#29 - Wandering Around Vagus (WAV) - June 2025

Interview with Randall Redfield, Co-Founder of Polyvagal Institute

Welcome to Month 29 of Wandering Around Vagus, a paid monthly subscription series exploring the Vagus Nerve + Polyvagal Theory.

I’m Tina Foster of Foster & Flourish, the creator and guide of Wandering Around Vagus.

First, a few quick notes to help you orient within our pages:

• If you’re new, or need a review, here’s the link to the START page.

• You can find last month’s post (our 28th) on the vagus nerve and the brain here.

• Monthly & Supplementary Posts + Recordings can be accessed by topic from the navigation bar atop the Wandering Around Vagus Homepage.

• All past posts are listed in reverse chronological order on the archive page.​

---

Hi,

This is Tina Foster of Foster & Flourish. I’m the creator and author of Wandering Around Vagus.

This is a very special edition of WAV. We’re fortunate this month to host Randall Redfield, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Polyvagal Institute.

Earlier this month, I interviewed Randall about Polyvagal Theory, his work with Polyvagal Institute, the story of how he came to co-found the institute and how his knowledge of the vagus nerve has changed his life.

I’m honored to speak with Randall in a casual, experiential way about the vagus nerve. His stories are engaging and fun and offer new things to learn more about and reflect upon.

After 3 years of diligent monthly instruction and practice in WAV, I hope you’ll put your feet up, get a beverage and enjoy this opportunity to listen along as Randall shares about life in the polyvagal world—as an expert, entrepreneur, practitioner and as a father.

By the end of this post, you’ll have a better sense of:

• how Polyvagal Theory is defined by someone working in the field.

• various ways Polyvagal Theory is being applied to help all kinds of people.

• various products Randall helped develop and how they work with the vagus nerve—including one that really delighted the sharks on Shark Tank!

• how having even a layperson’s understanding of the vagus nerve can enhance your life—and the lives of so many others, including your children and teens.