagal Theory provides a theoretical perspective to study and to treat stress and trauma. See: StephenPorges.com.

November 2011. See: Printable PDF transcript. 

See other conversation with Stephen Porges about mindfulness & co-regulation.

Note: A reprint of this interview constitutes Chapter 7 of a recent book by Stephen Porges, The Pocket Guide to The Polyvagal Theory: The Transformative Power of Feeling Safe.

Stephen W. Porges, PhD, is a professor of psychiatry and the director of the Brain-Body Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He is a former president of the Society for Psychological Research and also the Federation of Behavioral, Psychological, and Cognitive Sciences.  He is a former recipient of a National Institute of Mental Health Research Scientist Development Award.  He has published more than 200 peer-reviewed scientific papers across several disciplines including anesthesiology, critical care medicine, ergonomics, exercise physiology, gerontology, neurology, obstetrics, pediatrics, psychiatry, psychology, space medicine, and substance abuse.   His research has been cited in several thousand peer-reviewed articles and has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health since 1975. In 1994 he proposed the Polyvagal Theory, a theory that links the evolution of the vertebrate autonomic nervous system to the emergence of social behavior.  The Polyvagal Theory provides a theoretical perspective to study and to treat stress and trauma. See: StephenPorges.com.

November 2011. See: Printable PDF transcript. 

See other conversation with Stephen Porges about mindfulness & co-regulation.

Note: A reprint of this interview constitutes Chapter 7 of a recent book by Stephen Porges, The Pocket Guide to The Polyvagal Theory: The Transformative Power of Feeling Safe.

“I live and work on the west coast of Vancouver Island where I have had a private trauma psychotherapy practice for 10 years. Much of my current clinical work is with early developmental trauma and attachment and I work as a counselor educator with both the SE Trauma Institute and the University of Victoria.

“I have been blessed to work in a number of First Nations communities and have been taught how communities survive multi-generational trauma, the importance of spirituality in healing, and the overlap between SE and some traditional ways of healing. This experience informs and affects my work with both First Nations and non-First Nations people.

“I work from a body-oriented perspective, incorporating SE, movement, touch and touch awareness.

“I also work and play with a fabulous team of SE-affiliated people, surf, build parts of my house with my husband and play, play, play with my young son.”

Published October 2011.

“I live and work on the west coast of Vancouver Island where I have had a private trauma psychotherapy practice for 10 years. Much of my current clinical work is with early developmental trauma and attachment and I work as a counselor educator with both the SE Trauma Institute and the University of Victoria.

“I have been blessed to work in a number of First Nations communities and have been taught how communities survive multi-generational trauma, the importance of spirituality in healing, and the overlap between SE and some traditional ways of healing. This experience informs and affects my work with both First Nations and non-First Nations people.

“I work from a body-oriented perspective, incorporating SE, movement, touch and touch awareness.

“I also work and play with a fabulous team of SE-affiliated people, surf, build parts of my house with my husband and play, play, play with my young son.”

Published October 2011.

Garet Bedrosian says: “My life’s path has been motivated by curiosity and a desire to know the world around me at a deeper level.  I sensed energy and knew there was more which was evidenced in always wanting to know the “why” of things; therefore I’ve dedicated much of my life to self-exploration and following my wonder about people, relationships, and diverse cultures. I believe the mind and body are inextricably linked.  in more than 30 years of psychotherapy experience I have trained in Bioenergetic Analysis, Expressive Arts Therapy, Imago Couples Therapy, EMDR, and Addictions.  I am currently the Executive Director of the Southern California Institute for Bioenergetic Analysis as well as a faculty in the Certification Program. I am also a member of a Playback Improvisational theater group, I dance and practice yoga, so being alive and energetic is a personal commitment for me.” See: GaretBedrosian.com.

Published October 2011. See: Printable PDF transcript.

Garet Bedrosian says: “My life’s path has been motivated by curiosity and a desire to know the world around me at a deeper level.  I sensed energy and knew there was more which was evidenced in always wanting to know the “why” of things; therefore I’ve dedicated much of my life to self-exploration and following my wonder about people, relationships, and diverse cultures. I believe the mind and body are inextricably linked.  in more than 30 years of psychotherapy experience I have trained in Bioenergetic Analysis, Expressive Arts Therapy, Imago Couples Therapy, EMDR, and Addictions.  I am currently the Executive Director of the Southern California Institute for Bioenergetic Analysis as well as a faculty in the Certification Program. I am also a member of a Playback Improvisational theater group, I dance and practice yoga, so being alive and energetic is a personal commitment for me.” See: GaretBedrosian.com.

Published October 2011. See: Printable PDF transcript.