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Trying to Discuss the Science Behind Polyvagal Theory in Psychotherapy, but Getting Static

Dialogue with scientists is impossible when promoters of polyvagal theory claim laypersons directly observe scientific phenomena that scientists are denying.

James C. Coyne
Published in
9 min readJul 15, 2021

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In my last Medium article, I criticized the daft cluelessness with which a leading proponent of polyvagal theory, social worker Deb Dana, tosses around scientific concepts in an article in Psychotherapy Networker about polyvagal theory.

The Networker article was a thinly disguised advertisement, a promotion of products and services offered by Deb Dana and Stephen Porges.

Porges is sometimes a co-author and regularly a co-presenter with Dana but he commands a greater authority for his own books than Dana ever will. Yet Porges is less of the revivalist preacher on the circuit bringing polyvagal theory to the flock. He needs Dana like Mormons need folks to send abroad to find converts.

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BeingWell
BeingWell

Published in BeingWell

A Medika Life Publication for the Medical Community

James C. Coyne
James C. Coyne

Written by James C. Coyne

Socially conscious Clinical Health Psychologist. Skeptic debunking hype and pseudoscience. Defender of freedom of expression without undue fear of reprisal

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