In this episode, we go behind the scenes of this year’s annual American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) meeting and interview Dr. Mary Moller on a presentation she will be jointly delivering with Dr. Kate Wheeler, titled “A Third Nervous System? Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!” We discuss how to incorporate the polyvagal theory of trauma into practice and how to effectively treat patients who have experienced trauma. Learn how a better understanding of the way the mammalian nervous system has evolved, may empower patients to transition from a more primitive freezing response, to becoming more active and socially engaged, thus resulting in enhanced healing.

Dr. Mary D. Moller, DNP, ARNP, PMHCNS-BC, CPRP, FAAN is an advanced registered nurse practitioner who is dually certified as a clinical specialist in adult psychiatric-mental health nursing and a psychiatric rehabilitation practitioner. She is an Associate Professor at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, WA where she is Lead Faculty for the Undergraduate Psychiatric Nursing Program and coordinator for the development of a Doctor of Nursing Practice program for psychiatric-mental health nursing. She is also the Director of Psychiatric Services for Northwest Center for Integrated Health in Tacoma, WA where she is in practice as a psychiatric ARNP treating patients in a triple integration agency: substance abuse, mental illness, and primary care.

Resources: Book by Stephen W. Porges: “Clinical Applications of the Polyvagal Theory: The Emergence of Polyvagal Therapies”: https://www.amazon.com/Clinical-Applications-Polyvagal-Theory-Polyvagal-Informed/dp/1324000503/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=Stephen+Porges&qid=1570048266&sr=8-5 

“The Pocket Guide to the Polyvagal Theory: The Transformative Power of Feeling Safe”: https://www.amazon.com/Pocket-Guide-Polyvagal-Theory-Transformative/dp/0393707873/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=Stephen+Porges&qid=1570048328&sr=8-3

Application of polyvagal theory in therapy: “The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy” by Deb Dana: https://www.amazon.com/Polyvagal-Theory-Therapy-Interpersonal-Neurobiology/dp/0393712370/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=Stephen+Porges&qid=1570048328&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzVlhPQUM4SkpSUDBCJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMTc4MTU2MVBWUDJIWUNCSFNTMyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwODk5Nzk2MVVFR1FNVDJUM0tUUiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU= 

Books by Joseph LeDoux: “Anxious” https://www.amazon.com/Anxious-Using-Brain-Understand-Anxiety/dp/0143109049/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=joseph+ledoux&qid=1570048552&sr=8-2