The Safety Connection Workbook
eBook - ePub

The Safety Connection Workbook

Polyvagal Theory Tools for PTSD and Complex Trauma

  1. English
  2. ePUB (mobile friendly)
  3. Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub

The Safety Connection Workbook

Polyvagal Theory Tools for PTSD and Complex Trauma

About this book

Break Free From Trauma's Grip and Rebuild Your Sense of Safety Through Evidence-Based Nervous System Regulation

Living with PTSD or complex trauma can feel like being trapped in a body that no longer feels safe. Your nervous system stays on high alert, making it difficult to relax, connect with others, or feel at peace in your own skin.

The Safety Connection Workbook offers a revolutionary approach to trauma healing through polyvagal theory - the science of how your nervous system responds to safety and threat. This comprehensive workbook provides practical, body-based tools that help you regulate your nervous system without having to relive traumatic memories.

What you'll find inside:

Understanding your nervous system's three key states and how trauma affects each one

15 chapters of step-by-step exercises to restore your window of tolerance

Techniques to calm hypervigilance, anxiety, and emotional overwhelm

Tools to reconnect with your body when dissociation or numbness takes over

Breathing exercises specifically designed for trauma survivors

Movement practices that discharge stored activation safely

Strategies to rebuild trust in relationships and social connections

Daily regulation plans you can sustain long-term

This trauma-informed workbook is designed for:

PTSD and complex trauma survivors seeking healing

Those who feel disconnected from their bodies after trauma

People struggling with chronic anxiety, hypervigilance, or emotional numbness

Anyone wanting body-based trauma recovery approaches

Individuals working with therapists who want additional self-help tools

Gentle, effective, and grounded in cutting-edge trauma research. Each exercise is carefully designed to build safety and regulation without overwhelming your system. You'll learn to work with your nervous system rather than against it.

Stop surviving and start healing. Reclaim your sense of safety today.

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Yes, you can access The Safety Connection Workbook by Emma Moira Stein in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Psychology & Alternative & Complementary Medicine. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.

Table of contents

  1. The Safety Connection Workbook
  2. Table of Contents
  3. Introduction: Your Path to Nervous System Recovery
  4. Chapter 1: The Polyvagal Foundation
  5. Part A: Before Understanding Polyvagal Theory Write a brief description of how you used to think abo
  6. Part B: Current Understanding Now rewrite your experience using nervous system language:
  7. Part C: Moving Forward Consider how this knowledge might influence your healing journey:
  8. Chapter 2: Your Window of Tolerance
  9. Part A: Identifying Your Optimal Zone
  10. Part B: Recognizing Hyperarousal
  11. Part C: Recognizing Hypoarousal
  12. Chapter 3: PTSD and Complex Trauma Through a Polyvagal Lens
  13. Part A: Classic PTSD Symptoms
  14. Part B: Additional Complex PTSD Symptoms
  15. Part B: Nervous System Pattern Recognition For each life phase, identify which nervous system respon
  16. Part C: Pattern Recognition
  17. Part A: Current Activation Patterns
  18. Part B: Relationship Patterns
  19. Part C: Protective Strategies
  20. Part B: Current Resources
  21. Part C: Internal Resources
  22. Part D: Resource Building Plan
  23. Chapter 4: Building Safety Awareness
  24. Part A: Home Environment Assessment
  25. Part B: Work Environment Assessment
  26. Part C: Community/Social Environment Assessment
  27. Part D: Safety Enhancement Planning
  28. Part A: Technique Development
  29. Part B: Situation-Specific Planning
  30. Part C: Daily Integration Plan
  31. Part A: Personal Warning Signs
  32. Part B: Immediate Response Plan
  33. Part C: Environmental Safety Plans
  34. Part D: Recovery and Integration
  35. Part E: Regular Safety Plan Review
  36. Chapter 5: Awakening Your Social Engagement System
  37. Part A: Awareness Phase (5 minutes)
  38. Step 1: Facial Check-In Place your hands gently on your face, covering your eyes, cheeks, and jaw. N
  39. Step 2: Gentle Touch Using your fingertips, gently massage:
  40. Part B: Mobility Phase (10 minutes)
  41. Step 3: Eye Expressions
  42. Step 4: Mouth and Jaw Movements
  43. Step 5: Full Face Integration
  44. Part C: Expression Exploration (5 minutes)
  45. Step 6: Authentic Expression
  46. Part A: Basic Humming Practice
  47. Part B: Vocal Sounds for Different States
  48. Part C: Group Vocal Practices
  49. Part A: Basic Eye Mobility
  50. Part B: Social Eye Contact Practice
  51. Part C: Environmental Visual Practice
  52. Step 1: Assess Your Current Comfort Level Rate your comfort with these activities (1 = very uncomfor
  53. Step 2: Create Challenge Levels
  54. Step 3: Create Your Physical Cards
  55. Step 4: Practice Guidelines
  56. Part A: Current Connection Assessment
  57. Part B: Connection Style Assessment
  58. Part C: Expansion Planning
  59. Part D: Monthly Review Process
  60. Chapter 6: Breath and Vagal Tone Regulation
  61. Part A: Assessing Your Current State
  62. Part B: Activating Breath Practices
  63. Part C: Calming Breath Practices
  64. Part D: Maintenance Breathing
  65. Part E: Practice Selection Guide
  66. Part A: Personal Pattern Assessment
  67. Part B: Prescription Development
  68. Part C: Weekly Practice Schedule
  69. Part D: Progress Tracking and Adjustment
  70. Chapter 7: Developing Somatic Awareness
  71. Part A: Resource Discovery
  72. Part B: Resource Strengthening
  73. Part C: Resource Integration
  74. Chapter 8: Movement and Nervous System Healing
  75. Part A: Movement Assessment
  76. Part B: Creating Your Movement Menu
  77. Part C: Situational Movement Prescriptions
  78. Part D: Weekly Movement Planning
  79. Part E: Movement Practice Tracking
  80. Chapter 9: Working with Hypervigilance and Anxiety
  81. Part A: Immediate Regulation Tools (for acute anxiety)
  82. Part B: Cognitive Regulation Tools
  83. Part C: Environmental Regulation Tools
  84. Part D: Social Regulation Tools
  85. Part E: Personal Anxiety Regulation Plan
  86. Step 3: ____________________________________
  87. Step 4: ____________________________________
  88. Part A: Recognizing Activation Energy
  89. Part B: Physical Channeling Exercises
  90. Part C: Mental Channeling Exercises
  91. Part D: Social/Community Channeling
  92. Part E: Personal Channeling Plan
  93. Day chosen: _______
  94. Step 1 - Worry Collection (throughout the day): When worries arise outside your window:
  95. Step 2 - Worry Processing (during your window):
  96. Step 3 - Worry Closure:
  97. Chapter 10: Healing Freeze and Dissociation
  98. Step 1: Environmental Orientation Without moving, notice:
  99. Step 2: Physical Position Awareness Still without moving, notice:
  100. Step 3: Micro-Movements Make very small, slow movements:
  101. Step 4: Tactile Reconnection Use gentle touch to reconnect with your body:
  102. Step 5: Sensory Activation Engage your senses more actively:
  103. Step 6: Emotional Check-In Gently check in with your emotional state:
  104. Step 7: Social Reconnection (if others are available) If there are safe people around:
  105. Step 8: Integration Take a moment to notice:
  106. Chapter 11: Reclaiming Safety in Relationships
  107. Part A: Identifying Your Boundary Needs
  108. Part B: Creating Your Boundary Scripts
  109. Part C: Boundary Practice Plan
  110. Part A: Co-Regulation Assessment
  111. Part B: Co-Regulation Experiments
  112. Part C: Building Co-Regulation Skills
  113. Part A: Trust Assessment
  114. Part B: Gradual Exposure Plan
  115. Part C: Trust Building Practice Log
  116. Part A: Current Network Assessment
  117. Part B: Network Analysis
  118. Part C: Network Development Plan
  119. Chapter 12: Post-Traumatic Growth and Integration
  120. Step 2: Trauma's Impact on Values (5 minutes) For each of your top 5 values, reflect:
  121. Step 3: Purpose Exploration (10 minutes) Complete these sentences:
  122. Part 1: Gifts from Your Experience (10 minutes) Reflect on these questions:
  123. Story coherence: When you notice trauma reactions, gently remind yourself of your larger story and g
  124. Chapter Summary
  125. Chapter 13: Creating Your Personal Regulation Plan
  126. Step 1: Current Life Assessment (15 minutes)
  127. Step 2: Practice Selection (20 minutes)
  128. Step 3: Schedule Integration (10 minutes)
  129. Step 4: Obstacle Planning (10 minutes)
  130. Part 1: Crisis Recognition (10 minutes)
  131. Part 2: Protocol Development (15 minutes)
  132. Part 3: Crisis Contacts (10 minutes)
  133. Part 4: Crisis Card Creation (5 minutes)
  134. Step 1: Choose Your Metrics (10 minutes)
  135. Step 2: Create Simple Rating Scales (5 minutes)
  136. Step 3: Design Your Tracking Method (5 minutes)
  137. Step 4: Set Review Intentions (5 minutes)
  138. Chapter 14: Advanced Practices and Troubleshooting
  139. Step 1: Problem Identification (10 minutes)
  140. Step 2: Pattern Analysis (10 minutes)
  141. Step 3: Solution Pathways (10 minutes)
  142. Step 4: Action Planning
  143. Step 1: Current Circumstances Assessment (10 minutes)
  144. Step 2: Practice Inventory Review (10 minutes)
  145. Step 3: Adaptation Planning (10 minutes)
  146. Step 4: Implementation Strategy
  147. Step 1: Challenge Documentation (15 minutes)
  148. Step 2: Safety Assessment (5 minutes)
  149. Step 3: Solution Development (10 minutes)
  150. Step 4: Action Planning (5 minutes)
  151. Chapter 15: Living from a Regulated Nervous System
  152. Step 1: Baseline Assessment (10 minutes)
  153. Step 2: Early Warning System Development (10 minutes)
  154. Step 3: Maintenance Strategy Development (15 minutes)
  155. Step 4: Support System Maintenance (5 minutes)
  156. Step 1: Sharing Readiness Assessment (10 minutes)
  157. Step 2: Sharing Opportunities Exploration (10 minutes)
  158. Step 3: Boundary and Capacity Planning (10 minutes)
  159. Step 4: Action Planning (5 minutes)
  160. Step 1: Current Practice Assessment (10 minutes)
  161. Step 2: Growth Edge Identification (5 minutes)
  162. Step 3: Goal Setting (10 minutes)
  163. Step 1: Progress Inventory (15 minutes)
  164. Step 2: Obstacle Recognition (5 minutes)
  165. Step 3: Gratitude and Appreciation (10 minutes)
  166. Step 4: Celebration Planning (5 minutes)
  167. Reference