How Trauma Gets Trapped in Your Body (& How To Heal) | Dr. Stephen Porges | Align Podcast #529

Align Podcast

Aaron Alexander

Health & Fitness, Alternative Health, Nutrition

4.8 • 900 Ratings

🗓️ 6 February 2025

⏱️ 66 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Did you know that your body keeps the score on trauma? Even if you don’t realize it.

In this episode of the Align podcast, I’m joined by Dr. Stephen Porges to break down how trauma is stored in the body and its impact on the nervous system. Dr. Porges explains the Polyvagal Theory (a concept he coined and pioneered), the brain-gut connection, and why our physiological state shapes perception.

Expect to learn practical ways to regulate the nervous system, including breathwork, sound therapy, and social activities, and rewire your response to stress and build resilience through scientifically-backed methods.

OUR GUEST

Stephen W. Porges, Ph.D. is a Distinguished University Scientist at Indiana University and the founding director of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium at the Kinsey Institute. He is Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina and Professor Emeritus at both the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Maryland. As the originator of Polyvagal Theory, Dr. Porges has reshaped how we understand trauma, physiological state, and social engagement. He also developed the Safe and Sound Protocol™, a music-based intervention helping thousands of therapists improve nervous system regulation.

DR. STEPHEN PORGES

🌐 Website ▶ https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org/

📷 IG ▶ https://www.instagram.com/polyvagalinstitute/?hl=en

🔷 LI ▶ http://linkedin.com/company/74602056

📘 FB ▶ https://www.facebook.com/polyvagalinstitute

▶️ YT ▶ https://www.youtube.com/@PolyvagalInstitute

📱 App ▶ http://www.polyvagalinstitute.org/pviapp

AARON ALEXANDER

📸 IG ▶ https://www.instagram.com/aaronalexander/

🤳 TIKTOK ▶ https://www.tiktok.com/@alignmethod

👉 SUBSCRIBE ▶ https://www.youtube.com/@AlignPodcast?sub_confirmation=1

🌐 WEBSITE ▶ https://www.alignpodcast.com

ABOUT

Aaron Alexander is a pioneering manual therapist and movement coach with over 5 years experience. He is the founder and creator of The Align Method, author of The Align Method book, and host of The Align Podcast which has ranked #1 in Nutrition on Apple Podcasts.

Aaron has worked with some of the world’s greatest professional athletes, performers, and celebrities to help relieve pain, improve strength, better flexibility, and ease the mind and body.

On this channel, Aaron interviews renowned experts in a range of fields focused on improving the mind and body. This mind and body podcast will teach you all that you need to know to become the healthiest version of yourself by integrating simplified ancient techniques and the foundational principles of The Align Method to strengthen your body, balance the mind, and activate healing systems in daily life.

The mission? To be the best personal growth podcast about healthy habits, redefine functional movement, and make fitness who you are; not what you do.

TOPICS

1. How trauma affects the nervous system

2. Polyvagal Theory

3. Stress management

4. Gut health

5. Music therapy

6. Breathwork

7. Perception, neuroception, and interoception

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Welcome back to the live podcast. My name is Aaron Alexander. Today's conversation is with Dr. Stephen Porges. Dr. Porges is one of the most legendary figures in the world of nervous system regulation. He coined and pioneered the concept of polyvagal theory. I'm sure you folks have at least hurt of the vagus nerve and probably the polyvigal theory at this point
0:21.7	depending upon how nerdy you are about the nervous system and he's a guy um he's someone that i've
0:27.4	looked up to and respected for a very long time i've been reading his work and studying his work
0:31.0	for the last probably 12 years or so so it was an immense honor to get to have a conversation with him
0:36.5	this conversation will teach you about the origins of your emotions, how they express through the body, and how you can regulate yourself to be a better human being in your daily life.
0:48.3	I want to also invite you guys if you want to go deeper into understanding your breath and its association to the way that you feel. You can visit the
0:55.7	free trial of the align breathing program. I am so over the moon. Is that even a phrase people use
1:01.5	over the moon? I'm really excited about it. I think it's amazing. I think it is the most
1:07.2	comprehensive breathing program on the internet. And there is also a quick start guide in it.
1:13.2	So if you're feeling anxious, we teach you how to breathe through anxiety.
1:16.0	If you're feeling stressed, if you feel having trouble with your sleeping,
1:19.4	if you want to boost your energy, you can very quickly and efficiently
1:23.8	and easily augment the way that you feel with your breath.
1:26.9	And you can start the free trial over at alignpodcast.com slash breathe.
1:33.5	So the first week is absolutely free.
1:37.1	And I think you guys are going to get to, I don't think.
1:39.0	I absolutely 100% know you will get a ton of value out of the first week.
1:42.6	So jump over to Alivepodcast.com slash slash breathe if you want to learn more about that.
1:47.0	All right, here we go.
1:47.6	Back to the conversation with Dr. Stephen Porges.
1:53.5	Dr. Steven Porges, thank you so much for making time to do this.
1:56.8	I have been following you from afar.
	...

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