Polyvagal Card Deck: 58 Practices for Calm and Change

I almost didn't buy these cards due to some of the negative reviews, but I'm glad that I did. I'm a LCSW with a private practice and a background in psychiatric crisis stabilization. I bought two packs of these- one for personal use and one to keep in my office for clients. Pros: The watercolor artwork is soft and soothing. The deck is well-organized. The exercises are practical and thoughtful. The cards appear sturdy, well-made, and like they'll last. Cons? Well, the idea of keeping these in your pocket is a bit silly [come on, Norton], but they are definitely portable. I also wish that Amazon didn't beat up the card boxes [both had some dents even though the shipping box was undamaged] and think that Norton could have made said card boxes sturdier. I have less confidence that the boxes will last as well as the cards. I thought about taking a star off for this, but it doesn't really impact the usability of the cards themselves. Overall: I do think that some of the exercises could be helpful in the moment if you're struggling, but probably only if you've considered and practiced them ahead of time. The same is true even for something like DBT, which has great "crisis survival skills." No matter what modality you're using, it's less likely that you'll be able to learn a new skill of any kind if you wait until you're intensely activated or shut down to try it for the first time. I think that these cards may be geared more towards a long-term befriending of your nervous system [a huge focus for Deb Dana] than they are on crisis survival skills, but I don't think that means they can't be helpful during a crisis. Some of the negative reviews sounded a bit like people expected these exercises to have the same effect as popping an Ativan, and I'm just not sure that they could have that kind of kick unless you've done some work ahead of time to consider how you'd like to manage changes in your nervous system states. As I look at these cards, they feel thoughtful, practical, accessible and contemplative. Polyvagal Theory can be complicated and these help to make it simple, creative, and approachable. I think they're worth a shot and could be an asset for those who are seeking to manage strong emotions and bring calm to their nervous systems :-)

Kind of like a Tarot deck. I liked mine so much I purchased 2 extra sets as gifts. It is not really necessary to understand Deb Dana’s method or the polyvagal theory to benefit from these. Very self explanatory and fun to use as a card a day wellness exercise. Highly recommend!

First, as there seems to be a lot in the reviews about the condition of the cards, mine arrived sealed in plastic and in new condition. There were, however, little bits of dark "schmutz" on some of them that scraped off easily with a fingernail. The cards are sectioned into ventral, sympathetic, dorsal, relational and bonus portions. Many of the exercises are substantial enough to require several days or more to complete them. In short, these are exercises that require commitment of time and attention. There are 58 in total, so one might consider dedicating approximately a week to each card as a year-long process of understanding and working with polyvagal states and their associated thoughts and behaviors, with the goal of building a more confident pro-social skill set. As someone who has been disabled for many years as a result of multiple complex traumas, I can say that I look forward to using these to elevate my baseline state however much is possible.

These cards are fantastic, very thorough, high quality, easy to read, not overwhelming. The only card I don't like is the one which references "spirit" which is treated very ambiguously here. I know it is trying to be universal, but that word does conjure up many possibilities, and I think it should be used either more specifically, or not at all, because it can be used in so many ways, not all good. At any rate, I do really enjoy these cards. The formatting, ease of use, and content are very high quality.

Would like to give these 5 stars because the cards are pretty with calming colors. The exercises are interesting and can be expanded upon if you use a little imagination. My chief complaint is the lack of an index of some kind, so I've provided one below. The cards aren't numbered and a couple of mine got out of order before I thought of typing the list. POLYVAGAL CARD DECK INDEX POLYVAGAL CARD DECK cover card (1) INTRODUCTORY cards (5) • Overview • Important Concepts • Three States • Deb Dana • Stephen W. Porges VENTRAL (13) • Glimmers • Savoring • Sifting • Anchoring in Ventral • Touchstones • A Ventral Space • Exploring My Ventral Landscape • Nourished in Nature • Signs of Welcome • Reaching Out • Loving Kindness Meditation • Connecting with Spirit • Awe Inspiring SYMPATHETIC (13) • Heading into the Storm • Flavors of Sympathetic • What If? • Assessing the Situation • Honoring the Survival Response • Notice the Difference • My Sympathetic Survival Story • Exploring My Regulated Sympathetic Landscape • Exploring My Sympathetic Survival Landscape • Calm Up • Change the Equation • Reach for Regulation • Rant to Release DORSAL (13) • Flavors of Dorsal • Down to Dorsal • Exploring My Regulated Dorsal Landscape • Exploring My Dorsal Survival Landscape • In Service of Survival • Meeting the Moment • Dorsal Danger • What If? • Reach Out • Coming Back to Life • Widen the Lens – Adjust the Focus • Touch a Dorsal Moment • Finding a Lifeline RELATIONAL (13) • Story of Three States • Flavor of the Day • Moving with States • The Shape of States • Playlists • Soundscapes • Under the Umbrella • Autonomic Haiku • Three Objects • Notice, Name, Turn Toward, Tune In • Daily Reflection • An Illustrated Hierarchy • The Power of a Sigh BONUS (5) • Pathways to Play • Playful Moments • Stories of Stillness • Practicing Stillness • Consider Change • Let Go and Take a Leap

These are great if you need help learning how to bring your nervous system back under control

I love these cards. They are a 10 minute daily practice that set me up for the day. Shuffle the pack, pick a card, answer the questions. I did read Debs book Polyvagal Theory in Therapy first which was vital to understand the concept. I am not a trauma patient or a trauma therapist. I am just someone who has searched to figure out how I work: physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. The ANS is the systems view. Thank you for these cards! I love them!

Bought as gift for a family member because I received it as gift from a colleague. Very helpful infographic

Wieder ein Aufguss des Bekannten. Mir hat es nicht weitergeholfen im gesamten Verständnis. Nett zu haben, jedoch nicht notwendig für die praktische Arbeit.

Semplice e molto ben fatto deck che riassume il lavoro di Deb Dana in modo sintetico e piacevole.

The quality and thickness of cards was simply amazing. Worth the price. Excellent to the point information on cards. Easy to grasp and simple terms used for layman understanding. Easy to follow instructions. Perfect ! No cons.

Love the quality of these cards! Use them for client work as a psychotherapist.

I love these cards and found them really helpful in understanding polyvagal theory and how to put it into practice