Learn with Arielle

Join Dr Arielle Schwartz, PhD, CCTP-II, E-RYT, an internationally sought-after teacher, therapeutic yoga instructor, and leading voice in healing PTSD and complex trauma.

This program offers a unique opportunity to enhance your clinical practice with cutting-edge techniques promoting physiological and psychological wellness. Dr. Schwartz will explain the science of natural vagus nerve stimulation and guide you through an experiential process, allowing you to sense the benefits of these practices for yourself and teach them to others.
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Dr. Arielle Schwartz

Learners in this course will

  • Understand the Mechanisms

    Gain a comprehensive understanding of how natural vagus nerve stimulation influences the autonomic nervous system and its implications for mental health.

  • Master Techniques

    Learn and practice various neural exercises, including breathwork, mindfulness, sound, mindful-movement, and self-applied touch.

  • Integrate into Practice

    Develop skills to seamlessly integrate vagal toning methods into existing therapeutic modalities.

  • Enhance Therapeutic Efficacy

    Discover how to use these techniques to reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, chronic illness, and trauma.

  • Empower Others

    Equip clients, patients, or students with self-regulation tools, fostering their sense of agency and promoting sustained mental well-being.

Hear from Arielle

Course Timing

The first live online session of this course is September 9, 2025.

Self-paced content will be available starting August 26, 2025.

This is a hybrid course that will meet for 2 hour long sessions on Zoom every third Wednesday at 12 pm ET.

Course Schedule of Live Sessions:

  • September 9, 2025
  • September 30, 2025
  • October 14, 2025

Recordings of previous live sessions will be available on our learning platform.

Convert the listed times to your own timezone, here.

Course Description

Join Dr Arielle Schwartz, PhD, CCTP-II, E-RYT, an internationally sought-after teacher, therapeutic yoga instructor, and leading voice in healing PTSD and complex trauma. This program offers a unique opportunity to enhance your clinical practice with cutting-edge techniques promoting physiological and psychological wellness. Dr. Schwartz will explain the science of natural vagus nerve stimulation and guide you through an experiential process, allowing you to sense the benefits of these practices for yourself and teach them to others. 

Vagus Nerve Stimulation
Research on vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of autonomic dysregulation associated with chronic physical and mental health conditions including depression, epilepsy, obesity, migraine headaches, among other conditions. Historically, this stimulation has occurred through the use of surgically implanted devices and more recently through external transcutaneous devices. In this course, you will learn and practice a range of natural vagus nerve stimulation techniques using breath, sound, eye movements, self-applied touch in areas where the vagus nerve comes close to the surface of your skin, and gentle somatic movements that are highly effective, easy to implement, and affordable. 

Healthy vagal tone is an optimal balance between parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system actions. High vagal tone is linked to improved stress resilience, better mood stability, and autonomic stabilization. Conversely, low vagal tone heightens stress responses, including anxiety, fear, and anger. While most people need to down-regulate their nervous system into the parasympathetic due to busy, stressful lives, some individuals require up-regulating strategies to combat fatigue or collapse. This course will provide you with a wide array of neural exercises to support you and others with nervous system informed care for your emotional and physical health. 

Grounded within the principles of Polyvagal Theory, affective neuroscience, and trauma-informed care, this course with leading Polyvagal Theory expert Dr. Arielle Schwartz will help you gain a better understanding of how your brains and body responds to stress and trauma. 

Free Course Info Session
We invite you to a free course info session on Tuesday August 5, 12-12:30pm ET (link coming soon).

If you can't join us live in real time, the recording will be available here.

Payment Information

Learners will have access to the course for 365 days from the registration date.

Extra Details

This is a hybrid course. There are no pre-requisites. This course is intended for a wide audience.

  • Individuals with chronic emotional and physical health conditions; parents looking for tools to support children;

  • Psychotherapists and coaches wanting to empower clients with nervous system-informed care; medical professionals seeking to enhance a sense of safety for your patients; teachers seeking regulation interventions for the classroom

Course Framework

    1. Course Schedule

    2. If you're interested in CEs

      FREE PREVIEW

    1. Learning Objectives

    2. Diagram: Autonomic Nervous System States

      FREE PREVIEW

    3. 9 min intro video: Trauma and the nervous system: a polyvagal perspective

      FREE PREVIEW

    4. Emotional support & other support resources

      FREE PREVIEW

    5. Watch: Navigating the Nervous System: A Polyvagal Guided Approach with Deb Dana, LCSW

    6. Slides: Navigating the Nervous System Powerpoint

    7. Watch: Polyvagal Theory: A Neuroscience Explaining Reactions to Safety and Threat with Dr. Stephen Porges

    8. Slides: A Neuroscience View Powerpoint

    1. Learning Objectives

    1. First Live Session

    1. Learning Objectives

    1. Second Live Session

About this course

  • $699.00
  • 18 lessons

About Your Instructor

Arielle Schwartz

Arielle Schwartz, PhD, is a psychologist, internationally sought-out teacher, yoga instructor, and leading voice in the healing of PTSD and complex trauma. She is the author of eight books, including The Complex PTSD Workbook, EMDR Therapy and Somatic Psychology, and The Post Traumatic Growth Guidebook. Dr. Schwartz is an accomplished teacher who guides therapists in the application of EMDR, somatic psychology, parts work therapy, and mindfulness-based interventions for the treatment of trauma and complex PTSD. She has a depth of understanding, passion, kindness, compassion, joy, and a succinct way of speaking about very complex topics. She is the founder of the Center for Resilience Informed Therapy in Boulder, Colorado where she maintains a private practice providing psychotherapy, supervision, and consultation. With over twenty years as a therapeutic yoga teacher, Dr. Schwartz believes that the journey of trauma recovery is an awakening of the spiritual heart. Discover more at drarielleschwartz.com.

FAQ

  • What is the attendance policy for a course?

    Live/Hybrid courses: While specific course policies may vary, we typically allow one absence for a live or hybrid course and require watching the recording and/or sometimes submitting a reflection for the missed session. If a participant is absent for more than the permissible number of live sessions, they may no longer be eligible to receive their certificate. Self-paced courses: Attendance does not apply to self-paced courses as they are designed to be consumed when the student is willing and able to take the course. All material is pre-recorded content, reading, or individual assignments. Please note that if you are enrolled in a course that offers CEs (continuing education credits) and you have opted to earn them, specific attendance policies apply and must be adhered to in order for you to remain eligible to earn CEs at the end of the course. Contact us for details if you are unsure of the attendance policy for your particular course!

  • How and where are live sessions held?

    Live sessions are held online via Zoom. You will find your course Zoom link inside the course content on our Learning Platform once you enroll; email reminders with the Zoom link are sent to enrolled students. While having your camera on is not required, you are invited to turn your camera on during your live course session; this allows you to share in co-regulation with other learners and to build a sense of community.

  • What if I am unable to attend a live session?

    We upload recordings of our live course sessions to our Learning Platform within 72 hours for you to view. (Please see the attendance policy above.)

  • Where can I find the course material?

    PVI uses a Learning Platform (LMS) called Thinkific. Upon enrolling in a course, you will receive an email invite to access the course in Thinkific. This is where you'll find all of the course materials, links, and class community.

  • Is this course accredited?

    PVI is the founding home of Polyvagal Theory, and we believe our courses offer the most accurate and up to date content about Polyvagal Theory and its many applications. There is no accrediting body for this type of curriculum. Our course descriptions will list any continuing education credits (CEs/ CEUs) or other professional benefits that might be available for the course (along with any applicable restrictions). If CEs are not listed for a particular course, then none are available.

  • How do I reset my password to the PVI Learning Platform?

    You can reset your password by going to https://pvi.thinkific.com/users/sign_in and clicking the “Forgot Password?” link. You will then enter the email address you used when creating your account to receive a one-time password reset link. Use the instructions in that email to complete your password reset. If you have any other technical questions, feel free to reach out to us at [email protected].

  • Is there closed captioning?

    Yes. Most of our pre-recorded course content is hosted on a platform that offers closed captioning. If you come across a video that does not have closed captioning, please send us a message at [email protected] and we will be glad to assist you.

  • In which currency are your prices listed in?

    Our prices are listed in USD (United States Dollars). Your credit card or bank statement will likely reflect the price in your local currency.

  • Will I be charged sales tax?

    If you are located in the US or Canada, you will be charged sales tax on the cost of your course.

  • Are there scholarships available?

    Yes, PVI offers scholarships for all of our courses on a rolling basis. You can apply for a scholarship at https://forms.gle/vvfQdyAtw3k79LpM9.

  • Are there group discounts?

    Yes. For groups of five or more participants, a 15% discount is available for each participant. Please contact us at [email protected] to inquire and to enroll as a group!

  • What is your refund policy?

    We are proud to offer a 30 day Money Back Guarantee for all of our courses (from date of purchase for self-paced courses and from date of first live session for live courses). Please reach out to us at [email protected] if you'd like to inquire about a refund.