Dorsal Vagus: What it Means

When the Dorsal Vagus Activates

If fight or flight isn't working or isn't possible, the system shifts to dorsal vagus: heart rate drops, breathing becomes shallow, energy drains away, and dissociation can set in. This is a last-resort strategy of the body, to become invisible, conserve energy, and survive by being as minimally present as possible.

In Practice

In a session, you can recognize a dorsal shift when a client suddenly becomes quieter, their gaze becomes glazed over, breathing is shallow, and they sometimes appear 'empty'. Continuing to talk about the topic that triggered the shift is counterproductive. The work now becomes: bringing them back to the here and now through feeling their feet, orienting, and possibly movement.

Common Misconception

The mistake is seeing dorsal as weakness or avoidance. It is a brilliant survival strategy that has allowed us as a species to endure. The problem is not the response itself, but getting stuck in it, not being able to return to ventral after the threat has passed.

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