SZN. 3 Ep. 4/ Nervous System Dysregulation & Attachment Patterns
Nervous System Dysregulation and Attachment Patterns: The Role of the Safe and Sound Protocol in Healing
By: Tracy Teichman , LSW
Nervous system dysregulation often arises when caregivers fail to provide consistent emotional and physiological support, a process known as co-regulation. Co-regulation is essential for helping children manage their emotional and physical states and supports the development of healthy attachment patterns. When co-regulation is absent or inconsistent, it can contribute to dysregulation of the nervous system, which may lead to attachment trauma.
Understanding Co-Regulation and Its Impact
Co-regulation plays a crucial role in a child’s emotional and physiological development. It involves caregivers providing consistent emotional and physiological support in response to the child’s needs, helping the child manage stress and regulate their emotions. When co-regulation is absent or inconsistent, a child’s developing nervous system may struggle to find balance, diverting resources away from healthy brain development to focus on survival. Over time, this dysregulation can interfere with the child’s ability to manage stress, resulting in patterns of emotional and behavioral difficulties.
Nervous system dysregulation varies from person to person due to differences in caregiving experiences, individual nervous system sensitivity, and environmental factors. These variations influence how each person’s nervous system responds to stress and can shape their attachment patterns over time.
Nervous System States and Corresponding Behaviors
The autonomic nervous system (ANS) plays a central role in how we respond to stress. It operates through three primary states: the ventral vagal (social engagement), sympathetic (fight or flight), and dorsal vagal (shutdown or freeze). These states are biologically driven and influence the behaviors that are accessible to an individual at any given moment. These nervous system states also play a significant role in shaping attachment patterns.
Ventral Vagal State: Social Engagement and Connection
When the nervous system is in the ventral vagal state, individuals feel safe, calm, and connected. This state allows for social engagement, communication, and emotional regulation. In this state:
• Behaviors: Seeking connection, openness to emotional intimacy, and the ability to co-regulate with others.
• Attachment Pattern: Secure attachment. Individuals with secure attachment tend to have a well-regulated nervous system that allows them to form healthy, stable relationships.
Sympathetic State: Fight or Flight
When the sympathetic nervous system is activated, the body prepares to fight or flee from perceived danger. This state is characterized by an increased heart rate, heightened alertness, and readiness for action. In this state:
• Behaviors: Hypervigilance, emotional reactivity, and an impulse to confront or escape from stressors.
• Attachment Pattern: Anxious attachment. Individuals with anxious attachment often experience a heightened state of arousal, seeking reassurance and validation as they struggle to feel secure in relationships.
Dorsal Vagal State: Shutdown and Freeze
When the nervous system enters the dorsal vagal state, the body responds to overwhelming stress by shutting down. This state is characterized by feelings of numbness, dissociation, and withdrawal. In this state:
• Behaviors: Emotional detachment, withdrawal from social interaction, and an inability to respond to stress.
• Attachment Pattern: Avoidant attachment. Individuals with avoidant attachment tend to disconnect emotionally as a protective mechanism against rejection or neglect.
Dysregulated States and Disorganized Attachment
When there is significant and repeated nervous system dysregulation, individuals may oscillate between the sympathetic (fight/flight) and dorsal vagal (shutdown) states without a sense of safety. This inconsistent and chaotic state can lead to confusion in relationships and difficulty forming coherent attachment strategies.
• Behaviors: A mix of anxious and avoidant behaviors, confusion in relationships, and fear of both connection and abandonment.
• Attachment Pattern: Disorganized attachment. This pattern often develops in response to caregiving that is both a source of comfort and fear, leading to a lack of coherent strategies for connection.
The Safe and Sound Protocol: A Path to Healing
The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP), developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, offers an effective intervention for addressing nervous system dysregulation. The SSP uses specially processed music to engage the auditory system, helping recalibrate the nervous system and fostering a sense of safety. This process enhances emotional regulation and can improve attachment behaviors.
How SSP Facilitates Healing
The Safe and Sound Protocol is a therapeutic intervention that harnesses the power of music's sound, rhythm, and vibration to activate the vagus nerve and target neural networks in the brain. This can help in shifting the autonomic nervous system from a state of dysregulation to a state of balance and well-being. It's like shifting a traffic light from red or amber to green.
As clients experience greater regulation, they become better able to engage in therapy and form healthier relationships. SSP can complement other therapeutic modalities, such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT), by addressing both the physiological and psychological components of attachment trauma.
Co-Regulation and Healing Across the Lifespan
Co-regulation is not just a childhood need; it remains essential throughout adulthood. Therapies like EFIT and EMDR, along with SSP, work in part because they provide opportunities for co-regulation within the therapeutic relationship. By integrating SSP into treatment, therapists can offer a more comprehensive approach to healing, helping individuals achieve a more regulated nervous system and form secure, healthy attachments.
When caregivers are unable to provide adequate co-regulation, it can lead to nervous system dysregulation and the development of maladaptive attachment patterns. The Safe and Sound Protocol offers a powerful tool for addressing this dysregulation, supporting emotional regulation, and enhancing the effectiveness of other therapeutic approaches. By incorporating SSP into treatment, therapists can provide a more holistic approach to healing, enabling individuals to develop secure attachments and improve their overall well-being.
