Polyvagal-Informed Somatic Therapy for Neurodivergent Adults
How it works, why it helps, and practices you can try today
Polyvagal‑informed therapy draws on Polyvagal Theory, originally described by neuroscientist Stephen Porges. He explains how our autonomic nervous system scans for safety or danger and shifts among three states: ventral vagal (feeling safe and socially connected), sympathetic (mobilized for action), and dorsal vagal (withdrawal or shutdown when overwhelmed). These states aren’t “good” or “bad” but adaptive survival responses that our body provides to manage safety and stress. Therapy using this framework helps you notice your state and gently guide toward safety with body‑first cues like breathing, gaze, posture, and paced movement. Co‑regulation—feeling safe through connection—also supports stability in the nervous system roamerstherapy.com.
Why this is powerful for neurodivergent adults
Many autistic and ADHD adults describe intense sensory experiences, fast shifts in emotional or physiological states, and significant social fatigue. Research shows altered heart rate variability (HRV) in autism, such as lower vagal reactivity during social stress, which aligns with real‑world experiences of rapid overwhelm and challenges with regulation PubMedNature. While broader mental‑health studies have mixed findings on HRV differences in neurodivergent adults ScienceDirect+5Nature+5Frontiers+5, these data clarify that regulation complexity is a bodily reality—not a limitation or pathology.
What the research supports
Polyvagal Theory offers updated frameworks showing how cues of safety can down‑regulate defensive responses and enable relational engagement ScienceDirect+15ResearchGate+15roamerstherapy.com+15.
Autistic adults often show reduced HRV under social stress, with meta‑analytic and recent studies reinforcing this pattern Wikipedia+11PubMed+11Nature+11.
Early findings suggest HRV biofeedback could aid autistic people’s emotional regulation, such as increasing HRV and reducing anxiety Frontiers.
What polyvagal‑informed therapy can look like
First, map your states—notice indicators like breath, muscle tension, voice tone, eye contact, and urge to move or withdraw; identify personal “glimmers,” small sensory cues that feel safe; then pair each state with gentle body‑based supports.
Next, co‑create a regulation menu—a brief list of practices to use before, during, or after known stressors, tailored to your sensory preferences and rhythms.
When helpful, therapists or trusted partners can support co‑regulation through voice tone, pacing, posture, or shared rhythmic breathing—engaging a safety signal in your nervous system ResearchGate.
For those also working through trauma using modalities like EMDR, IFS, or Brainspotting, polyvagal skills provide essential scaffold—keeping processing within your window of tolerance, making sessions feel contained and tolerable.
Evidence‑aligned practices you can try (educational only)
Resonant (slow) breathing (~6 breaths per minute)
Inhaling for 4–5 seconds, exhaling for 5–6 seconds, focusing on a soft, longer exhale. Try 5–10 minutes with visual or tactile support like dim light, open eyes, or a metronome to reduce cognitive effort NatureResearchGate.HRV biofeedback (home or in‑session)
Use a validated HRV monitor, breathe at your resonance rate, and observe real‑time feedback. Begin with therapist guidance; aim for 10–20 minutes per session, 3–5 times a week over several weeks to build regulation capacity PubMed+15Frontiers+15PubMed+15.Orienting + micro‑movement
Slowly turn your head left and right, let your gaze land on pleasant objects, and add subtle movements like shoulder rolls or shifting pressure in feet. Even brief, mindful orientation invites ventral vagal activation Wikipedia.Voice and prosody (solo or co‑regulated)
Use warm vocal tone exposure—read softly, or hum gently on the exhale for a few minutes. If comfortable, engage with someone matching your volume and tempo to co‑regulate safely ResearchGate.State‑smart planning
Before known stressors—like transitions or crowded places—do a few minutes of resonant breathing, then anchor that state with a tactile object (textured stone, weighted bracelet) as a discreet reminder of safety.
How this connects with somatic healing at Arnica Mental Health
Our sessions are designed with sensory safety in mind—adjustable lighting and sound, movement breaks, visual timers, and options for non‑verbal check‑ins.
Polyvagal‑informed tools support trauma‑focused methods as body‑first scaffolding during EMDR, IFS, or Brainspotting—helping you stay within your window of tolerance.
We practice co‑regulation and skills coaching in session and develop realistic between‑session plans to suit your daily life.
An optional HRV biofeedback program offers structured training blocks to build vagal flexibility, with shared progress review PubMed+3Stephen Porges PhD+3Wikipedia+3.
Putting it together
For many neurodivergent adults, stretching for coping may not be a motivation issue—it’s about regulating from the ground up. Polyvagal‑informed therapy meets you where you are—your nervous system—combining body‑based strategies (breath, orientation, voice) with relational support and trauma‑informed care. From that foundation, focus, flexibility, and connection can grow naturally.
If you’d like to explore this approach, we’ll tailor it to your sensory profile, attention rhythms, and personal goals—affirming all neurodivergent identities, including trans women, trans men, and nonbinary folks every step of the way.
References
Stephen W. Porges (2022) Polyvagal Theory: A Science of Safety, Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience
Cheng Y.–C. et al. (2020) HRV reactivity under social stress in individuals with autism spectrum disorders, Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews
Reisinger D. L. et al. (2024) Altered HRV during social stress in autistic individuals, Scientific Reports
Coulter H. L. et al. (2024) HRV‑biofeedback to manage anxiety in autism, Frontiers in Psychiatry
Additional umbrella review on HRV in mental disorders, Translational Psychiatry (2025)
