Not sure where to start?
Try the Personal Concerns Inventory (PCI) to clarify what to focus on, or start with Relaxation Therapy for guided meditation.
Polyvagal Theory: The Missing Link In Relaxation Therapy
For decades, Dr. Ray Mulry knew that Relaxation Therapy could calm the nervous system, reduce tension, and restore balance. What he didn’t have—until much later—was a unifying scientific framework to explain why it worked so well.
That missing piece came with Polyvagal Theory, developed by Dr. Stephen Porges. This groundbreaking model explains emotions as physiological activities, not abstract concepts. It describes how the vagus nerve and its branches regulate safety, connection, and emotional states—offering a clear, science-based link between mind and body.
From Rational Models To Emotional Science
The Mulry Method is built on Social Learning Theory, a rational framework developed by Dr. Julian Rotter. SLT explains how people learn and change through experience, observation, and expectations. But SLT focuses primarily on logical decision-making—and in real life, emotions often override logic.
The question remained: Where do emotions fit into a model for self-care and personal growth?
Polyvagal Theory answered that question by showing that emotions aren’t just “feelings”—they’re biological responses shaped by the autonomic nervous system. This understanding made it possible to integrate emotional regulation into a structured, repeatable self-care process.
How Polyvagal Theory Complements Relaxation Therapy
Dr. Mulry recognized that Relaxation Therapy worked by calming the autonomic nervous system, but without Polyvagal Theory, the explanation was incomplete.
Polyvagal Theory provided the missing link:
- Ventral Vagal Activation – Soothing voice tones, rhythmic breathing, and gentle soundscapes signal safety, shifting the body into a state of calm and connection.
- Reduced Sympathetic Arousal – Releasing muscle tension lowers stress hormones, helping the body move out of fight-or-flight mode.
- Mind-Body Synchrony – The three-stage structure of Relaxation Therapy naturally supports self-regulation without forcing concentration.
This alignment between Polyvagal Theory and Relaxation Therapy bridges rational skill-building (SLT) with emotional regulation, creating a complete mind-body approach.
Why This Matters For Self-Care
By combining the logic of SLT with the physiology of Polyvagal Theory, the Mulry Method offers self-care tools grounded in psychology that are both practical and deeply human. Relaxation Therapy becomes more than a calming exercise—it’s a targeted intervention that works with the nervous system to promote lasting change.
When you understand why it works, you can practice with more confidence, knowing each session is helping rewire your body’s stress response.
👉 Learn more in our full Understanding Polyvagal Theory overview, or begin your own practice with our Relaxation Therapy collection.