In this episode of Wired for Connection, we chat with Stephen Hanmer D'Elia, a therapist and writer, on the topics of technology and artificial intelligence (AI). 

Stephen shares how phones, social media, and AI induce cognitive overload, impacting our nervous systems and putting us in defensive states. We talk about how technology shapes physiology and captures attention, often mimicking traumatized clients that Stephen sees in his practice.

Stephen breaks down three tech-driven nervous system patterns. First, variable reinforcement, where unpredictability keeps the body checking for the next reward. Second, open loops, where notifications, feeds, and interruptions keep the system unfinished and unable to settle. Third, simulated connection without real co-regulation, where technology gives enough signal to engage us but not enough relational feedback to actually co-regulate with us.

On AI, Stephen offers a powerful distinction between scaffolding and substitution. AI can help create a boundary or draft a clean response in a tense moment, but it becomes harmful when it starts impacting our tolerance for discomfort and awkwardness. This is an important conversation for anyone wondering whether AI is helping them think more clearly or quietly shrinking their capacity.

To learn more about Stephen, head to his website [https://hanmer.org/]. You can explore his writing here.  [https://yauguru.substack.com/]


CONNECT WITH Polyvagal Institute:       
WEB: www.polyvagalinstitute.org [https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org/]
Instagram: @polyvagalinstitute [https://www.instagram.com/polyvagalinstitute/]
LinkedIn: polyvagal-institute [https://www.linkedin.com/company/polyvagal-institute]
Email: community@polyvagal.org

CONNECT WITH Travis Goodman:      
Web: travisgoodmanlmft.com [https://www.travisgoodmanlmft.com/]

How Technology & AI Impact Our Nervous Systems

In this episode of Wired for Connection, host Travis Goodman speaks with Dr. Mona Delahooke and her husband Scott, for a deeply personal conversation about her traumatic brain injury, coma, and recovery. 

Mona is a clinical psychologist [https://monadelahooke.com/] known for her brain-body approach to behavior, parenting, and neurodiversity, and the author of Beyond Behaviors and Brain-Body Parenting.

We explore the role of co-regulation, the power of a familiar voice, how safety and relationships support growth and restoration, and how polyvagal principles shaped the way Scott and their family showed up in the hospital room. This episode brings Polyvagal Theory out of the abstract and into the practical, showcased in the Delahooke family's approach.

We also talk about Mona’s work with children, parents, and neurodivergent families, including her brain-body lens on behavior, the importance of relational safety, and what “polyvagal parenting” looks like in everyday life. 

Dr. Delahooke is a Course Partner with the Polyvagal Institute, offering "A Paradigm Shift in Understanding Children's Behavior," with Dr. Stephen Porges. Learn more about that offering here.  [https://learning.polyvagal.org/courses/dr-stephen-porges-and-dr-mona-delahooke-lecture-series]

CONNECT WITH Polyvagal Institute:      
WEB: www.polyvagalinstitute.org [https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org/]
Instagram: @polyvagalinstitute [https://www.instagram.com/polyvagalinstitute/]
LinkedIn: polyvagal-institute [https://www.linkedin.com/company/polyvagal-institute]
Email: community@polyvagal.org

CONNECT WITH Travis Goodman:     
Web: travisgoodmanlmft.com [https://www.travisgoodmanlmft.com/]

Dr. Mona Delahooke on Her Traumatic Brain Injury, Coma, and the Power of Co-Regulation in Healing

Chauna is a Breathwork facilitator, and founder of Breath Liberation Society, a radically inclusive training and community dedicated to transformation through the breath. With nearly two decades of experience, she blends movement, meditation, and energy work to help clients reconnect to their bodies, deepen intuition, and step into their personal power.

Breathing exercises can help stimulate the vagus nerve. We invite you to try this breathing session if you're looking to increase your energy and improve vagal tone.

As this is a stimulating breath work session, please find a sturdy place to sit or lie down before practicing. 

This practice involves experimentation with an activating breath called the Conscious Connected Breath (CCB) — an open-mouth inhale into the body followed by an effortless exhale, with no pause between the two.

Even in short bursts, this breath can stir up emotions and produce psychedelic-like effects, including physical sensations like tightness or tingling. Because of this, do not practice the CCB while driving or doing anything that requires your full attention.

If at any point you feel uncomfortable, switch to a slow inhale through the nose and an even slower exhale. Give yourself permission to pause and return to the practice when you feel ready.

To learn more about the vagus nerve, head to our website [https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org/vagusnerve]. If you're interested in enrolling in a course on Vagus Nerve Stimulation, click here. [https://learning.polyvagal.org/courses/vagus-nerve-stimulation-natural-neural-exercises-to-enhance-emotional-physical-health-cohort-2]

CONNECT WITH PVI:
@PolyvagalInstitute
polyvagal.org [http://www.polyvagal.org]

CONNECT WITH CHAUNA BRYANT:
chaunabryant.com [https://www.chaunabryant.com/]

Stimulating Breath Work Session with Chauna Bryant

In this episode of Wired for Connection, I sit down with Seth Porges, coauthor of “Our Polyvagal World” and documentary filmmaker behind “Class Action Park” (HBO Max) and “How to Rob a Bank” (Netflix). We explore how polyvagal theory is not just a neuroscience model, but a worldview that explains why our nervous systems feel so overloaded in an age of social media, 24/7 news and constant outrage.

Seth breaks down what polyvagal theory actually means in simple language: why feeling safe is crucial to a good life, how our nervous system reads cues of safety and threat, and how anger and division are often just dysregulated states, not “bad people.” We talk about the autonomic echo chamber, how algorithms are literally trained on your stress response, and why doomscrolling keeps you stuck in fight or flight.

We also go inside his work as a documentary filmmaker. Seth shares how he builds safety and trust on set, how he protects participants from exploitation, and why real emotion on camera is a powerful form of co regulation. We talk about creative work and nervous system health, why fun and play are regulation, and why therapists, coaches and parents must protect their own capacity to feel safe if they want to offer safety to others.

If you are a therapist, coach, creative or anyone who feels fried by the modern world, this conversation will help you see your anger, anxiety and exhaustion through a polyvagal lens and give you practical ways to protect your nervous system and the people you care about.

You’ll learn about:
• Polyvagal theory in plain English
• The autonomic echo chamber and media
• How social media and news exploit your threat response
• Co regulation, safety and empathy in an angry culture
• How documentary storytelling can be trauma informed
• Why fun, play and connection are regulation, not luxuries
• Nervous system self care for therapists, coaches and creatives

CONNECT WITH Polyvagal Institute:     
WEB: www.polyvagalinstitute.org [https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org/]
Instagram: @polyvagalinstitute [https://www.instagram.com/polyvagalinstitute/]
LinkedIn: polyvagal-institute [https://www.linkedin.com/company/polyvagal-institute]
Email: community@polyvagal.org

CONNECT WITH Travis Goodman:    
Instagram: Travis.Goodman.LMFT [https://www.instagram.com/travis.goodman.lmft/]

Why Feeling Safe Is The Key To A Good Life with Seth Porges

In this episode of Wired for Connection, we chat with Mattie Shisko on the link between the nervous system and your ability to communicate in an authentic way. Mattie is an internationally recognized voice, performance and public speaking coach with over 30 years of experience. 

She teaches groups and individuals in the fields of politics, education, healthcare, creativity and business - The Art of Speaking Publicly - and facilitates regular workshops in using the Voice as a Resource and Regulating Tool for Well Being.

At the heart of her work is Dr Stephen Porges’s Polyvagal Theory. Combining science, art, mindfulness and play, she helps her clients embody their voices with heart, humour, compassion and integrity. 

Mattie is a Course Partner with the Polyvagal Institute, and offers her own course called "Aligning Our Voice with Our Intentions: A Polyvagal Course for Communication." The course runs several times a year, and you can learn more here. [https://learning.polyvagal.org/pages/course-offerings-from-polyvagal-institute]

CONNECT WITH POLYVAGAL INSTITUTE:
@PolyvagalInstitute on social media
Visit us at polyvagal.org [http://polyvagal.org]



Using Your Voice Effectively: Communication Through a Polyvagal Lens

In this episode of Wired for Connection, Travis Goodman speaks with Dr Peter Levine, developer of Somatic Experiencing, to explore why trauma manifests as a wound in the body, not just a story in the mind. We talk about how trauma shows up in the nervous system, why the vagus nerve and interoception matter, and how bottom-up, body-based trauma work can complete unfinished fight, flight and freeze responses.

Peter explains the roots of Somatic Experiencing, how it converges with Polyvagal Theory, and why true trauma healing depends on felt safety, curiosity and relationship. We walk through practical somatic tools like the Voo sound, slow completion of defensive responses, working with numbness, and titrating between resource and pain so clients are not retraumatized.

We also touch on trauma and spirituality, the “wounded healer” archetype, technology and disembodiment, and why trauma resolution often leads to deeper embodiment and meaning. This conversation is for therapists, coaches and survivors who want a clear, embodied roadmap for healing trauma through the nervous system, not just through insight.


Peter A Levine, PhD, and Ergos Institute are the leaders in somatic workshops and education. Learn more about Peter’s work, Somatic Experiencing® (SE™) Trainings, Research, Free programs, Books, and more here: https://www.somaticexperiencing.com/

Dr. Levine’s books including his latest book, An Autobiography of Trauma: A Healing Journey is available at: Ergos Institute [https://www.somaticexperiencing.com/], Barnes & Noble [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/an-autobiography-of-trauma-peter-a-levine/1143792999?ean=9798888500767&st=AFF&2sid=Simon%20&%20Schuster_7567305_NA&sourceId=AFFSimon%20&%20Schuster], Amazon [https://www.amazon.com/Autobiography-Trauma-Healing-Journey/dp/B0CBZCJT3J/ref=sr_1_6?crid=D2T3AMTQQS8N&keywords=an+autobiography+of+trauma&qid=1692627800&s=books&sprefix=an+autobiography+of+trauma,stripbooks,113&sr=1-6], Amazon UK [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Autobiography-Trauma-Healing-Journey/dp/B0CBZCJT3J/ref=sr_1_2?crid=17IAVHW3NQSSH&keywords=an+autobiography+of+trauma&qid=1692626197&s=books&sprefix=an+autobiography+of+traum,stripbooks,182&sr=1-2], Inner Traditions [https://www.innertraditions.com/books/an-autobiography-of-trauma], Books A Million [https://www.booksamillion.com/?id=8926247562640], and Bookshop.org [https://bookshop.org/]

CONNECT WITH Polyvagal Institute:    
WEB: www.polyvagalinstitute.org [https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org/]
Instagram: @polyvagalinstitute [https://www.instagram.com/polyvagalinstitute/]
LinkedIn: polyvagal-institute [https://www.linkedin.com/company/polyvagal-institute]
Email: community@polyvagal.org

CONNECT WITH Travis Goodman:   
Instagram: Travis.Goodman.LMFT [https://www.instagram.com/travis.goodman.lmft/]

Dr. Peter Levine on Somatic Experiencing, Polyvagal Theory, and Healing Trauma

In the second part of our episode on performance with Michael Allison, we discuss performance in an athletic and physical context. Michael touches on some of the great athletes, teams, and coaches and highlights how they were (or were not) able to move in and out of different nervous system states depending on the task at hand. 

We also discuss how this information can help inform goal-setting and achievement of any kind. By honing your ability to listen to your body, and shift your physiology, using what Michael calls Autonomic Agility, you can achieve the optimal nervous system state for performance. 

Michael's book on this topic is coming in 2027. You can enroll in Michael's course with the Polyvagal Institute at several times throughout the year. Learn more about this course on our website.  [https://learning.polyvagal.org/pages/course-offerings-from-polyvagal-institute]

CONNECT WITH POLYVAGAL INSTITUTE:
polyvagal.org [http://polyvagal.org]
@PolyvagalInstitute on Social Media

MORE ON MICHAEL:
https://theplayzone.com/

Performance Through a Polyvagal Lens: Part Two

Trigger Warning: Please be advised, this episode contains dialogue about self-harm, abuse, and other sensitive topics. Please take care while listening and feel free to skip this episode if needed.

In this Wired for Connection episode with Polyvagal Institute, host Travis Goodman, LMFT welcomes psychiatrist and trauma pioneer Dr. Judith Herman. Dr. Herman explains how the modern trauma field emerged and why it still fails many survivors of complex trauma and gender based violence. She traces the history from Vietnam veterans and the women’s movement to the recognition of PTSD and the ongoing fight to recognize complex PTSD and coercive control.

We talk about how repeated child abuse, sexual assault, domestic violence and trafficking shape identity, relationships and the nervous system. Dr Herman explains coercive control, the submission and freeze response, and why asking “why didn’t she just leave” misses the reality of danger, dependence and nervous system survival states.

Drawing from her book “Truth and Repair,” she shares what survivors actually want from justice. Acknowledgement, apology and amends. Limits on perpetrators. Communities and systems that stop re blaming and re traumatizing victims. We touch on victim compensation, restorative justice experiments and why current courts often worsen PTSD instead of helping.

The conversation ends with a focus on prevention, early intervention, trauma informed justice, and recognizing complex PTSD in diagnosis and practice. This episode speaks to therapists, advocates, survivors and leaders who want a clear, justice focused view of trauma, power and repair.


CONNECT WITH Polyvagal Institute:   
WEB: www.polyvagalinstitute.org [https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org/]
Instagram: @polyvagalinstitute [https://www.instagram.com/polyvagalinstitute/]
LinkedIn: polyvagal-institute [https://www.linkedin.com/company/polyvagal-institute]
Email: community@polyvagal.org

CONNECT WITH Travis Goodman:   
Instagram: Travis.Goodman.LMFT [https://www.instagram.com/travis.goodman.lmft/]

Judith Herman on Complex PTSD, Coercive Control and Justice

This episode of Wired for Connection is about the physiology of performance. In Part One of this discussion with Michael Allison, we'll learn more about Michael and his background in performance consulting, and how polyvagal principles help inform performance in the workplace and in building relationships. 

In Part Two, coming early January 2026, we'll discuss athletic performance, and deconstruct dominant narratives about performance and achievement -- using the nervous system and Polyvagal Theory as a guide.

Michael Allison is a globally recognized performance consultant, educator, and author who applies Polyvagal Theory to optimize health, resilience, and excellence under pressure. He is the creator of Autonomic Agility®, his registered framework for teaching individuals and teams how to recognize, respect, and guide their physiological state in high-stakes environments. Michael also developed the Performance Hierarchy and the Play Zone methodology, two core models—endorsed by Stephen W. Porges, Ph.D.—that translate Polyvagal principles into accessible, real-world performance tools.

Through his accredited Play Zone Pro® training programs, Michael has certified more than 500 consultants and coaches worldwide. His curriculum is translated into French, German, Polish, and Spanish, with additional languages forthcoming, supporting an international community of practitioners applying Autonomic Agility® across performance, health, leadership, and education.

Michael trains elite performers—including professional athletes, sports psychologists, executives, creatives, and teams—and his expertise is sought across major sports organizations, including MLB, NBA, ATP, WTA, FIFA, ITF, NCAA, AVCA, AVP, and USATF.

He writes the Pressure Paradox column for Psychology Today, where he examines the physiological, psychological, and relational demands of performing in modern pressure-based environments.

As a keynote speaker and educational partner with the Polyvagal Institute, Michael leads globally recognized educational programs for performance and health professionals. His courses are accredited by the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaches and are supported by Dr. Porges. He is also a core educator for the Polyvagal Institute’s flagship training, helping bring Polyvagal Theory into competitive, organizational, and high-stakes environments.

Michael is the author of State of Play: Guiding Flow Through the Vagus Nerve for High Achievers (New Harbinger, 2026) and co-author of Polyvagal Parenting (New Harbinger, 2026). His work appears across multiple Norton Professional volumes, including “Turning Competition Into Co-regulation” in Somatic-Oriented Therapies and “Empathy to Compassion: A Two-Step Physiological Process,” co-authored with Dr. Porges, in Polyvagal Perspectives. His performance case study was published in Safe and Sound (Sounds True).

Through Autonomic Agility®, the Performance Hierarchy, and the Play Zone, Michael bridges cutting-edge neuroscience with real-world application—helping individuals, teams, and organizations guide their physiology with clarity, confidence, and connection in environments defined by pressure.

To learn with Michael, enroll in his Play Zone Pro course with the Polyvagal Institute here: https://learning.polyvagal.org/pages/course-offerings-from-polyvagal-institute

CONNECT WITH PVI:
polyvagal.org [http://polyvagal.org]
@PolyvagalInstitute on Social Media

CONNECT WITH MICHAEL:
https://theplayzone.com/

Performance Through a Polyvagal Lens: Part One

Trigger Warning: Please be advised, this episode contains dialogue about self-harm, abuse, and other sensitive topics. Please take care while listening and feel free to skip this episode if needed.

In this episode, Dr Janina Fisher joins Travis Goodman to unpack why traditional talk therapy often fails clients with complex trauma, chronic self-harm tendencies, and what methods can move them towards safety & healing. 

Janina shares how studying with Judith Herman and working alongside Bessel van der Kolk shaped her view that people suffer because real things happened to them, not because of “personality defects.” She explains how Trauma-Informed Stabilization Treatment (TIST) grew out of her work in a state hospital with patients labelled “untreatable” who lived with constant crisis, self-hatred and unsafe behavior. 

You will hear how TIST integrates parts work, structural dissociation, sensorimotor psychotherapy, Internal Family Systems, somatic therapy and Polyvagal Theory to create a practical, non-pathologizing way to work with suicidal parts, self-harm, eating disorders and dissociation. 

Across the conversation we explore:
• Why many clients cannot use DBT or coping skills once the prefrontal cortex goes offline in a trauma response
• How to shift from “I want to die” to “there is a part of me that wants to die” and why that language changes impulse and shame
• Using visuals and simple somatic cues instead of complex language when clients are highly activated
• How polyvagal social engagement and co-regulation support parts work and attachment repair in-session
• What “gridlock” between parts looks like and how to help clients unblend and relate to their suicidal, ashamed and protective parts
• Why focusing only on “the event” misses the ongoing context of danger, neglect and not being seen
• How TIST offers a structured path for complex trauma, chronic suicidality and self-destructive behavior in real-world systems, including hospitals and community settings 

We also talk about where Janina hopes the trauma field goes in the next decade: more trauma-informed therapists worldwide, less model tribalism, and Polyvagal Theory as a unifying lens that can plug into EMDR, IFS, somatic work and beyond. 

This episode is for trauma therapists, coaches and survivors who want a clear, compassionate framework for working with extreme symptoms without pathologizing the person.

CONNECT WITH Polyvagal Institute:  
WEB: www.polyvagalinstitute.org [https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org/]
Instagram: @polyvagalinstitute [https://www.instagram.com/polyvagalinstitute/]
LinkedIn: polyvagal-institute [https://www.linkedin.com/company/polyvagal-institute]
Email: community@polyvagal.org

CONNECT WITH Travis Goodman:  
Instagram: Travis.Goodman.LMFT [https://www.instagram.com/travis.goodman.lmft/]

Janina Fisher Discusses Parts, Polyvagal Theory and TIST

Wired for Connection is a podcast devoted to sharing information about Polyvagal Theory and the vagus nerve, in service of our mission to optimize the human experience by creating a safe and connected world.

We highlight guests who share more information on the role the vagus nerve plays in our mental and physical health, alongside stories about their experience with their nervous systems in navigating relatable human experiences.

This podcast is hosted by Polyvagal Institute, an international non-profit organization. Learn more about PVI on our website at www.polyvagalinstitute.org [https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org/].

Polyvagal Institute

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