Researcher
Dr. Stephen Porges, PhD
Polyvagal Theory: three autonomic states (ventral vagal / sympathetic / dorsal vagal). Foundation of our nervous system sections across cleanse, PTSD, burnout assessments.
Key concept we apply
Safety cues and vagal tone determine whether healing is biologically possible.
Shapes these self-assessments
- PTSD Screening
- Parasite & Heavy Metal Screening
- Burnout Assessment
- ACE Assessment
- Attachment Style
- Addiction Screening
Take an assessment grounded in this work
Our free self-assessments cite this researcher's frameworks directly in your personalized educational report.
Other thinkers in this lineage
Dr. Peter Levine, PhD
Founder of Somatic Experiencing® (SE/SEP) — a body-first educational framework for resolving trauma stored in the nervous system. Author of *Waking the Tiger* (1997) and *In an Unspoken Voice* (2010). Trains certified Somatic Experiencing Practitioners (SEPs) in 40+ countries. SE works through titration, pendulation, and the SIBAM (Sensation-Image-Behavior-Affect-Meaning) observational map to gently discharge incomplete fight, flight, or freeze responses without re-flooding the system.
Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, MD
'The Body Keeps the Score' — trauma lives in the body, not just the mind. Foundation of our PTSD and ACE assessment structure.
Dr. Gabor Maté, MD
Addiction is a response to pain, not a moral failure. Trauma is inseparable from chronic illness.
Dr. Bruce Lipton, PhD
'The Biology of Belief' — beliefs, environment, and emotions measurably shape gene expression. Cell membranes (not DNA) are the brain of the cell. Cited inline in every AI-generated educational report.