Polyvagal Theory Demystified: How Your Nervous System Drives Healing with Amy Sullivan

What if your emotions started in your body – not your brain? In this insightful conversation, Anna sits down with licensed clinical counselor, author, and international trainer Amy Sullivan to explore the life-changing lens of Polyvagal Theory. Known for her warm, accessible teaching style, Amy breaks down the nervous system's three core states and how they shape our sense of emotional safety, trauma response, and ability to connect.

You’ll learn:

• What the vagus nerve is and why it matters for trauma healing
• The difference between feeling safe vs. being safe—and why it matters
• How shutdown, anxiety, and calm each have "safe" and "unsafe" versions
• Somatic and expressive arts practices to help regulate your nervous system
• Why co-regulation (even with pets!) is essential for healing

Whether you’re a therapist, trauma survivor, or just curious about your emotional wiring, this episode is full of empowering insights that can help you reconnect with safety and presence.

Click here to learn more about Amy’s work at Rooted Compassion Counseling.