Dear Readers,I’m excited that my new picture book Forest Bath Right Down this Path is part of the Sounds True Kids collection. It’s a book of my heart as it portrays a fog forest—Barred Island Preserve—that my family and I hike every year on our summer vacation in Maine. I’m thrilled that you can enjoy this forest through the window of Khoa Le’s gorgeous illustrations.
As we wander the forest’s moss-lined paths, we smell pines and firs, touch bark and berries, and listen to birds and chipmunks. The hike ends at a rocky beach where we swim and explore tidepools. When we leave, we feel peaceful and calm. The name for this kind of soothing experience is forest bathing.
There’s evidence that smelling chemicals from trees called phytoncides and microbes from soil called mycobacterium vaccae may reduce stress and boost immune function.
I work as a child psychiatrist to help children, teens, and adults, and I’m always looking for ways to help people manage stress and anxiety. Some of the recommendations I make for doing this include exercise, taking time away from screens, meditating, and connecting with family and friends. I try to do these things myself, too! Every morning I take a half hour walk through the woods near my home.
I’m also a parent of two children (now young adults), and I’ve been concerned about the ways phones and screens are interfering with paying attention to the natural world as well as one another. It’s known that spending a lot of time on social media is contributing to the worsening of teens’ mental health. Adults need to take time away from their phones, too. That’s why the main character of my book, Kayla, encourages her father to put away his phone and fully engage in their walk through their forest. Children want their parents’ undivided attention; often they’re the ones encouraging adults to turn off their phones and be present.
I hope this book inspires you to spend time with your loved ones outdoors and soak in all its beauty and mental health benefits. Happy forest bathing!
Wishing you fresh air and sunshine,
Lisa Robinson
P.S. I invite you to download the free story time kit with five activities for children to learn more about forest bathing—from heading out on a sensory expedition to exploring their senses to making art in nature.
Lisa Robinson is a therapist, picture book writer, and nature enthusiast. She lives in Newton, Massachusetts. Every summer her family travels to coastal Maine for two weeks. The highlight of the trip is a walk through Barred Island Preserve on Deer Isle. The animals and plants mentioned in her new children’s book, Forest Bath Right Down This Path, are all found there. Learn more about Lisa and her work at author-lisa-robinson.com.
Lisa Robinson has a BA in psychology from Cornell University, an MD from Tufts University, and an MFA in Writing for Young People from Lesley University. She works as a therapist for children, teenagers, and adults, and is the author of numerous picture books. Lisa lives in Newton, Massachusetts. Learn more at author-lisa-robinson.com.
Dear Readers,
I’m excited that my new picture book Forest Bath Right Down this Path is part of the Sounds True Kids collection. It’s a book of my heart as it portrays a fog forest—Barred Island Preserve—that my family and I hike every year on our summer vacation in Maine. I’m thrilled that you can enjoy this forest through the window of Khoa Le’s gorgeous illustrations.
As we wander the forest’s moss-lined paths, we smell pines and firs, touch bark and berries, and listen to birds and chipmunks. The hike ends at a rocky beach where we swim and explore tidepools. When we leave, we feel peaceful and calm. The name for this kind of soothing experience is forest bathing.
There’s evidence that smelling chemicals from trees called phytoncides and microbes from soil called mycobacterium vaccae may reduce stress and boost immune function.
I work as a child psychiatrist to help children, teens, and adults, and I’m always looking for ways to help people manage stress and anxiety. Some of the recommendations I make for doing this include exercise, taking time away from screens, meditating, and connecting with family and friends. I try to do these things myself, too! Every morning I take a half hour walk through the woods near my home.
I’m also a parent of two children (now young adults), and I’ve been concerned about the ways phones and screens are interfering with paying attention to the natural world as well as one another. It’s known that spending a lot of time on social media is contributing to the worsening of teens’ mental health. Adults need to take time away from their phones, too. That’s why the main character of my book, Kayla, encourages her father to put away his phone and fully engage in their walk through their forest. Children want their parents’ undivided attention; often they’re the ones encouraging adults to turn off their phones and be present.
I hope this book inspires you to spend time with your loved ones outdoors and soak in all its beauty and mental health benefits. Happy forest bathing!
Wishing you fresh air and sunshine,
Lisa Robinson
P.S. I invite you to download the free story time kit with five activities for children to learn more about forest bathing—from heading out on a sensory expedition to exploring their senses to making art in nature.
Lisa Robinson is a therapist, picture book writer, and nature enthusiast. She lives in Newton, Massachusetts. Every summer her family travels to coastal Maine for two weeks. The highlight of the trip is a walk through Barred Island Preserve on Deer Isle. The animals and plants mentioned in her new children’s book, Forest Bath Right Down This Path, are all found there. Learn more about Lisa and her work at author-lisa-robinson.com.
Trauma doesn’t show up in what we remember. It shows up in how we react.
This week, Tami Simon speaks with Dr. Tian Dayton—award-winning scholar, senior fellow at The Meadows, and author of Growing Up with Addiction: How Adult Children of Addicts Can Heal Family Trauma, Complex PTSD and Codependency—about what it means to grow up inside a family shaped by addiction, and what it actually takes to heal.
Drawing on decades of clinical work, her own lived experience, and her innovative Relational Trauma Repair (RTR) method, Dr. Dayton explores the neuroscience of relational trauma and the embodied, experiential path through it.
Join Tami and Tian to explore:
Why addiction is a family disease—and how process addictions like workaholism and overeating leave the same marks as substance use
How childhood trauma gets stored in the body, not the story—and why you can’t think your way out of complex PTSD
The neuroscience of overreaction: why triggers feel present-tense even when they’re decades old
Cognitive and somatic distortions—and how to recognize when the past is hijacking the present
Psychodrama and Relational Trauma Repair: the power of talking to instead of about
Timelines, social atoms, and letter writing as tools for putting fragmented memories back in order
Why healing is a discipline—and what it means to take ownership of your own darkness as a path to freedom
Whether you grew up in a home shaped by addiction or simply recognize the patterns Dr. Dayton describes, this interview offers both a map and the courage to begin the journey.
Listen now and start where you are.
This conversation offers genuine transmission—not just concepts about awakening, but the palpable presence of realized teachers exploring the growing edge of spiritual understanding together. Originally aired on Sounds True One.
Understanding your nervous system can feel overwhelming at first, especially when it seems to react without warning. One moment you’re grounded, and the next, you’re tense, withdrawn, or unsure of what triggered the change. For many, this cycle can feel confusing or even frustrating. But what if your body’s responses weren’t something to fix, but instead something to get to know? That’s the invitation behind Polyvagal Theory. It offers a way to understand why we feel the way we do and how we can gently support ourselves through those changes.
At Sounds True, we’ve had the honor of working with some of the world’s most respected voices in healing, mindfulness, and personal growth. Deb Dana is one of them. As a leading teacher of Polyvagal Theory and a powerful translator of nervous system wisdom, Deb brings warmth, clarity, and deep compassion to her work. Through our courses and podcast conversations, we’re proud to help bring her insights into daily life for anyone seeking more connection and safety within.
In this piece, we’ll be discussing Deb Dana’s unique approach to Polyvagal Theory, how to befriend your nervous system, and ways to bring nervous system regulation into your everyday experience.
Key Takeaways:
Understanding Polyvagal States: The nervous system shifts between states of connection, protection, and shutdown in response to cues of safety or threat.
Deb Dana’s Practical Wisdom: Deb Dana offers gentle, real-life ways to build awareness and regulation through small, consistent practices.
Everyday Application: Polyvagal-informed living supports emotional resilience, deeper relationships, and a greater sense of inner safety.
What Is Polyvagal Theory?
Polyvagal Theory, developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, offers a new understanding of how our nervous system helps us navigate safety, connection, and survival. Rather than seeing the nervous system as a simple on/off switch for stress and relaxation, this theory describes a more nuanced system built around three key pathways: the ventral vagal, sympathetic, and dorsal vagal states.
Each of these states plays a role in how we respond to the world. When we’re in ventral vagal regulation, we feel safe, open, and connected. In sympathetic activation, the body gears up to protect us through the fight-or-flight response. And when that’s not possible, we may shift into dorsal vagal shutdown, which can feel like disconnection or collapse.
Polyvagal Theory helps us map these shifts, not as signs of dysfunction, but as adaptive responses to our inner and outer environment. This framework gives language to experiences that many people have felt but struggled to explain. It also lays a foundation for healing by understanding how the body communicates cues of safety and danger.
Deb Dana’s Approach To Nervous System Regulation
Deb Dana, a clinician and author deeply connected to Stephen Porges’s work, has played a vital role in making Polyvagal Theory accessible and applicable in everyday life. Her approach is rooted in the belief that regulation begins with awareness, not with trying to fix or override our nervous system, but by building a relationship with it.
Rather than pathologizing our responses, Deb invites us to get curious about them. When we begin to notice the shifts between states, like feeling open and connected one moment, then anxious or withdrawn the next, we start to understand the language of our nervous system.
Deb often describes this work as befriending the nervous system. That means learning to listen without judgment, responding with compassion, and practicing gentle ways of returning to safety and connection. It’s not about forcing calm, but about finding cues of safety that our unique system can trust.
Her guidance encourages small, consistent practices, such as tracking your state through the day, recognizing what helps you feel anchored, and using these insights to gently support nervous system regulation over time.
What It Means To Befriend Your Nervous System
To befriend your nervous system is to shift from self-criticism to self-compassion. It’s the practice of meeting your internal experience with kindness, even when it’s uncomfortable or unfamiliar.
For many of us, the nervous system has felt like something to overcome. We may have learned to push through anxiety, shut down emotion, or dismiss signals of exhaustion. But Deb Dana invites a different approach: one where we slow down and listen, where we get to know the patterns that shape our responses, and where we begin to trust that our bodies are trying to protect us, even when they’re not quite getting it right.
Befriending doesn’t mean controlling. It means becoming a companion to your own system. This can look like:
Noticing when your body feels safe and what helps you get there
Naming your state (without judgment)
Practicing ways to gently return to regulation
This relationship is built over time. It’s tender, respectful, and deeply personal. And it opens the door to greater resilience, not by avoiding discomfort, but by learning how to move through it with care.
Vagal Tone And The Path To Safety
Vagal tone is central to the body’s capacity for nervous system regulation. It reflects how easily we can shift into a state of calm and connection after stress. Supporting vagal tone isn’t about forcing the body to relax, it’s about creating environments and experiences that feel safe enough to allow that shift. Here’s how that can look in daily life:
What Is Vagal Tone?
Vagal tone describes the strength and responsiveness of the vagus nerve, which plays a vital role in regulating heart rate, digestion, and emotional state. A well-toned vagus nerve helps the body recover more quickly from stress and supports a felt sense of safety in both the body and mind.
Cues Of Safety: The Foundation Of Regulation
According to Deb Dana, nervous system regulation starts with cues of safety: experiences that tell the body it’s okay to soften. This might be eye contact with someone trustworthy, a soothing sound, or the rhythm of a steady breath. These cues signal the ventral vagal system to activate, bringing us into a state of calm engagement.
Practices That Support Vagal Tone
Strengthening vagal tone doesn’t require a dramatic change. Small, consistent actions like breathing slowly through the nose, humming, singing, or spending time with someone who helps you feel grounded can be deeply regulating. These practices gently guide the system back into connection.
From Survival To Connection
When vagal tone is strong, the nervous system becomes more flexible. This means we can move through sympathetic or dorsal states without getting stuck in them. Over time, this builds the capacity to return to connection more easily, even after moments of disconnection or overwhelm.
Bringing Polyvagal Wisdom Into Daily Life
Understanding your nervous system is powerful, but what truly creates change is learning to live alongside it. Deb Dana encourages everyday practices that help us build a stronger relationship with our system, not through big interventions, but through small, meaningful moments of connection.
Begin With Awareness
The first step is simply noticing. How does your body respond in different settings? What does “regulated” feel like for you? By tracking your nervous system states throughout the day, you start to recognize patterns, and that awareness becomes the ground for change.
Build A Personal Map
Deb often speaks about creating a personal nervous system map. This means identifying your own signs of ventral, sympathetic, and dorsal states, and naming the things that help you shift. Maybe music brings you back, or a certain person’s voice helps you settle. Mapping these can guide you toward regulation when you need it most.
Practice Micro-Moments Of Regulation
Regulation isn’t about staying calm all the time; it’s about returning. Even brief practices, like placing a hand on your heart or stepping outside for fresh air, can bring a sense of anchoring. Over time, these micro-moments build a more stable foundation of safety.
Stay In A Relationship
We heal through connection, not isolation. Polyvagal practice isn’t a solo journey. Co-regulation, or feeling safe in the presence of others, is a key part of nervous system healing. This might come from a trusted friend, a therapist, or even the steady rhythm of a pet’s breathing beside you.
How Trauma Shapes Nervous System Responses
Trauma can reshape how the nervous system interprets the world. Instead of easily recognizing cues of safety, the system may become more attuned to cues of danger even when none are present. Deb Dana emphasizes that this isn’t a flaw. It’s a form of protection the body learned when it needed to survive.
Survival States Are Adaptive
When the nervous system perceives a threat, it automatically shifts into survival states such as fight-or-flight or shutdown. For someone who has experienced trauma, these responses may become more easily triggered, even in situations that feel safe to others. It’s the body doing what it knows to do to keep you safe.
The Importance Of Compassionate Awareness
Understanding these patterns with compassion is essential. Rather than asking, “What’s wrong with me?”, Deb invites us to ask, “What happened that shaped my system this way?” This shift softens judgment and opens the possibility for healing.
Regulation Takes Time And Trust
Regulation after trauma doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a process of slowly teaching the body that it no longer has to stay in protection mode. Through safe relationships, grounding practices, and patient attention, the system can begin to relearn what safety feels like.
Learn More With Deb Dana And Sounds True
For those who feel drawn to deepen their relationship with their nervous system, Deb Dana offers supportive, accessible guidance through Sounds True. Her courses and conversations are designed to meet people where they are, gently, without pressure, and with a deep respect for each person’s unique path.
Each of these offerings invites you into a gentler, more connected relationship with yourself, one grounded in the wisdom of your own nervous system.
Final Thoughts
Polyvagal Theory gives us a language for something many of us have felt but didn’t know how to name: the constant shifts in how safe, connected, or overwhelmed we feel in our bodies. Through Deb Dana’s work, this understanding becomes not just theoretical, but personal, relational, and deeply human.
Befriending your nervous system isn’t about perfection. It’s about learning to notice, respond, and return again and again. It’s about offering yourself the same care and attunement you would offer someone you love. Over time, this practice becomes a way of living a quiet, steady return to connection.
Frequently Asked Questions About Polyvagal Theory
What does polyvagal mean in simple terms?
“Polyvagal” refers to the different branches of the vagus nerve that influence how we feel safe, respond to stress, and connect with others. It describes a system that helps us navigate connection, danger, and disconnection based on cues from our environment.
Can polyvagal theory help with anxiety?
Yes. Polyvagal Theory offers insight into how anxiety arises from nervous system states, helping people recognize when their system is in a stress response and how to shift toward a state of calm.
Is polyvagal theory supported by science?
Polyvagal Theory is rooted in neurophysiology and has a growing base of clinical application, especially in trauma therapy. While still evolving in research, it’s widely respected in somatic and therapeutic communities.
What role does breathwork play in polyvagal regulation?
Breathwork, especially slow, nasal breathing, can activate the vagus nerve and support regulation. It’s a gentle, accessible way to shift into a more connected state.
Can children benefit from polyvagal-informed practices?
Yes. Children, especially those with emotional or behavioral challenges, can benefit from environments that offer clear cues of safety and regulated adult presence.
How is co-regulation different from self-regulation?
Co-regulation happens through connection with others, such as being with someone calm and supportive, while self-regulation involves managing one’s own nervous system responses.
Does polyvagal theory apply to everyday stress?
Absolutely. Everyday stressors like social tension, noise, or change can trigger shifts in the nervous system. Polyvagal Theory helps explain and work with these shifts.
Is polyvagal theory only used in therapy?
No. While it’s widely used in therapeutic settings, its principles apply to relationships, parenting, education, leadership, and even creative practice.
Can someone be stuck in a survival state without realizing it?
Yes. Many people live in chronic sympathetic (anxious) or dorsal (shut down) states without having language for it. Polyvagal Theory offers a way to recognize and respond to these patterns.
How long does it take to “befriend” your nervous system?
There’s no fixed timeline. It’s an ongoing relationship that builds over time with consistent practice, gentle awareness, and supportive environments.
Michelle Cassandra Johnson is an author, activist, spiritual teacher, racial equity consultant, and intuitive healer. She is the author of six books, including Skill in Action and Finding Refuge. Amy Burtaine is a leadership coach and racial equity trainer. With Robin DiAngelo, she is the coauthor of The Facilitator’s Guide for White Affinity Groups. For more, visit https://www.michellecjohnson.com/wisdom-of-the-hive.
What if the greatest battle you’ll ever face is the one happening inside your own mind?
This week, Tami Simon speaks with Shi Heng Yi—a 35th generation Shaolin master, founder of the Shaolin Temple Europe, and author of Shaolin Spirit: The Way to Self-Mastery—about what it truly means to master yourself from the inside out.
Born in Germany to Vietnamese immigrant parents, Master Shi Heng Yi began martial arts training at age four and has spent decades making the profound teachings of Shaolin Buddhism accessible to modern seekers worldwide.
Join Tami and Shi Heng Yi to explore:
What self-mastery actually means—and why it has nothing to do with control
The difference between the self and the persona, and why most suffering comes from confusing the two
The concept of elevation—how life becomes lighter when we stop grasping
How the body becomes a doorway to discovering what lies beyond it
The mind lessons hidden inside the Shaolin horse stance (mabu)
Why the heart of a Buddha and the fight of a warrior are not opposites
The yin dimension within one of the world’s most physically demanding traditions
Whether you’re carrying the weight of a heavy identity, stuck in a cycle of suffering, or simply curious about what ancient wisdom has to say to the modern world, listen in to discover the freedom that comes from turning inward.
This conversation offers genuine transmission—not just concepts about awakening, but the palpable presence of realized teachers exploring the growing edge of spiritual understanding together. Originally aired on Sounds True One.
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