Flux Health Forum

ICES for dorsal vagal sgutdown

Hello everyone,
I run an in-person practice and primarily use LENS Neurofeedback. While results are generally very good, I’ve noticed a subset of clients who don’t respond well or plateau early.
Viewed through Polyvagal Theory, these clients appear to be in dorsal vagal shutdown / immobilization rather than sympathetic overdrive. In such cases, even gentle top-down approaches can feel like too much input.
I’m exploring whether ICES-based PEMF could be a useful bottom-up adjunct to reduce afferent threat signaling and support autonomic flexibility, either prior to or alongside LENS.
For those with experience:

  1. Have you found ICES helpful for dorsal-dominant patterns?
  2. For office use (1–2 sessions/week), which ICES models are most appropriate?
  3. Is a lower-power wearable (e.g., M1) preferable, or can mid-range units work when used conservatively?

Any insights would be appreciated. Thank you.

Sincerly,
Murugu