Beyond Fight/Flight/Freeze: The Neurobiology of Fawning and Appeasement: Where Adaptive Responses Meet Healing Possibilities
Beyond Fight/Flight/Freeze: The Neurobiology of Fawning and Appeasement: Where Adaptive Responses Meet Healing Possibilities
Date : March 20, 2026
Time : 9am-5:30pm (1.5 hour lunch)
Location : Love Life Therapy Center, LLC, 1430 E Ft Lowell Rd, Suite 210, Tucson, AZ
CEUs: 6.5 (pending approval)
Description
This full-day workshop is designed for clinicians, therapists, and practitioners who want to expand their understanding of trauma responses beyond the familiar fight, flight, and freeze framework. While widely recognized, these three terms often overlook the equally important survival strategies of fawning (or placating) and appeasement.
In this training, participants will learn how these responses are rooted in the body’s biological drive for safety. Through the lens of Polyvagal Theory, the neurobiology of fawning and appeasement will be explored in depth, highlighting both their distinctions and their overlap. These adaptations are not limited to abuse contexts such as domestic violence or sexual assault—they can also emerge from developmental wounding and non-abuse experiences.
Participants will gain practical strategies to recognize these trauma adaptations in clients and to support pathways toward authentic self-expression and restored agency. By integrating this knowledge into clinical work, practitioners will be better equipped to help clients move from survival patterns toward deeper healing and wholeness.
This workshop brings cutting-edge insights into practice, building on presentations that have been shared at National Trauma Training Conferences for victim service providers.
Polyvagal Theory in Clinical Practice Series
Integrating the Science of Safety, Connection, and Healing
This training is Session 4 of a workshop series that brings Polyvagal Theory into practical, clinical application, offering clinicians, therapists, and practitioners cutting-edge tools to support nervous system regulation, transform entrenched patterns, and expand the possibilities for healing. Each workshop combines didactic teaching, experiential learning, and live demonstrations, giving participants both a deep theoretical foundation and hands-on strategies to integrate into their work.
These workshops can be taken individually as stand-alone trainings, or bundled together as a series at a discounted rate. Together, they form a comprehensive, somatically grounded learning experience that equips practitioners with the knowledge and skills to bring Polyvagal Theory to life in their clinical practice.