Rethinking Polyvagal Theory, Part 1: Nuance, Neurodivergence, and Questioning the Western Model

If you've been following the recent discourse around Polyvagal Theory — the debates, the "debunking," the questions about scientific rigor — you might be feeling a little swirly. Maybe you're a practitioner who uses Polyvagal Theory in your work, or maybe you're a client who has benefited from it. Or maybe you want to join an SSP Group, but in light of the recent discourse, you're now spiraling and stumped and unsure.

This is Part 1 of an ongoing conversation I'm having about this publicly, because I think it deserves more than one post. I want to share a bit of how I hold Polyvagal Theory in my work, and some of my evolving thoughts about it. Part 2 is yet to come.

My Relationship with Polyvagal Theory

If you have worked with me in any capacity, we have probably talked about Polyvagal Theory. We've talked about freeze, maybe mapped your nervous system, and looked at diagrams of the Polyvagal Ladder. I've offered ways to soothe your vagus nerve.

But people who work with me — especially those doing the SSP — know that I don't offer these things as the final word on nervous system healing. I hold my teachers and these models with deep respect and critique that sometimes comes with a raised eyebrow. This includes Polyvagal Theory and Stephen Porges. Sorry, Steve.

I don't think any model I practice is complete on its own. And I think every model and modality changes shape based on how it's being offered — and whose hands are offering it.

Bending the Model to Fit Real People

In practice, this means I offer Polyvagal Theory as a model and then invite folks to bend it and change the language into what actually works for them.

One example: Polyvagal Theory describes the Ventral Vagal state — the state we're in when we don't feel under threat — as "safe and social." But I work with a lot of neurodivergent folks, and they often don't feel safe when they feel social. Or maybe they feel safe and connected, but that connection is with animals, a special interest, or nature rather than people.

You're probably getting the picture. I bring a lot of nuance to the Polyvagal model. I try to bring a lot of nuance to everything.

Questioning the Western Model of Healing

I'm also highly skeptical of the western model of certifications and scientific rigor — especially when so many of these healing practices have Indigenous roots. I'm not anti-science. But I do think that's only one part of the picture, and it's worth naming.

Who gets to decide what is valid? Who gets to decide what is true? Where are we looking for confirmation that a theory is true?

These are a few of the questions that I hold as I attempt to offer decolonized healing. Which, yes, is messy because what I practice has been colonized. It's a growing edge and work in progress for me.

Does the SSP Still Work?

This is the question I imagine many of you are sitting with. I have worked with over 100 people doing the SSP. Almost every single person has had a transformational experience. Sure, a couple of people have dropped out — I can count them on one hand with fingers to spare — and not everyone has a loud or dramatic experience. But I wouldn't still be doing this work if it didn't positively impact the people I work with.

Part of that is absolutely the SSP playlist itself, which Steven Porges designed to send auditory cues of safety to your nervous system. And part of it has to do with how I offer the SSP.

What to Look for in a Practitioner

You don't have to work with me, but here's what I'd recommend regardless of who you choose:

Find someone whose worldview goes beyond the model. Polyvagal Theory, like other models, can flatten the bigger picture and leave out the social, structural, and relational realities that make nervous system healing genuinely hard. An adept practitioner holds the model and the complexity of your actual life.

Find someone who is intentional about pacing. With the SSP specifically, offering too much safety too fast can feel confronting or even re-traumatizing to the nervous system — the opposite of what we're going for.

Find someone with a relational approach. Trauma happens within relationship, and healing does too. No matter the model.

Still on the Fence?

If you've been on the fence about joining an SSP Group — especially in light of what's coming out about Polyvagal Theory — I'd love to chat with you about it. And maybe you'll decide that you want to join an SSP Group anyways. We hold these kinds of conversations in the group too, so you won't be alone in the nuance or the skepticism.

My last two Spring SSP Groups are now enrolling, and then we're taking a break over the summer. If you don't want to wait until Fall to start your nervous system healing journey, here's what's available:

🎶 Wednesday evenings | Starting March 4th | 6:30–8:45 PM EST | 4 spaces open

🎶 Monday evenings | Starting April 6th | 6:30–8:45 PM EST | 5 spaces open

Before you join, I offer a free connection call — it's my practice to do this so your nervous system can hang out with mine for a little bit, I can answer your questions, and we can both feel into whether it's a good fit.

Apply here and we'll set up your free connection call. 🦋

This is Part 1 of an ongoing series. In Part 2, I'll go deeper into what a genuinely neurodivergent-affirming Polyvagal framework can actually look like.

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Jess Jackson is a Licensed Massage Therapist, Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner, and Safe and Sound Protocol Provider at Soft Path Healing — trauma-informed care for the world we really live in.