“Felt Sense” Polyvagal Model: Re-envisioning Trauma & Addiction Treatment

Date course created: February 2025

Our current brain disease model of trauma and addiction desperately needs a fresh approach, one that honors the wisdom of the body. The Felt Sense Polyvagal Model™ (FSPM) shifts the current pathologizing paradigm to a strengths-based approach. Through the lens of Stephen Porges’ Polyvagal theory, trauma and addiction is seen as an adaptive stress response in our autonomic nervous system. Trauma/addictive behaviors are the body’s attempt to emotionally regulate by acting as propellers that facilitate neurophysiological shifts in our nervous system. The “Felt Sense” model integrates Porges’ Polyvagal theory and Gendlin’s “Felt Sense” enabling us to appreciate these behaviors as adaptive responses in maladaptive environments.

This training provides an overview of Jan Winhall’s recent best-selling book “Treating Trauma and Addiction with the Felt Sense Polyvagal Model,” Routledge, 2021. She will discuss the development of the model over forty years of clinical practice. Gain full clinical understanding of the FSPM theoretical framework, as well as an introduction to the Embodied Assessment and Treatment Tool™ and Carnes’ Four Circle Harm Reduction Practice. Participants will also learn and about Gendlin’s Focusing/Felt Sense somatic practice.

The FSPM provides a foundational framework that offers a clear and powerful way to integrate embodiment into practice. Clinicians can integrate therapeutic modalities including: Internal Family Systems, Somatic Experiencing, Sensory Motor Psychotherapy, DBT, CBT, Interpersonal Neurobiology and more. A mixture of didactic information, experiential practices, demonstrations, and case examples will guide the clinician in applying the model. Downloads including the client and clinician FSPM graphic models, Body Cards, Four Circles, and more are available for the workshop on my website. http://janwinhall.com. Students need a journal and crayons. This course will be informative for those new to the field of trauma/addiction as well as seasoned practitioners.

**This is a 2.5-CE noninteractive, self-paced online video course delivered in home study format via an industry-standard online learning platform**

Agenda:

Objectives:

This training will provide participants clinical knowledge and tools to:

a). After completing this training, participants will be able to discuss and explain addiction through the lens of Polyvagal theory, describing the paradigm shift.

b). After completing this training, participants will be able to describe the neurophysiological states of the Felt Sense Polyvagal Model™ and how we work with each one.

c). After completing this training, participants will be able to learn and describe the Four Circle Harm Reduction Practice and how to apply it with addicted clients.

Target Audience:

The target audience for this event includes psychologists, social workers, counselors, MFT’s, psychiatrists and other clinical mental health professionals.

Instructional Level: Intermediate

Instructor(s): Jan Winhall, MSW, FOT

Material Author(s): Jan Winhall, MSW, FOT

Jan Winhall, M.S.W. P.I.F.O.T. is an author, teacher and seasoned trauma and addiction psychotherapist. She is an Educational Partner and Course Developer with the Polyvagal Institute where she offers a training program based on her book Treating Trauma and Addiction with the Felt Sense Polyvagal Model, Routledge 2021. She is an Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Toronto and a Certifying Co-Ordinator with the International Focusing Institute. Jan is Co-Director of the Borden Street Clinic where she supervises graduate students. She enjoys teaching all over the world. You can reach her at janwinhall.com.

For additional information about this course, the instructors, or the material authors, please contact Content Assistance at content@onlinececredits.com.

Course Materials & Delivery Method:

• Course Materials – The course is composed of a recorded presentation and written materials (e.g. a slide deck and/or other worksheets, manuals, or handouts as provided by the instructor). The slide deck and any additional worksheets or handouts (as provided by the instructor) are made available inside the Lesson module after a course is purchased.
• Delivery Method – This course is a recorded asynchronous, self-paced webinar training, and there is no access time limit or due date to complete it once enrolled. The enrolled learner will stream the recorded presentation and view the materials from their internet connected device via an industry-standard online learning platform.

CE Approvals:

Online CE Credits has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6795. Programs that do not quality for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Online CE Credits is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

Mind Works Professional Education, Inc. DBA Online CE Credits, #1974, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: July 23, 2024 – July 23, 2025. Social workers completing this course receive 2.5 clinical continuing education credits.

Other Helpful Information:

• Refund & Cancellation Policy – you may review this policy at any time by clicking here.
• Accessibility Accommodations – if you require a reasonable accommodation for any reason, please email your request to cc@onlinececredits.com
• Course Completion Requirements – 1.) View the entire Lesson module (accessible from the main course page), to include the embedded and/or linked presentation video(s), slide deck, additional materials, and/or links to any shared video clip(s) that may have been edited from the presentation video(s) to comply with copyright laws. 2.) Click into the Quiz module accessible from either the main course page or the Lesson page and complete the Quiz with an 80% or better pass rate. 3.) Complete the course evaluation – you’ll be sent to the evaluation automatically once you successfully pass the Quiz.
• Posttest Requirements – you must answer 80% or more of the Quiz questions correctly to pass. If you fail to pass the first time, you may attempt the quiz again until you are able to pass with a score of 80% or better. Quizzes are graded instantly and automatically by the learning management system once your attempt is submitted.
• Certificate of Completion – certificates of completion are automatically generated – downloadable from your Dashboard and emailed to you – once you view the Lesson materials and complete the Quiz and the course evaluation.
• How to Enroll – Login to the website first if you already have a user account. If not, you will create your permanent user account login information during course enrollment. Select the appropriate course library using the top menu of the website. Once inside your chosen course library, find and select your desired course to be taken to the main course page. Click the button on the top banner to enroll. When the order window pops up, enter your details and place your order. You will be emailed an enrollment confirmation message, and you’ll be sent to a landing page instructing you how to begin your newly enrolled course.
• System Requirements –
  • Recommended Devices: Desktop, Laptop, or Tablet computer. (Note: Our platform is mobile responsive and may be fully accessed from a connected smartphone).
  • Suggested Browsers: Updated version of Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, or Apple Safari.
  • Recommended Network: Home wifi, ethernet, or a public wifi with VPN (Note: agency or corporate networks are often equipped with restrictive firewalls that may adversely impact your experience on our platform).
  • Recommended speed/bandwidth: Minimum download speed > 20Mbps and minimum upload speed > 6Mbps.