How the Polyvagal Theory Can Help You and Your Patients

Dr. Don discusses the numerous training events and methods he has been employing in the last few months in today’s episode. We also hear a clip from a recent Zoom call for doctors in London preparing for an upcoming seminar there.

Brandi joins in to discuss the added complications that the pandemic has caused in patient care and how to adapt to it. They also discuss the basics of polyvagal theory and briefly touch on the challenges practitioners face.

The three parts of the Polyvagal theory covered in this episode are the hierarchy of the nervous system, neuroception, and co-regulation.  They are very excited to be producing a 4-week program in the second quarter of 2023 with Dr. Stephen Porges on the clinical application of the polyvagal theory into Chiropractic practice.  

Key Takeaways:

• The overview of recent training events and methods. [1.00]
• Brandi discusses the polyvagal theory and the problems that arise from being bombarded with too much information. [2:55]
• Creating an effective and semantically sound communication method for training. [4:00]
• Challenges faced by polyvagal practitioners. [5:36]
• The salutogenic process of chiropractic. [6:25]
• Getting to grips with the polyvagal process and overcoming preconceived notions of healing and pain. [7:00]
• Understanding what a patient’s physiology is telling you and them. [9:20]
• Why Brandi and Don came to the polyvagal theory. [10:40]
• How the pandemic has influenced assessing patients’ trauma and pain. [11:30]
• Understanding the effects of worldwide trauma. [13:00]
• Focusing on chiropractors and their lives. [14:50]
• Your responsibility to self-care. [15:30]
• Decoding how patients have changed through COVID and learning to communicate again. [17:00]
• Your responsibility as a practitioner is to accept your patient’s trauma. [18:45]
• How using the correct language will deepen your communication and connection with patients. [19:15]
• The main concepts of the polyvagal theory. [20:00]
• Understanding safety. [23:00]
• How the nervous systems of children are different. [28:00]

To join Dr. Don and Brandi Macdonald's monthly mentoring group called "The Informed Chiropractor," click below.

https://www.thevitalityshift.com/the-informed-chiropractor 

To Join Dr. Don and Brandi in San Fransico on January 14th for the Emergence one-day workshop, click below.

https://www.thevitalityshift.com/offers/S4oB5dNd 

To Join Dr. Don and Brandi in Montreal on Saturday, March 11th, for "The MacDonald Safety Corridor Protocol" hands-on workshop, click below

https://www.thevitalityshift.com/offers/FoayJsda