Carlos S., known as “the man who felt two hearts,” had a medical pump installed in his chest to support his failing heart. The implant helped, but he could feel its beat more strongly than his own. This gave him the illusion that his heart was pumping in his abdomen, and that the size of his chest had grown. These seemingly minor sensory disturbances had a dramatic impact: Carlos couldn’t connect with his intuitive decision-making ability. He felt less empathy in response to people’s pain. And he had trouble reading the intentions of others.
Hi Bo, wondered what you think about polyvagal theory and how that aligns with a body-oriented approach to mental wellbeing?
That's an expansive question; can you be more specific? Thanks.