The Biopsychosocial Model with Marlysa Sullivan | Ep #2

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Have you heard of the polyvagal theory? Listen as your host Susi Hately and her guest Marlysa Sullivan discuss this theory, the roles of our sympathetic and parasympathetic systems and relaxation, gunas, and much more in this episode of From Pain to Possibility.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Marlysa is an assistant professor at the</span> <a href="https://muih.edu/"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Maryland University of Integrative Health</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, where she teaches in the integrative health sciences and yoga therapy departments. She’s developed courses in the yoga therapy curriculum and is the founding clinical director for the</span> <a href= "https://muih.edu/academics/yoga-therapy/master-of-science-in-yoga-therapy/"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Master of Science in Yoga Therapy</span></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">program at Maryland University.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Listen, as Marlysa describes the polyvagal theory, how the autonomic nervous system works, and the three qualities of gunas. Marlysa shares how with the two models of polyvagal theory and gunas, it shows how to work with clients from a yogic perspective. She also discusses how she starts a conversation about gunas with some clients she will speak to them in the language of gunas.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Marlysa speaks about the use of yamas and niyamas in her sessions, and how all of this circles back to polyvagal theory. Even though all of this sounds so complex, it becomes simple as you practice it, pure in terms of the result you are seeking and as you develop it into an art of how you start and how you continue.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This is a great topic, and the way Marlysa describes it integrates it so nicely with the biomedical and the biopsychosocial model. Susi has such a great conversation with Marlysa that you will want to sit in a comfy chair, prop your feet up, and rela