What Really Does Happen in ‘Vagus’?

Bright natural dining room nook with vases plates and fruits on the table.

Course Description

What happens in ‘vagus’ does not stay there! The vagus nerve has powerful influence on our state of well-being.  Understanding the autonomic nervous system and the polyvagal connection can revolutionize your understanding of anxiety, depression, dissociation, or heightened reactivity your clients are experiencing. Using case studies, this introduction to Polyvagal Theory and application creates a platform for stimulating discussion regarding trauma, diagnosis and treatment.  

2 hours - Meets CE Requirement for Diagnosis Training

Objectives: Participants will be able to...

  1. Define neuroception and state it’s importance in understanding behavior

  2. Articulate an understanding of the autonomic nervous system and application to practice

  3. Think beyond the symptoms when diagnosing, with consideration given to the tone of the vagus nerve and state of the autonomic nervous system

Pam Hamilton

Pam Hamilton, LCSW LSCSW

Engaging, informative and applicable describe Pam’s trainings and approach as a therapist, She has invested her life in people, assisting them in overcoming life challenges. Her work as a pastor, and later as an executive coach led her to pursue graduate school to further her understanding of healing, trauma and wholeness. Her work in the DBT department with court ordered clients and people with severe mental illness was followed by working with adolescents and their families. Pam’s recovery from complex PTSD and her professional experience informs her presentations and therapy sessions, creating a rich learning experience for her audiences and healing opportunity for her clients.

Pam’s expertise in trauma and resiliency inform her practice and presentations. She is the lead consultant throughout Missouri to Children’s Division staff experiencing burnout and secondary stress and has written curricula on resiliency, secondary stress, and human trafficking. Pam served on the Missouri Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Task Force through 2020 and is on the Training and Education Committee for HEAL Trafficking, an international organization addressing trafficking in the healthcare profession.

Pam is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Certified Compassion Fatigue Professional. She has been certified by Columbia University’s Complicated Grief Program, International Association of Trauma Professionals, is immersed in Polyvagal Theory, She studies frequently through NICABM, The National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine. In 2019, Pam founded Hamilton Counseling & Consulting, specializing in trauma, grief and loss and resiliency. She loves the outdoors, prefers water over land, is an avid pickle ball player and most importantly hopes she will make a difference in someone’s life through her work.

https://www.hamiltoncandc.com
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