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The Safety Sandwich: A Polyvagal Approach to Chiropractic Adjusting
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In this solo episode, Dr. Don MacDonald talks about the powerful connections between chiropractic care, the nervous system, and the polyvagal theory. He shares insights from his recent events, including Level Two of the MacDonald Safety Corridor protocol. He explains how his approach continues to evolve through feedback from chiropractors in both North America and Australia.
Dr. Don explains that when babies are born, they cannot self-regulate. They rely on safe, consistent co-regulators, typically a parent, to help develop the part of the nervous system responsible for calmness, connection, and resilience. If someone never had this kind of safety growing up, they may struggle to regulate their nervous system as adults. Interesting right? Chiropractors can unknowingly become the first "safe human" a person encounters, and that has huge implications.
From this lens, he introduces the “Safety Sandwich,” a practical application of polyvagal theory in chiropractic. It’s not a technique on its own, but a way to enhance any technique by placing it inside a regulated, neurologically safe experience. The sandwich begins before the adjustment with tone, environment, posture, and presence, and ends after the thrust, with a calming decompression or breath-based close.
He talked about:
- Your nervous system state changes patient outcomes. Stressed? Your "threat vibes" dilute adjustments.
- Safety vs comfort zones. Push 5% beyond your comfort zone to grow, but stay regulated (like an athlete in "the zone").
He reminds listeners that the Macdonald Safety Corridor is continuously evolving based on practice experience and feedback from real chiropractors. There are more seminars ahead, including one in Amsterdam on September 6th and the Informed Chiropractor Super Conference in Toronto this December.
If you are curious about how the polyvagal theory directly supports and elevates chiropractic work, you can now access a free one-hour intro course on the homepage at theinformedchiropractor.com.
This episode is a powerful reminder that the body doesn’t just respond to what you do, it responds to how you do it. Go watch the video yourself. You will never look at adjusting the same way again.
Audio Timestamp
0:00 -1:12: Development of Co-Regulation and Ventral Vagal System
1:12 - 2:59: Introduction to the Podcast Episode
2:59 - 8:18: The Safety Sandwich and Polyvagal Theory
8:18 - 12:54: Advanced Techniques and Feedback from Chiropractors
12:54 - 14:36: Upcoming Events and Resources
14:36 - 19:10: Co-Regulation and Self-Regulation in Chiropractic Care
19:10 - 21:35: Safety vs. Comfort Zone
21:35 - 23:49: Final Thoughts and Encouragement
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