Dr Stephen W. Porges & Anthony Gorry
Stephen Porges - PhD is a Distinguished University Scientist at Indiana University, Anthony Gorry - CEO of Polyvagal MusicLLC and AjoiA Ltd
Bio – Dr Stephen W. Porges:
Dr Stephen W. Porges, PhD is a Distinguished University Scientist at Indiana University, professor of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina and professor emeritus at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Maryland. He has published more than 400 peer‐reviewed scientific papers that have been cited in more than 50,000 peer-reviewed papers and holds several patents involved in monitoring and regulating autonomic state. He created the Polyvagal Theory and a
music-based intervention (Safe and Sound Protocol). He is author of several books including The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-Regulation (Norton, 2011), The Pocket Guide to the Polyvagal Theory: The Transformative Power of Feeling Safe (Norton, 2017), and Polyvagal Safety (Norton, 2021), as well as co-author with Seth Porges of Our Polyvagal World: How Safety and Trauma Change Us (Norton, 2023), and co-editor with Deb Dana of Clinical Applications of the Polyvagal Theory: The Emergence of Polyvagal-Informed Therapies (Norton, 2018). Dr. Porges is co-creator with Anthony Gorry of Polyvagal Music, and a founder of the Polyvagal Institute.
Bio – Anthony Gorry:
Anthony Gorry is the CEO of Polyvagal MusicLLC and AjoiA Ltd; he has invented a new technology and clinical protocol with American behavioural neuroscientist, Dr Stephen W. Porges. Anthony Gorry is a music producer, audio designer and composer; he has a Bachelor of Arts in Music and Performing Arts and a diverse portfolio which includes co-producing music for nature documentaries, collaborating with BAFTA awardwinning production teams, and working with renowned artists and Grammy award winning producers, including Gwen Stefani, No Doubt, Richard Ashcroft and Moby, having had success at the top of the U.S and International charts. Anthony has worked with many international brands, including L’Oréal and Adidas producing content for worldwide campaigns and has had his work featured in movies and television. Recently he served as an audio consultant for LG’s emerging technology team in Silicon Valley.
Presentation Four with Q&A - Anthony Gorry & Stephen Porges - Polyvagal Music - An Innovative Genre of Music Composed to Support a Journey of Healing
Throughout human history, the profound impact of music on biobehavioral state has been widely recognised.Intuitively, we experience music as
calming when tempo is predictable and slow. In contrast, muic activates andmobilizes us when tempo is fast, less predictable, and conveyed by instruments or voices with lower frequencies. Polyvagal Music (PVM) builds upon this historical foundation, incorporating a novel element of 'rhythmicity.' This new genre of music is not only informed by the relationship between temp and auditory frequencies, but also integrates the intrinsic rhythms of the body, including heart rate, respiration, blood pressure, vascular tone, and cerebral spinal fluid. The features of these endogenous bodily rhythms (e.g., heart rate variability) reflect the status of the neural regulation of visceral structures. In instances of illness, chronic
stress, or trauma, these bodily rhythms become dysregulated, losing amplitude and periodic features. This innovative form of music serves as an acoustic platform to send signals to the brain that synchronize with the body's rhythms, promotinghomeostasis. By entraining physiological systems, Polyvagal Music fosters relaxation, enhances overall well-being, and offers a unique approach to optimizing aspects of bodily functioning.
Through insights based on the science of the Polyvagal Theory, Anthony and Dr Porges have been empowered to create a new technology and music to retune brainstem circuits that optimize the regulation of visceral function.
Learning Outcomes:
1. Distinguish between music that engages and promotes sociality through the ventral vagal complex and music
that supports homeostatic function through optimizing the healthful attributes of the dorsal vagal complex.
2. Understand how music signals the nervous system to dampen defenses and promote homeostatic processes
3. Document how music can be used to calm the autonomic nervous system to enhance the client’s accessibility
for therapy.
