Polyvagal Parenting: Vagus Nerve Practices to Stay Calm, Coregulated, and Connected with Your Child

"Whether you are a therapist working with families or a parent, this book is a must-have."
--Arielle Schwartz, PhD, psychologist and founder of the Center for Resilience Informed Therapy

"Transforms concepts such as neuroception, coregulation, and the social engagement system into practical pathways for daily life."
--Stephen W. Porges, creator of polyvagal theory

The book every parent needs right now.Give your child the tools to build resilience and self-soothe in an increasingly unsettled world.

Kids today face an increasingly uncertain future, and mental health issues among children--including depression, anxiety, and toxic stress--are skyrocketing. As a parent, you want to equip your child with the coping skills and tools needed to stay resilient and confident, even in the face of extreme difficulty. But where do you start?

Polyvagal Parenting is evidence-based, written by real experts, and recommended by leading mental health professionals. Based on cutting-edge polyvagal theory, this book offers powerful practices that you and your child can use to prevent toxic stress and anxiety, and help them feel safe and grounded--no matter what challenges in life arise. You'll learn to help your child deal with stress in the moment, manage emotions, and soothe an overwhelmed nervous system. Most importantly, you'll discover techniques to help your child build the tenacity needed to reach their goals and grow to be a happy, healthy adult.

Children must feel safe in order to learn and grow. With this groundbreaking guide, you and your child will learn the skills needed to thrive in an anxious and overwhelming world.

Paul North is an Australian psychologist with more than thirty-five years of clinical experience in developmental disabilities, trauma therapy, and nervous system-informed care. His work with children, families, teachers, and adults has been shaped by a deep interest in how safety, connection, and compassion support healing and resilience.

Paul began integrating polyvagal-informed care into his clinical work, teaching, and writing in 2011. He has led assessment services for children with suspected autism and developmental delay, held senior clinical and consulting roles in public health and disability services, and presented internationally on polyvagal theory and the Safe and Sound Protocol. Paul holds a Master of Arts (Honors) in psychology from the University of Wollongong, and a master's degree from the University of Sydney.

Lydia So is a developmental pediatrician, researcher, and author whose work focuses on child development, including disability, autism, ADHD, and emotional and behavioral difficulties. She is committed to helping parents and professionals look beneath behavior and respond to children with more confidence, compassion, and connection.

So leads a multidisciplinary child development assessment team, integrating clinical care, teaching, research, and quality improvement to improve developmental assessment and support for children and families. She received a bachelor of medicine and surgery from the University of Auckland, and a master of public health and tropical medicine with distinction from James Cook University. She is a fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, Pediatrics and Child Health Division.

Michael Allison is a performance consultant specializing in optimizing health, resilience, and performance for various clients--from executives and athletes to sports psychologists and creatives. He has certified hundreds of professionals worldwide in his Play Zone methodology, which applies polyvagal theory and is endorsed by Stephen W. Porges. He writes for Psychology Today on his platform, The Pressure Paradox, and consults for major sports organizations.

Michael is a keynote speaker and educational partner with the Polyvagal Institute, offering accredited programs and authoring influential works on polyvagal theory, including coauthoring a chapter on empathy and compassion with Stephen Porges in Polyvagal Perspectives.

Foreword writer Stephen W. Porges, PhD, is Distinguished University Scientist at Indiana University. An internationally recognized researcher, he developed polyvagal theory, a groundbreaking framework that links the autonomic nervous system to emotional regulation, social connection, trauma, and mental health. He is also the creator of the Safe and Sound Protocol(TM) and cofounder of the Polyvagal Institute.