Marina

“Through a polyvagal lens, we understand that actions are automatic and adaptive, generated by the autonomic nervous system well below the level of conscious awareness. This is not the brain making a cognitive choice. These are autonomic energies moving in patterns of protection. And with this new awareness, the door opens to compassion.”
― Deborah A. Dana, The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation

“Neuroception precedes perception. Story follows state. Through a polyvagal framework, the important question “What happened?” is explored not to document the details of an event but to learn about the autonomic response. The clues to a client’s present-time suffering can be found in their autonomic response history.”
― Deborah A. Dana, The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation

“Because we’ve transformed the world from a place of scarcity to a place of overwhelming abundance: Drugs, food, news, gambling, shopping, gaming, texting, sexting, Facebooking, Instagramming, YouTubing, tweeting . . . the increased numbers, variety, and potency of highly rewarding stimuli today is staggering. The smartphone is the modern-day hypodermic needle, delivering digital dopamine 24/7 for a wired generation.”
― Anna Lembke, Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence

“Here are the tulips,
budded and full-blown,
their swoops and dips, their gloss and poses,
the satin of their darks.”
― Margaret Atwood, Dearly