As a mental health provider this book is just what I needed. It’s a fairly light read and quick despite the topic. I shy away from mental heath books after long days at work but this provided just the right amount of education and practical skill development. I’ve pulled up the somatic techniques page several times during sessions to discuss the physiological sigh!

This book is a comprehensive guide to learning about and beginning to implement polyvagal techniques, beginning with education related to the vagus nerve itself combined with education on the autonomic nervous system; an explanation of the polyvagal theory; and guides to understanding vagal tone and then practicing polyvagal exercises. Other topics covered include neuroception and interoception, which are described to the reader in an easy-to-understand way which is digestible to those who may not be coming from a clinical background. Because of this, you can definitely pick this book up and read through and implement its recommendations and exercises on your own if Polyvagal theory is something that has interested you, or you can also pick this book up if you are a clinician such as a therapist like myself who is looking to use the Polyvagal theory more often with clients. Kase does a great job of phrasing and explaining the variety of topics addressed throughout the book - another one of my favorites was "Where attention goes, energy flows".
Kase emphasizes the importance of Polyvagal theory by teaching the reader about the autonomic nervous system and now only how much space it takes up in our bodies, but how much space it takes up of our day-to-day actions, decisions, and capabilities. I appreciate the psycho-education this provides to the reader and the way that this highlights that many of the "problems" we deal with on a daily basis can be out of our control - however, we do have the power to work on using skills and techniques to "get cozy with our ventral pathway", as Kase says! One of the only things I would have liked to see added to this book is the addition of some more graphics or drawings, perhaps providing some more graphics of the nervous system or some of the descriptions of the strategies listed to help keep the reader engaged.
Thank you to NetGalley, New Harbinger Publications, and Rebecca Kase for providing an early digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

“I use these techniques every day in my personal life, and I have found the more I use them, the less I need them. As my nervous system becomes more resilient, I feel overwhelmed and stressed less often, but when I do, I can bounce back pretty quickly. I feel more confident in myself because fewer things can knock me down. I trust life more because I trust that I can handle whatever comes my way. My clients who learn these skills report similar outcomes. More balance and happiness, less emotional overwhelm. Many clients have shared that they turn to these techniques daily to manage symptoms of anxiety, depression, PTSD, and addiction.” - the author - (now I don’t know about you, but I definitely want to feel less stressed and overwhelmed).

Vagus nerve disrupt is associated with:
*anxiety
*depression
*digestive issues
*muscle tension and pain
*teeth grinding
Along with many more.


*I began these exercises as complementary self care to my EMDR therapy

This is a guide that I’ll be getting for my own bookshelf - the practices are clearly written and actionable and feel like a good addition to daily life, along with meditation and mindfulness (which I can never say enough positive about) I’m excited to continue trying to incorporate these into my life and will hope for the benefits the author has written in the book.



Thank you to New Harbinger Publications and NetGalley for the DRC

This was actually a really easy, straightforward read. It gave great background and biological information, along with practical, actionable practices. I really appreciate this information and thank the author for sharing their knowledge. I feel like this will make a difference in my every day life.

Thank you so much to the publishers for allowing me this ARC opportunity.

*The Polyvagal Solution* is a straightforward guide that breaks down what the vagus nerve is, how it shapes our responses, and how to work with it to find steadiness when life feels like too much. The techniques are clear, useful, and worth revisiting whenever extra support is needed—which I know I’ll be doing!

The techniques presented in this book will add to my clients ability to reduce tension, find space for emotional regulation and overall benefit their wellbeing. It will also be a great addition to my EMDR therapy!