Chapters/key moments:
00:00 Introduction to the vagus nerve massage AKA polyvagal massage
00:40 Intro to the dorsal vagal/freeze response and ventral vagal/social engagement response
1:58 Why massaging the face helps the nervous system
3:02 Begin Vagus Nerve Massage exercise - Massage around the eyes
4:36 Massage eyes while orienting vision
5:26 Massage ears
6:02 Massage ears while orienting to sound
6:54 Massage face, forehead, cheeks, jaw and make facial expressions
7:48 Massage neck, throat, chest
8:22 Awaken voice box, throat and mouth through vocal expression
9:38 Pause and feel the effects of the vagus nerve massage on your body + mind

In this video we massage the areas the vagus nerve innervates the head, neck and face. This exercise is great to help you come out of the freeze response or to move through a shocked, stuck or blank facial expression. This is also a good tool for people with social anxiety, those who have a hard time feeling connected to other people, and those who experience shyness, masking, or dissociation.

The vagus nerve splits into two branches, dorsal and ventral. Dorsal controls our freeze response and organs below the diaphragm. Ventral is involved with the muscles of the face, eyes, ears, and voice box (larynx), and is known as our "social engagement system." When we stimulate the ventral vagal complex/face through massage, we can bring more sensation online and help our emotions move through us and release. We can start to "melt the freeze," self-soothe, and let our authentic selves shine through our face and voice.

The techniques in this video are based on the polyvagal theory developed by Dr. Stephen Porges. I originally learned this exercise via Dr. Diane Poole Heller and Alicen Halquist.