The Pelvic Release Practitioner training works with the polyvagal theory, described by Stephen W. Porges. I have read this book, and this theory is used to help traumatized clients understand and (co)regulate their autonomic responses.
“Our nervous system chooses what is best for our survival, and we must respect what our nervous system does or has done for us. People who have experienced trauma have symptoms that are a functional consequence of a neural control system that has enabled them to adapt and survive the trauma.” p. 169
Serge Prengel: “… many conditions stem from an excessive capacity to suppress bodily sensations.” Dr. Porges: “The strategy of denying bodily sensations has much to do with our culture. The interconnectedness between our culture and religious viewpoints has contributed to the denial of the importance of bodily feelings. Bodily sensations were associated with animals, whereas cognitions as a trait were more often linked to the mind” p. 238
“We want to maintain the two-way connection between mind and body… With simple behavioral manipulations, we can trigger the blood pressure receptors and thereby change our interactions with the world in a functional sense.”
p. 236 “It should be a goal of therapy to teach clients how to regulate their internal state, how to engage, and how to enjoy interactions with others… A prerequisite for such social behaviors is that the –most recent neural network– regulates the rest of the autonomic nervous system. That neural network (social engagement system) is reserved for mammals and is only available when we feel safe”