ABSTRACT
Through case examples, the dorsal vagal states that are often engendered as a child or teen to survive sexual abuse are examined. The parasympathetic or dorsal vagal state is considered a system of immobilization described as an adaptive protection through “disappearing.” Children who have been violated sexually have had little choice in how to protect the “self,” and the autonomic nervous system may accurately shut the child’s system down through conservation of energy and resource availability. This moves children into an automatic survival response, diminishing the child’s awareness and overall connection with others. The chapter examines dissociative states and identifies how to use play-based interventions with children who experience varying degrees of loss of presence and integrative functioning.
