Polyvagal Theory & Mental Health Series: Autonomic Hierarchy  

Article written by Denver Therapist, Meghan Stetson

In our Polyvagal Theory (PVT) & Mental Health series, we’ve found some common ground. As humans, our systems operate best when we feel safe.  

Our nervous system, through neuroception (sensing), always scans for danger.

Read More: “Polyvagal Theory & Mental Health Series: A General Overview

It looks for safety in ourselves, our relationships, and our environment.  

We’ve also learned the Vagus Nerve is our “major mind-body highway.” It carries signals throughout our entire system.   

In our last post, we shared the need for healthy co-regulation and interdependent relationships for whole health.   

This article will explore the three states of the nervous system. Polyvagal theory calls them our Autonomic Hierarchy.

We are always flowing between these states. The three states are: ventral vagal state, sympathetic state, and dorsal vagal state.   

A Review of Polyvagal Theory  

Dr. Porges developed Polyvagal theory and brought to the mental health field by Deb Dana the theory focuses on our movement through three states throughout the day.

It’s like going up and down a ladder of our Vagus nerve. This helps us regulate emotions, connect socially, and respond to fear.   

According to Polyvagal Theory there are a number of responses that our nervous system takes us through on any given day.

We cycle through these shifts based on danger or safety signals from our environment.

This awareness of our surroundings is called neuroception. It includes our situation, other people, and what we see.

Neuroception is our subconcious way of assessing safety and danger through sensing cues in our environment.  

Polyvagal Pathways  

Polyvagal Theory breaks down the parasympathetic nervous system – again, hosted by the Vagus Nerve – into two different pathways. Two vagal pathways = poly-vagal.  

This is where we can understand more clearly why Polyvagal Theory is called what it is – “poly” or two, vagal pathways up and down.   

In more familiar terms, the two hierarchies are the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems.

They are part of a pathway. In the “rest & digest” state, the parasympathetic nervous system, hosted by the Vagus Nerve, is active. and “fight or flight” (sympathetic nervous system, via the spinal cord) fairly frequently.   

Three States of Autonomic Hierarchy 

Read More: “Polyvagal Theory & Mental Health Series: Co-Regulation in a Hyper-Independent World”

Ventral Vagal State(Parasympathetic; Social Engagement/Connection)

This is when we are in a “social engagement” state our social engagement system is activated.  When this is the case, socializing and connecting with others feels enjoyable and easeful.  

We have full breaths, a regulated heartbeat, and our bodies feel at our most relaxed.  

We are at our best state of wellbeing here. It is relative to our own uniqueness, not a set standard.

We can meet and face challenges or obstacles that align with the resources available to us, and stay mostly in this state.  

Here, we can see the big picture of life and hold our challenges in balance.  

Sympathetic State: (Mobilization; Fight or Flight)

We enter mobilization when our system senses danger in the environment. It happens if our resources cannot overcome it, or if it reminds us of times in the past we were not safe or not able to overcome.

Our system prepares us for action.

Evolutionarily, think: seeing a tiger in the environment and needing to run away.

Modern day stressors activate this same pathway, even if it is not literally a life or death situation. 

In this state, our heart rates speed up and breathing becomes shallow.  

We may see others as threats. This may trigger our attachment system to withdraw or rush toward them to feel safe.  

The world feels like an unsafe place here.  

Dorsal Vagal (Parasympathetic; Disconnection/Collapse)

We enter this pathway when our system gets stuck in mobilization. It tries to resolve its perception of being unsafe. But, after a while, it “collapses.”  

We have shut down and dissociated to protect ourselves. Our systems are in a conservation mode. In nature, we witness this in animals when they “fake death” as a last resort to escape a predator.  

If we are in this state for long enough, we can begin to experience things like chronic fatigue, digestion issues, and a sense of “not being.”  

This is the space of hopelessness and despair.  

Moving Through the Autonomic Hierarchy: Fluidity & Vagal Tone  

Long periods of being stuck in fight/flight or disconnection can harm our mental health and well-being.  

On the flip side, it is unrealistic to stay in connection forever. It would require both consciously and unconsciously bypassing moments of challenge.  

This is truly biologically impossible.   

However, our goal is not to achieve one state forever, but to be able to move fluidly up and down this autonomic ladder in response to life.  

This requires a Vagus Nerve that is well-toned, just like a muscle can be well-toned. The term “vagal toning” refers to toning the Vagus Nerve. It helps us move fluidly between nervous system states.   

How to Apply Polyvagal Theory To Your Life  

Applying PVT begins with building awareness of which state you are in.

Learning these autonomic states and identifying your current state can help your mental health and well-being.  

The way we perceive our environment, others, ourselves, depends in large part upon which nervous state we are in. 

Read More: “Understanding Polyvagal Theory: How Neuroception Impacts Mental Well-Being”

When we slow down and label our autonomic state, this is when we can begin to separate story from state. Let’s look at how this can be helpful for mental health.  

When your neuroceptive system detects danger, your system will activate.

Your mind will rush to make sense of the sensations from your nervous system’s activation.  

Your system may activate due to real, impending danger, and it may also activate due to your trauma history, with no danger now.  

An automatic response to this is for your mind to make meaning of the sensations it is picking up. At this point, we can write stories and novels in our minds.  

This deepens our sensations and keeps us in the state longer. It also convinces us that it is all true to reality.  

When you slow down and check which state your nervous system is in, you can start to see a pattern.

Your mind tries to make sense of your feelings based on that state.  

You can add in a moment to check your surroundings for any present-moment signs of danger in this example, and then you can move on.  

Eventually, you’ll be able to choose to not feed the story that your mind has jumped to in that moment. Instead, you can opt for a calming exercise like Personal Autonomic Mapping (see below). 

PVT Practice: Personal Autonomic Mapping 

Developed by Deb Dana, the Personal Autonomic Mapping guides you in charting your own autonomic ladder.  

Here’s how to apply this exercise:  

Grab a piece of paper or use an app on your computer/phone.  

Create three sections where you will track Ventral Vagal, Sympathetic, Dorsal Vagal.  

In each section, create a label for the following signals:  

1. Thoughts/stories/narratives  

1. Emotions  

1. Physical sensations/body cues  

1. How you show up to and experience relationships  

1. “I am _____.”  

1. “The world is _____.”  

1. Any other label(s) that you know are important to you – it could be pain level, illness flares, relationship to food, relationship to social media, relationship to alcohol/other substance, or something else  

Before you begin mapping, identify a grounding resource. This is in case touching into any state is triggering for you.  

This could be tapping, breathwork, sitting back and putting your hand on your heart, a pet, imagining an ally, holding an ice cube, or something else.  

Now you will gently touch into each state inside of yourself and you will fill out each category for that state.  

Please note that for Sympathetic & Dorsal Vagal you really only want to feel into each state at about a 3/10. Don’t go all the way.  

Begin with Sympathetic (mobilization/fight or flight) – call to mind a recent time when you felt you were in this state. Sit with that for 1-2 minutes, and then feel into each category.  

Then move to Dorsal Vagal (disconnection/shutdown) – call to mind a recent time when you felt in this state. Sit with that for 1-2 minutes, and then feel into each category.  

Finish your mapping with Ventral Vagal.

Please, go ALL the way into this state – go to a 10/10 if that feels accessible to you.

Imagine a time you felt this sense of ease and flow inside of yourself.

Sit with that for as long as you would like to, and then feel into each category.  

Now you have your autonomic map!  

See what you continue to notice in your day-to-day life that you can add or edit in each state. See what happens for you when you begin to track your own state throughout a given day.   

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Denver Therapist, Meghan Stetson

Meghan Stetson is a mindfulness-based transpersonal therapist who uses mind-body trauma-informed approaches to help her clients find acceptance and relief from mental pain.

In addition to her training through Naropa University, Meghan is trained in Polyvagal theory and teaches Polyvagal informed practices to both her clients and other therapists to help them support their clients.

As an athlete and person who lives with chronic health challenges, Meghan provides a balanced approach of fun and compassion in her work with people who suffer with chronic pain, chronic illness, trauma, anxiety, and depression.

Meghan also works with survivors of cult experiences. To learn more from Meghan, check her out on our website or through her instagram profile @meghanstetson