05/11/2024
𝗙𝙧𝙚𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙟𝙤𝙞𝙣 🙂
𝗘𝗠𝗕𝗢𝗗𝗜𝗘𝗗 𝗗𝗜𝗔𝗟𝗢𝗚𝗨𝗘 𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦:
‘𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝘆𝘃𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁’
with 𝗚𝗲𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘀𝗼𝗻
Thursday 12pm-1pm ET on 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟰, 2024
𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱: https://janwinhall.com/media/eds-george-thompson/
The process of deep listening may be thought of as the essential act of parenting, forming a neurobiological foundation for the child’s healthy development. While there are many other skills necessary for effective parenting, they are not nearly as effective without this foundational skill. From the perspective of Polyvagal Theory, developed by neuroscientist Stephen Porges, safety produced by deep listening evokes a state of relaxed, social engagement, the ventral vagal state that allows for connection, collaboration, creativity, learning, growth, health, and restoration.
Understanding the link between parent-child bonding and Porges’ polyvagal neuroscience of safety, threat, and connection can guide parents toward opportunities to deepen the parent-child bond, which in turn provides myriad developmental benefits for both the child and the parent. When a child feels that connection, it forms a foundation of love, safety, warmth, and care that lets them move into the world with confidence, wonder, awe, and joy. When the parent builds their ability to deliberately stoke such affiliation and affection, it offers them a feeling of completeness. Life for both parent and child becomes a celebration of goodness.
𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗚𝗲𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲
Dr. George Thompson is a child psychiatrist and founder of The Listening Parent Community (www.drgeorge.club), an online support for parents based on Polyvagal Theory, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, and Thompson’s 30+ years’ experience. He specializes in the residential treatment of traumatized youth and polyvagal-informed crisis response. As Medical Director of crisis services for ReDiscover’s psychiatric urgent care center in Kansas City and two psychiatric residential programs in Kansas, he focuses on creating emotionally safe, curious, coherent, and collaborative healthcare cultures. As neuroscience lead for SonderWorx, he trains community responders in trauma-informed and nervous system-informed care. Additionally, as a certified DDP therapist, Dr. Thompson develops parenting strategies that nurture a child’s heart-felt knowledge that their lives matter to their families, community, and future generations, regardless of the challenges they have faced.
Dr. Thompson was appointed Chairman of the Polyvagal Institute’s board of directors in June 2024, and also serves as a core faculty member for PVI’s certificate course. He is Treasurer of the board of directors for the Kansas Chapter of the National Alliance for Mental Illness. He was on the board of the DDP Institute from 2014 to 2020, serving as Treasurer for that board as well.
Dr. Thompson is the co-author of Polyvagal Theory and the Developing Child as well as Working with Relational Trauma in Children’s Residential Care. He is working on a third book due in 2026, The Polyvagal Parent. He is a volunteer Clinical Associate Professor in the Departments of Psychiatry at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, where he teaches compassionate doctor-patient communication, and the University of Kansas School of Medicine, where he supervises adult and child psychiatry residents. Dr. Thompson’s research in medical education, particularly on medical professionalism, has been published in Academic Medicine and recognized with awards. He also teaches the Avatar® Course, promoting personal empowerment and compassionate service.
Website: https://www.georgethompsonmd.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgethompsonmd
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/georgethompsonmd/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GeorgeThompsonMD
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