Polyvagal Theory Therapy in Denver | Regulate Your Nervous System
Have you ever felt revved up with anxiety for no clear reason, or felt so overwhelmed you simply shut down? That experience of being hijacked by your emotions isn't a personal failing; it's your nervous system doing exactly what it was designed to do: protect you.
I’m Allie Evans, a Denver-area therapist, and I use Polyvagal Theory as a compassionate map to help clients understand their inner world. It provides a profound insight into why we feel the way we do and offers a gentle, effective path back to feeling safe, connected, and in control.
Developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, Polyvagal Theory explains that our nervous system has three primary states it can be in at any given time. Think of it like a ladder.
Top of the Ladder: Safe & Social (Ventral Vagal): This is where we thrive. We feel calm, connected, creative, and engaged with the world. Life feels manageable and hopeful.
Middle of the Ladder: Fight or Flight (Sympathetic): When our system detects a threat, it floods with anxious energy. We feel agitated, worried, or angry as our body prepares to face a challenge or run from danger.
Bottom of the Ladder: Shutdown or Freeze (Dorsal Vagal): When the threat feels too overwhelming, the system can slam on the brakes. This leads to feeling numb, disconnected, heavy, hopeless, or dissociated.
The problem isn't that we have these states—they are essential for survival. The problem arises when we get stuck in the middle or bottom of the ladder due to trauma, chronic stress, or anxiety. Life becomes a constant battle against our own biology.
A simple map to your nervous system
Polyvagal-informed therapy in Greenwood Village and Denver Metro area
The most empowering part of Polyvagal Theory is that regulating your nervous system is a learnable skill. My work as a Denver therapist isn't about fighting your anxiety or numbing your depression; it's about gently helping your nervous system find its way back to the top of the ladder—back to safety.
Using creative, collaborative techniques, we work to:
Understand the unique language of your nervous system.
Gently discharge trapped survival energy from your body.
Increase your capacity to stay in the Safe & Social state, even when life is challenging.
This approach elegantly works on your feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations all at once, offering profound relief from anxiety, trauma, and overwhelming emotions.
Start therapy and learn more about Polyvagal Theory
If you're in the Denver area or anywhere in Colorado or California, and you’re looking for information on Polyvagal Theory or are interested in therapy that works directly with your nervous system, I'm here to help.