Human Experience | Trauma | Polyvagal

“Story Follows State”: Understanding Vigilance Through the Polyvagal Lens

We all live in a body that prioritizes safety

I painted these watercolors as representations of polyvagal states so that its myself and my clients make sense of our own lived realities

I’ve got some old trauma coming up, and it’s affecting how I see the world around me right now.

Things feel sharper and foggier at the same time.

I’m misreading seemingly neutral expressions as irritation.

I’m jumping to conclusions, second-guessing relationships, and spinning stories that aren’t rooted in reality — but they feel real.

That’s the tricky thing about trauma. Even when the threat is gone, the body remembers and attempts to move us towards safety. And from a Polyvagal perspective, what’s happening isn’t just mental — it’s biological.

My nervous system is trying to protect me. It’s become vigilant.

This isn’t just overthinking. It’s my body scanning for danger — trying to make sense of old wounds with present-day cues. I’ve learned to pause here, to remember what Deb Dana so brilliantly captures:

“State precedes story. Story follows state.”

— Deb Dana