{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,17]],"date-time":"2026-10-17T21:33:28Z","timestamp":1792272808444,"version":"4.4.0"},"reference-count":53,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,5,22]],"date-time":"2024-05-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1716336000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Psychol."],"abstract":"<jats:p>Polyvagal theory advocates for working with the body, becoming aware of the body and connecting with the senses. Similarly, paying attention to and influencing one\u2019s physical and sensory experience is a core aspect of the creative arts and psychomotor therapies. Polyvagal theory offers opportunities for strengthening resilience by treating emotion-regulation problems, stress, and trauma, as well as restoring regulation of the autonomic nervous system. Paying attention to and influencing physical and sensory experiences are core aspects of creative arts and psychomotor therapies. This theoretical paper explores how polyvagal theory can serve as a foundational theory and support the creative arts and psychomotor therapies for emotion regulation in stress and trauma. A number of pillars in polyvagal theory have links with arts therapies, such as an emphasis on physical and sensory experience in situations of safety or threat. This theory may offer insight into the role of the body in stressful situations, the role of co-and self-regulation, and thus the functioning of and the rationale for use of creative arts and psychomotor therapies. Through interventions focused on promoting healthy autonomic responses and regulating physiological responses, clients can learn to better regulate and process their emotional experiences. Although this could be broadly useful, it would seem particularly promising in therapies focused on stress and trauma. This article provides an introduction to polyvagal theory and outlines how it can serve as an explanatory, hypothetical model for the working mechanisms that underlie creative arts and psychomotor therapies. The application of PVT in creative arts and psychomotor therapies will be explored by describing techniques for \u201cnoticing and naming\u201d and \u201clearning to change,\u201d as well as by highlighting the role of PVT in the therapeutic relationship. It provides case examples and discusses the role of creative arts and psychomotor therapies for stress regulation and resilience conceptualized in line with the polyvagal theory.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2024.1382007","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,5,22]],"date-time":"2024-05-22T04:51:55Z","timestamp":1716353515000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":23,"title":["A theoretical exploration of polyvagal theory in creative arts and psychomotor therapies for emotion regulation in stress and trauma"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"15","author":[{"given":"Suzanne","family":"Haeyen","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,5,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","year":"2023"},{"key":"ref2","volume-title":"Healing the body through awareness, and expression: The polyvagal theory and the expressive arts in therapy with women who have been abused. Capstone thesis","author":"Bonilla","year":"2020"},{"key":"ref3","volume-title":"Atomic habits: An easy & proven way to build good habits & break bad ones","author":"Clear","year":"2018"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"109502","DOI":"10.1016\/j.mehy.2019.109502","article-title":"An innate brainstem self-other system involving orienting, affective responding, and polyvalent relational seeking: some clinical implications for a \"deep brain reorienting\" trauma psychotherapy approach","volume":"136","author":"Corrigan","year":"2020","journal-title":"Med. Hypotheses"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3791\/60376","article-title":"Examining changes in HRV and emotion following artmaking with three different art materials","volume":"155","author":"Czamanski-Cohen","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Vis. Exp."},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1130","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyt.2022.841749","article-title":"Childhood maltreatment influences autonomic regulation and mental health in college students","volume":"13","author":"Dale","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front. Psych."},{"key":"ref7","volume-title":"Descartes' error: Emotion, reason, and the human brain","author":"Damasio","year":"1994"},{"key":"ref8","volume-title":"Looking for Spinoza: Joy, sorrow, and the feeling brain","author":"Damasio","year":"2003"},{"key":"ref9","volume-title":"Self comes to mind: Constructing the conscious brain","author":"Damasio","year":"2010"},{"key":"ref10","volume-title":"De polyvagaaltheorie in therapie: het ritme van regulatie [the polyvagal theory in therapy: Engaging the rhythm of regulation]","author":"Dana","year":"2020"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"294","DOI":"10.1080\/17437199.2019.1627897","article-title":"Effects of music interventions on stress-related outcomes: a systematic review and two meta-analyses","volume":"14","author":"De Witte","year":"2020","journal-title":"Health Psychol. Rev."},{"key":"ref12","first-page":"R59","article-title":"Introduction to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal Axis: healthy and dysregulated stress responses, developmental stress and neurodegeneration","volume":"16","author":"Dunlavey","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Undergraduate Neurosci. Educ."},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1670","DOI":"10.1038\/s41593-023-01425-1","article-title":"Interoceptive rhythms in the brain","volume":"26","author":"Engelen","year":"2023","journal-title":"Nat. Neurosci."},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"489","DOI":"10.1023\/A:1007789409330","article-title":"Exploring the roles of emotional numbing, depression, and dissociation in PTSD","volume":"13","author":"Feeny","year":"2000","journal-title":"J. Trauma. Stress."},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"199","DOI":"10.1192\/apt.bp.107.005264","article-title":"Introducing compassion-focused therapy","volume":"15","author":"Gilbert","year":"2009","journal-title":"Adv. Psychiatr. Treat."},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"6","DOI":"10.1111\/bjc.12043","article-title":"The origins and nature of compassion focused therapy","volume":"53","author":"Gilbert","year":"2014","journal-title":"Br. J. Clin. Psychol."},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"43","DOI":"10.1007\/s10465-017-9254-4","article-title":"Polyvagal-informed dance\/movement therapy for trauma: a global perspective","volume":"39","author":"Gray","year":"2017","journal-title":"Am. J. Dance Ther."},{"key":"ref18","author":"Grossman","year":"2023"},{"key":"ref19","volume-title":"The Wiley handbook of art therapy","author":"Gussak","year":"2016"},{"key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-319-96773-8","volume-title":"Art therapy and emotion regulation problems. Theory and workbook","author":"Haeyen","year":"2018"},{"key":"ref21","author":"Haeyen","year":"2020"},{"key":"ref22","author":"Haeyen","year":"2023"},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"101663","DOI":"10.1016\/j.aip.2020.101663","article-title":"Compassion focused art therapy for people diagnosed with a cluster B\/C personality disorder: an intervention mapping study","volume":"69","author":"Haeyen","year":"2020","journal-title":"Arts Psychother."},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"101718","DOI":"10.1016\/j.aip.2020.101718","article-title":"The first 15 min in art therapy: painting a picture from the past","volume":"71","author":"Haeyen","year":"2020","journal-title":"Arts Psychother."},{"key":"ref25","first-page":"2023","article-title":"Effects of the safe and sound ProtocolTM (SSP) on sensory processing, digestive function, and selective eating in children and adults with autism: a prospective single-arm study","volume":"28","author":"Heilman","year":"","journal-title":"J. Dev. Disabil"},{"key":"ref26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e010091","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2015-010091","article-title":"Towards a \u2018patient-centred\u2019 operationalisation of the new dynamic concept of health: a mixed methods study","volume":"6","author":"Huber","year":"2016","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"74","DOI":"10.1080\/07421656.2016.1166832","article-title":"Reduction of cortisol levels and participants' responses following art making","volume":"33","author":"Kaimal","year":"2016","journal-title":"Art Ther."},{"key":"ref28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"14","DOI":"10.1007\/s41480-022-1433-3","article-title":"Veiligheid als therapeutische basis: de polyvagaaltheorie [safety as a therapeutic basis: the polyvagal theory]","volume":"14","author":"Kalisvaart","year":"2022","journal-title":"GZ Psychologie"},{"key":"ref29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1015749","DOI":"10.3389\/fnins.2022.1015749","article-title":"The brain-body disconnect: a somatic sensory basis for trauma-related disorders","volume":"16","author":"Kearney","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front. Neurosci."},{"key":"ref30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"281","DOI":"10.1037\/tra0000498","article-title":"Sexual function in adults with a history of childhood maltreatment: mediating effects of self-reported autonomic reactivity","volume":"12","author":"Kolacz","year":"2020","journal-title":"Psychol. Trauma"},{"key":"ref31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"263","DOI":"10.1097\/HRP.0000000000000065","article-title":"Fear and the defense cascade","volume":"23","author":"Kozlowska","year":"2015","journal-title":"Harv. Rev. Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref32","volume-title":"Your brain on art: How the arts transform us","author":"Magsamen","year":"2023"},{"key":"ref33","first-page":"17","article-title":"Art therapy and the brain","volume-title":"Handbook of art therapy","author":"Malchiodi","year":"2012"},{"key":"ref34","volume-title":"Trauma and expressive arts therapy: Brain, body, and imagination in the healing process","author":"Malchiodi","year":"2020"},{"key":"ref35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"108425","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biopsycho.2022.108425","article-title":"Functional anatomy of the vagus system: how does the polyvagal theory comply?","volume":"174","author":"Neuhuber","year":"2022","journal-title":"Biol. Psychol."},{"key":"ref36","author":"P\u00e9nzes","year":"2023"},{"key":"ref37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"301","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1469-8986.1995.tb01213.x","article-title":"Orienting in a defensive world: mammalian modifications of our evolutionary heritage: a polyvagal theory","volume":"32","author":"Porges","year":"1995","journal-title":"Psychophysiology"},{"key":"ref38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"123","DOI":"10.1016\/S0167-8760(01)00162-3","article-title":"The polyvagal theory: phylogenetic substrates of a social nervous system","volume":"42","author":"Porges","year":"2001","journal-title":"Int. J. Psychophysiol."},{"key":"ref39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"S86","DOI":"10.3949\/ccjm.76.s2.17","article-title":"The polyvagal theory: new insights into adaptive reactions of the autonomic nervous system","author":"Porges","year":"2009","journal-title":"Cleve. Clin. J. Med."},{"key":"ref40","volume-title":"De polyvagaaltheorie: de neurofysiologische basis van emotie, gehechtheid, communicatie en zelfregulatie [the polyvagal theory: Neurophysiological foundations of emotions, attachment, communication, and self-regulation]","author":"Porges","year":"2019"},{"key":"ref41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100069","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cpnec.2021.100069","article-title":"Polyvagal theory: a biobehavioral journey to sociality","volume":"7","author":"Porges","year":"2021","journal-title":"Compr Psychoneuroendocrinol."},{"key":"ref42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100200","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cpnec.2023.100200","article-title":"The vagal paradox: a polyvagal solution","volume":"16","author":"Porges","year":"2023","journal-title":"Comprehen. Psychoneuroendocrinol."},{"key":"ref43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"20160206","DOI":"10.1098\/rstb.2016.0206","article-title":"Freeze for action: neurobiological mechanisms in animal and human freezing","volume":"372","author":"Roelofs","year":"2017","journal-title":"Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. Ser. B Biol. Sci."},{"key":"ref44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"109","DOI":"10.1027\/0044-3409\/a000018","article-title":"Dissociation following traumatic stress","volume":"218","author":"Schauer","year":"2010","journal-title":"Zeitschrift F\u00fcr Psychologie"},{"key":"ref45","volume-title":"Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)","author":"Shapiro","year":"2001"},{"key":"ref46","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"103","DOI":"10.1093\/jmt\/thu003","article-title":"Effects of group music therapy on quality of life, affect, and participation in people with varying levels of dementia","volume":"51","author":"Sol\u00e9","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Music. Ther."},{"key":"ref47","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"802606","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyt.2022.802606","article-title":"The brain is adaptive not triune: how the brain responds to threat, challenge, and change","volume":"13","author":"Steffen","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front. Psych."},{"key":"ref48","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"67","DOI":"10.3389\/fnhum.2018.00067","article-title":"Yoga therapy and polyvagal theory: the convergence of traditional wisdom and contemporary neuroscience for self-regulation and resilience","volume":"12","author":"Sullivan","year":"2018","journal-title":"Front. Hum. Neurosci."},{"key":"ref49","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"108382","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biopsycho.2022.108382","article-title":"An overview of the phylogeny of cardiorespiratory control in vertebrates with some reflections on the 'Polyvagal Theory'","volume":"172","author":"Taylor","year":"2022","journal-title":"Biol. Psychol."},{"key":"ref50","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1110","DOI":"10.1002\/jnr.24447","article-title":"The effects of trauma on brain and body: a unifying role for the midbrain periaqueductal gray","volume":"97","author":"Terpou","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Neurosci. Res."},{"key":"ref51","volume-title":"Too scared to cry: Psychic trauma in childhood","author":"Terr","year":"1990"},{"key":"ref52","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"26","DOI":"10.1007\/s41480-023-1444-8","article-title":"Hoe een complexe traumatheorie een sterk verhaal bleek [how a complex trauma theory turned out to be a strong story]","volume":"15","author":"Verkuil","year":"2023","journal-title":"GZ Psychologie"},{"key":"ref53","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"256","DOI":"10.1080\/17432979.2015.1069762","article-title":"Polyvagal theory and peek-a-boo: how the therapeutic pas de deux heals attachment trauma","volume":"10","author":"Wagner","year":"2015","journal-title":"Body Mov. Dance Psychother."}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Psychology"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2024.1382007\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2024,5,22]],"date-time":"2024-05-22T04:52:05Z","timestamp":1716353525000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2024.1382007\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2024,5,22]]},"references-count":53,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpsyg.2024.1382007"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2024.1382007","relation":{},"ISSN":["1664-1078"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1664-1078","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2024,5,22]]},"article-number":"1382007"}}