Quantum Way presents
Two Perspectives,
One Goal
Trauma Healing Through Parts Work and Nervous System States
A TWO-DAY WORKSHOP
with Frank Anderson & Deb Dana
October 20 & 21, 2026 |
In Paris, at the Théâtre Le Trianon
Early bird price!
When trauma enters our practices – and our lives – a single model is no longer enough. Frank Anderson and Deb Dana combine their perspectives to open new paths to healing.
Two days of teaching, animated dialogue, and live clinical demonstrations, featuring two leading voices in trauma care, at the intersection of neuroscience, Polyvagal Theory, parts work, and attachment theory.
Going Beyond Models
Many clinicians working with trauma are no longer looking for a single model capable of explaining everything.
What they need is a grounded, flexible approach capable of responding to the complexity of trauma as it unfolds in therapy: fluctuating states, resistant parts, and moments when nothing seems to be moving forward.
During this two-day workshop, Frank Anderson and Deb Dana will combine their perspectives and expertise to explore together what becomes possible when we integrate two approaches: parts work, and Polyvagal Theory. By “parts work” we mean approaches that conceive of the psyche as a set of interconnected inner parts – the most well-known of which are Internal Family Systems (IFS) and ego states.
Rather than simply presenting these perspectives side by side, Frank and Deb will demonstrate how they can mutually enrich each other in practice and support a more integrated way of treating trauma.
The workshop, designed as a dynamic exchange between their clinical approaches, will alternate between Frank’s focus on parts, adaptive responses, and integrative trauma treatment, and Deb’s focus on nervous system states, autonomic patterns, and pathways that promote safety and connection.
In an increasingly complex clinical landscape, where clinicians are often expected to integrate multiple modalities without a clear blueprint, this exchange between Frank Anderson and Deb Dana comes at a particularly opportune moment.
Through cross-disciplinary teachings, discussions, experiential exercises, and clinical demonstrations, you’ll develop a more nuanced way of interpreting what is unfolding in the therapeutic space, enabling you to respond with greater precision, flexibility, and depth.
This two-day workshop is designed for clinicians who wish to move beyond sometimes rigid and restrictive protocols and deepen their ability to work with complexity. By bringing together perspectives that are parts-based and the nervous system-based, Frank Anderson and Deb Dana will offer a hands-on and multifaceted approach to psychotherapeutic care and, more broadly, to the possibility of trauma healing – an approach that clarifies clinical decision-making and opens new pathways to repair, integration, and healing.
When the Parts and the Nervous System Respond to One Another
Trauma never presents itself in a linear way.
I It creeps into parts of oneself that remain constantly on guard, manifesting itself in those moments when we freeze or shut ourselves off, in a body on high alert that can’t settle down, with a recurring story that plays out over and over again, and the feeling of never being truly safe – or truly present.
Parts work views this state of vigilance as a protective part, while Polyvagal Theory sees freezing as the dorsal state, and the body on high alert as sympathetic activation. Two languages for the same reality – not opposed, but complementary, each shedding light on a different aspect of what the person is experiencing.
That is why this collaboration between Frank Anderson and Deb Dana brings together two perspectives in service of the same work. With Frank Anderson, you’ll explore how the parts organize themselves around pain and threat, and why an integrative approach offers clinicians greater flexibility. With Deb Dana, you’ll learn to track the states of the nervous system, autonomic patterns, and the pathways that support safety, connection, and healing.
Learning to hold these two perspectives together in clinical treatment is what transforms one’spractice.
Over the course of these two days, Deb Dana and Frank Anderson will take turns leading sessions, responding to each other, and reflecting aloud on their respective clinical choices. You won’t be a spectator to a purely academic debate.
A unique, multilingual event
Frank Anderson and Deb Dana have never taught together in France. These two days mark a first: imagined and produced by Quantum Way to make their work accessible to the French-speaking community and, more broadly, to other European-language speakers.
The event will be conducted in English, with professional simultaneous interpretation into French, German, Polish, Spanish, and other languages. The team of interpreters working with us has spent several years collaborating with leading international figures in the trauma field – a standard that matches the importance of the occasion, ensuring that nothing of the teaching is lost in translation.
This event is much more than a traditional clinical training program: it’s a space to connect with leading voices in trauma care, with the Quantum Way team, and with a community committed to transforming the mental health landscape.
What you’ll explore over these two days
Over the course of these two days, you’ll be able to:
Understand why trauma treatment requires more than a single model or approach, and build an integrative and flexible clinical framework
Discover how adaptive responses take shape and how the mind and body organize themselves in response to pain and threat
Recognize the physiology underlying clinical presentation: identify states of the autonomic nervous system and the patterns they generate
Understand how cues of safety and danger shape experience, behavior, and relational dynamics
Develop a shared clinical language that integrates states of the nervous system with the language of parts
Understand the pathways that support regulation, connection, and healing without rushing the process
Work more effectively with complexity, particularly when therapy seems to have reached an impasse or interventions are not producing the expected results
Integrate multiple modalities in a flexible and grounded way, without becoming mechanical or losing the thread of the work
A duo we’ve long dreamed of bringing together in Paris
There are encounters with people who shape our path, and approaches that do more than simply enrich our practice. They profoundly change the way we see, listen to, and support others – and sometimes even the way we are in the world.
For me, Deb Dana and Frank Anderson are among those people.
Without the Polyvagal Theory, without Deb’s work on safety, connection, and states of the nervous system, I wouldn’t be the therapist I am today. And, I think I can safely say, I wouldn’t be quite the person I’ve become.
We’ve known Deb Dana for a long time. She’s a key figure in the larger Polyvagal family, but over the years she’s also become a mentor, a guide, and a close friend. Her perspective and presence have deeply shaped Quantum Way.
Frank Anderson also holds a very special place. We’ve known him for several years, and we often affectionately refer to him as one of our “very special” authors. His approach to trauma and adaptive responses – through neuroscience and IFS – has transformed the way I listen to parts, defenses, and wounds – all that inner architecture that reveals itself in sessions.
From the very beginning, one conviction has been at the heart of Quantum Way: to support the complexity of the human being, we need multiple perspectives, multiple approaches, and multiple tools. It’s by integrating the languages of the body, the nervous system, parts, and trauma that one’s clinical presence becomes more refined.
That’s why bringing Deb Dana and Frank Anderson together in Paris means so much to us.
They’re both looking forward to being here, to bringing their respective perspectives together, complementing one another, engaging in dialogue with us, and helping us advance in our approach to supporting others.
This two-day workshop will be a rare opportunity to hear them speak together, to sense how their approaches complement one another, and to leave with concrete guidelines for clinical practice.
For Quantum Way, this is a very important event.
For me, it’s also a deeply personal one.
I sincerely hope to see you there, so that we can continue to learn, connect, and move forward together toward a safer world.
– Florence
AjoiA: Music as a Tool for Regulation and Healing
AjoiA creates scientifically calibrated soundscapes, based primarily on the Polyvagal Theory: frequencies, rhythms, spatialization. Their music promotes regulation of the autonomic nervous system and helps one release traumatic tension while restoring a sense of inner safety and connection to others..
AjoiA is a project supported by Dr. Stephen Porges, the creator of the Polyvagal Theory: “AjoiA creates a new musical genre – both powerful and enjoyable – that promotes relaxation, emotional expression, social connection, and personal growth.”
Participants in AjoiA workshops report feeling “less stress”, being “more mindful”, enjoying “better social connection”, and experiencing the opportunity to “safely release pent-up anger or aggression”.
The schedule for October 20 and 21
(Tentative schedule. The final schedule will be sent to you by email a few days before the event.
To see the schedule in your time zone, click here.
Day 1: A New Clinical Map
Building a shared language through parts, autonomous nervous system states, and trauma treatment
The first day will lay the groundwork for the two-day event. As Frank and Deb take turns leading the sessions, participants will begin to see how trauma can be understood through both the internal language of parts and the physiological language of nervous system states. The day is designed is to build a shared framework, while allowing room for each presenter’s unique contributions.
8:15 a.m. – Doors open
9:30 a.m. – Welcome: AjoiA – Music to experience group co-regulation and get our inner parts dancing
10:00 a.m. – Introduction by Florence Bernard
10:15 a.m. – Session 1: Beyond Models: Building a Shared Map – Lead: Frank Anderson
Frank will open these two days by setting the general clinical framework for the event: why trauma treatment often requires more than a single model or approach, and why integration matters. Drawing on his integrative, parts-based approach, he will explore how adaptive responses take shape, how the body and mind organize around pain and threat, and why clinicians need a flexible way of understanding what they observe in sessions. Deb will join him to connect this introductory framework to nervous state awareness.
- Why a single model is no longer sufficient to address the complexity of trauma.
- How adaptive responses take shape in the mind and body in the face of pain and threat.
- Why clinicians need a flexible framework to understand what they observe during sessions.
- The first connections between the parts-based approach and awareness of the nervous system.
11:15 a.m. – Session 2: States, Narratives, and Protective Patterns – Lead: Deb Dana
Deb will lead this session by grounding the conversation in nervous system states and autonomic response. She’ll explore how cues of safety and danger shape experience, how states influence narratives, behaviors, and relational patterns, and how clinicians can learn to identify the physiology underlying what the client presents. Frank will join her to draw connections between these states and the parts or adaptive responses that emerge around them.
- How cues of safety and danger shape lived experience.
- The influence of nervous system states on narratives, behaviors, and relational dynamics.
- Learning to recognize the physiology underlying the clinical presentation.
- The connection between autonomic states and the parts that emerge around them.
12:15 p.m. – Lunch break
2:00 p.m. – Music to experience group co-regulation and get our parts dancing
2:15 p.m. – Session 3: Clinical demonstration and reflection – Lead: Frank Anderson
Frank will lead the first day’s demonstration (a live session with a volunteer), using his lens to make sense of what is unfolding moment by moment and to highlight the clinical choices that guide the work. Deb will respond from her own perspective, focusing on nervous system patterns, state shifts, and autonomic cues present in the interaction. Together, they will help participants see how a single clinical moment can be understood through both parts and nervous system states.
- A live clinical demonstration, viewed through the lens of the parts.
- Frank Anderson’s clinical choices, shared moment by moment.
- Deb Dana’s parallel interpretation: nervous system patterns, state shifts, and autonomic cues.
- How a single clinical moment can be interpreted through two complementary lenses.
3:45 p.m. – Snack break
4:30 p.m. – Session 4: Where the Nervous System Meets Parts – Lead: Deb Dana
Deb will lead this final session of the day by bringing the focus back to the intersection of the two approaches. Building on the demonstration and discussions, she’ll explore how nervous system states and parts can be understood in relation to one another, and what becomes possible when clinicians track both. Frank will join her to explore the implications for trauma treatment and clinical flexibility.
- Understanding how nervous system states and parts respond to one another.
- Learning to observe these two dimensions simultaneously during a session.
- What becomes possible when clinicians integrate these two perspectives.
- Practical implications for clinical flexibility in daily practice.
5:30 p.m. – Q&A Session with Frank Anderson and Deb Dana to wrap up this first day.
6:00 p.m. – End of Day 1
Day 2: From Insight to Intervention
Harnessing the two perspectives – parts and nervous system states – to foster repair, flexibility, and change
The second day will focus more fully on clinical application. With the shared framework in place, Deb will open the day by taking a deeper look at repair and regulation, and Frank will then guide the discussion toward integration and treatment flexibility. The emphasis throughout will be on how these two perspectives can work together in practice without collapsing into a single method.
8:00 a.m. – Welcome
9:00 a.m. – Session 5: Demonstration, Process, and Clinical Choices – Lead: Deb Dana
Deb will lead the second day’s demonstration, tracking the unfolding work through the lens of nervous system states and the pathways that support safety, organization, and connection. Frank will offer insights from his own clinical perspective, reflecting on parts, adaptive responses, and integrative choices made in real time.
- A second live clinical demonstration, viewed through the lens of the nervous system.
- Tracking the pathways that support safety, organization, and connection.
- Frank Anderson’s parallel analysis: parts, adaptive responses, integrative choices.
10:30 a.m. – Movement and breathing sessions with Florence Bernard
10:45 a.m. – Session 6: What Works, What Gets in the Way – Lead: Frank Anderson
Frank will then discuss the realities of trauma treatment when therapy seems to have reached an impasse. He’ll examine what happens when adaptive responses intensify, when interventions don’t land, or when the clinician loses the thread of the work. Drawing on his integrative approach, he’ll explain how a parts-based understanding can help therapists work more effectively with complexity. Deb will join him to explore how nervous system cues and state shifts can shed light on what is happening in these moments.
- What to do when adaptive responses intensify.
- What to do when interventions aren’t working.
- What to do when the clinician loses the thread of the work.
- How a parts-based understanding helps in working with complexity.
- What signals from the nervous system reveal during moments of stagnation.
- How the two perspectives coexist in real time within the same session.
11:45 a.m. – Q&A Session with Deb Dana et Frank Anderson.
12:15 p.m. – Lunch Break
2:00 p.m. – Session 7: Pathways to Repair – Lead: Deb Dana
In this session, Deb will focus on the pathways that support regulation, connection, and repair. She’ll explore how therapists can work with the nervous system in a way that expands the range of possibilities without moving too quickly, and how shifts in state can open the door to deeper therapeutic work and healing. Frank will help connect these ideas to parts, inner experience, and the clinical processes that support lasting change.
- Working with the nervous system to create more possibilities, without moving too fast.
- Recognizing shifts in state that open the door to deeper therapeutic work.
- Connecting these regulatory pathways to parts-based work.
- Supporting lasting change in the client’s inner experience.
3:00 p.m. – Session 8: – Lead: Frank Anderson
To conclude these two days, Frank will invite us to refocus on integration. He’ll explore what it means to work with multiple modalities without becoming formulaic, and how clinicians can bring together parts, nervous system states, somatic experience, and relational process in a way that remains grounded, responsive, and clinically useful.
- Working with multiple modalities without becoming formulaic or losing the thread.
- A practice that remains grounded, responsive, and clinically useful.
- Connecting the main threads of the two days and leaving with an expanded clinical map.
4:00 p.m. – Snack break
4:45 p.m. – Q&A Session with Frank Anderson and Deb Dana to wrap up these two days.
5:15 p.m. – Closing: AjoiA – Music to experience group co-regulation and get our inner parts dancing
6:00 p.m. – End of the second day
Join Frank Anderson and Deb Dana
Register now for in-person attendance or via livestream, with on-demand replay.
A community learning together in a safe and ethical environment designed for co-regulation
Beyond the clinical content, these two days will also be a place to connect – with two leading figures in the field of trauma, the Quantum Way team, and a community of clinicians and enthusiasts.
Florence will facilitate the opening and transition sessions. These moments are designed to help you settle in, release tension[LCL5] , and sense the group around you.
We know – and feedback from our previous events confirms – that what is conveyed during these two days isn’t just through words. It also flows through the group’s nervous system.
Who are these two days intended for?
These two days are primarily intended for clinicians and care professionals (psychologists, psychiatrists, psychotherapists, psycho-practitioners, therapists) who wish to move beyond rigid protocols and deepen their ability to work with the complexity of trauma.
They are also intended for students and individuals on a personal journey who are curious about trauma, somatic approaches, IFS, or Polyvagal Theory, and who wish to access a rare educational opportunity led by two of the world’s outstanding figures in this field.
Whether you support people in distress or are on your own journey, you’ll experience a grounded, rigorous, and accessible learning environment.
Choose how you’d like to experience these two days
Whether you’re in Paris or on the other side of the world, everything has been designed so that you can fully experience these two days, according to your circumstances.
In-person at the Théâtre Le Trianon
Would you like to make the most of these two days and meet Frank Anderson and Deb Dana in person?
Choose an in-person ticket at the Théâtre Le Trianon
This event will take place at the Théâtre Le Trianon in Paris: an exceptional setting for these two days of teaching.
- Location: Théâtre Le Trianon, 80 boulevard de Rochechouart, 75018 Paris
- Dates: October 20 & 21, 2026
- Schedule: Doors open at 8:30 a.m. (subject to change)
- Language: Event in English with simultaneous interpretation into French (headphones provided)
- Catering: Welcome coffee and gourmet breaks included. Lunch is available as an option to select when registering
- Seating: Open seating within your ticket category (first come, first served).
- Unlimited replay: included
- In-person ticket prices:
- Seat in first 7 rows: Guaranteed seating in the first 7 rows + Bonus: 2 Masterclasses with Deb Dana and Frank Anderson
Early Bird Offer: €500 instead of €600 - Standard seat – stalls and balcony
Early Bird Offer: €350 instead of €450
- Seat in first 7 rows: Guaranteed seating in the first 7 rows + Bonus: 2 Masterclasses with Deb Dana and Frank Anderson
🎁 Early Bird Offer 🎁
100 euros off in-person tickets!
🎁 Free: 2 Masterclasses included with your front-row seat 🎁
If you choose a front-row seat, you’ll also receive, exclusively, 2 Masterclasses by Deb Dana and Frank Anderson (from the 2023 Trauma, Attach(e)ment & Resilience Summit Replay Pack, and not available for individual purchase).
Livestreaming on Zoom
Can’t make it in person or prefer to watch from home?
With the livestream you can watch live – in English or with simultaneous interpretation into French – and then access the recording for 90 days or for unlimited viewing.
- Remote participation: follow the event live from home
- Language: English and French (simultaneous interpretation)
- Access: A Zoom link will be emailed to you no later than the day preceding the event
- Streaming rates :
- Live + 90-day replay :
Early Bird Offer: €197 instead of €247 - Live + unlimited replay :
Early Bird Offer: €247 instead of €297
- Live + 90-day replay :
🎁 Early Bird Offer 🎁
€50 off Livestream prices!
Take advantage of the Early Bird offer through July 6 only
Evening cruise on October 20
Want to extend the day on the 20th in a friendly and festive setting?
Join the river cruise on the Seine to see Paris by night in the company of the speakers and the Quantum Way community.
Extend the first day in a warm and informal atmosphere: a cruise on the Seine, in the company of Frank Anderson, Deb Dana, and the Quantum Way team.
An evening designed to foster connections, integrate the day’s learnings, and experience co-regulation in a setting other than the workshop room. Live music, a buffet, wines and non-alcoholic drinks are on the menu!
- Date: October 20, 2026
- Price: €120 (tax included)
- Included: cruise on the Seine, aperitif, buffet, wines, and non-alcoholic beverages
All practical information (meeting place, schedule, logistics) will be sent to you by email before the event.
Lunch
Enjoy a delicious carefree meal onsite
Enjoy a delicious buffet on both days of the event: starter, main course, and dessert, with a wide selection of meat, fish, and vegetarian options, as well as gluten-free and dairy-free alternatives to suit all tastes and dietary needs.
- Price: €26 for one day, or €50 for both days
Which option works for you?
Would you like to make the most of these two days and meet Frank Anderson and Deb Dana in person?
Choose an in-person ticket at the Théâtre Le Trianon
Can’t make it in person or prefer to watch from home?
With the livestream you can watch live – in English or with simultaneous interpretation into French – and then access the recording for 90 days or for unlimited viewing.
Want to extend the day on the 20th in a friendly and festive setting?
Join the river cruise on the Seine to see Paris by night in the company of the speakers and the Quantum Way community. An evening hosted by two talented musicians… Appetizers with or without bubbly, followed by a buffet with wine and non-alcoholic drinks.
Register and select your options
Experience the event in person
Unlimited replay included
Please click on “Add to basket” for each category selected
1. Select your seat(s) in the category of your choice:
2. Select your lunch(es) (optional):
3. Select your place(s) for the evening cruise (optional):
Enjoy the event remotely
Replay included
Select your replay access:
Live + 90-day replay
Early Bird Offer: €197 instead of €247
197,00 € incl. VAT
Live + unlimited replay
Early Bird Offer: €247 instead of €297
247,00 € incl. VAT
Practical Information
- Seating: First-come, first-served within your ticket category.
- Catering: Welcome coffee and gourmet breaks included in registration. Lunch available as an option when you register: €26 per day (Day 1 or Day 2), or €50 for both days (buffet with meat, fish, vegetarian, gluten-free, and lactose-free options)
- Accessibility: Seats for people with disabilities are available in standard seating at a rate of 350 € [LCL8] (including tax).
- Lifetime replay option (in-person participants): If you attend in person, you’ll receive a replay with no time limit.
- Language: The event will be conducted in English. Simultaneous interpretation into French will be available for in-person attendees (headphones provided on site). Other languages will also be available via livestream.
How to get to the Trianon?
The Trianon is located at 80 Boulevard de Rochechouart, 75018 Paris.
- By metro: Anvers station, Line 2
- By bus: Anvers Sacré-Cœur stop, line 54
- Parking: Sags Anvers, 41 Boulevard de Rochechouart, open 24/7
Refund and Cancellation Policy
In accordance with Article L221-28 of the French Consumer Code, the right of withdrawal does not apply to tickets for shows or conferences with a fixed date. All orders are firm and final. A refund is possible only in the event of cancellation or postponement of the event by the organizer.
Who is Frank Anderson?
Dr. Frank Anderson is a psychiatrist specializing in trauma, trained at Harvard. He is an internationally recognized speaker, author of Transcending Trauma and To Be Loved, and co-author of IFS Skills Training Manual[LCL9] (all available in French from Éditions Quantum Way).
He has collaborated for many years with Bessel van der Kolk at the Trauma Research Foundation and served for a long time as a trainer at the IFS Institute under the direction of Richard Schwartz. Passionate about neuroscience, he is dedicated to teaching psychotherapy based on brain function, combining advances in neuroscience with innovative therapeutic approaches.
Frank Anderson believes that trauma leaves lasting effects on health and well-being, but that addressing it can guide individuals toward love, connection, and harmony.
Who is Deb Dana?
Deb Dana is a renowned American clinician, speaker, author, and consultant specializing in complex trauma and recognized for her expertise in Polyvagal Theory and its clinical application.
Having worked closely with Stephen Porges, the creator of Polyvagal Theory, Deb Dana was the first to translate the theory’s key concepts into clear, accessible language.
She is the author of: Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory and The Nervous System Workbook, and co-author of Polyvagal Prompts: Finding Connection and Joy through Guided Explorations (all available in French from Éditions Quantum Way).
She is a founding member of the Polyvagal Institute (PVI), a consultant to the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium at the Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, USA, and a consultant to Unyte, the company that markets the Safe & Sound Protocol[LCL10] .
FAQ
Questions About In-Person Sessions
Yes, the Trianon has a maximum capacity, as does the evening cruise. We recommend booking early to secure your seat in your preferred category.
The workshop is conducted in English, with simultaneous interpretation into French available both in person (headphones provided) and via livestream. You can choose whichever option you prefer.
Yes, accessible seating is available on the ground floor for 350 € (including tax).
Welcome coffee and snack breaks are included in your registration. Lunches (buffet-style) are available as an option when you register: €26 per day, or €50 for both days.
Registration covers the entire event (two days). It’s not possible to book for just one day, but you can attend only one day in person and use the replay for the second. Please note that the replay will not be available immediately after the event.
Yes, provided you notify us by email in advance so that we can update our lists and send you a new ticket.
You can purchase multiple tickets in a single order. You’ll receive as many tickets as there are participants.
Yes, we have a limited number of spots available at a subsidized rate. Each request is reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that all requests will be approved. To apply, please fill out the following form: https://quantumway.fillout.com/paris-2026-financial-support
Questions about the livestream and replay
You’ll access it via Zoom. A link to join the session will be emailed to you no later than the day before the event begins.
Yes. Depending on the package you choose, the replay is available for 90 days or for an unlimited period.
Yes. Unlimited access to the replay is included with every in-person registration.
Questions about the evening cruise
Yes, all event participants – whether in person or online – are welcome!
No, there will be no simultaneous translation during the evening cruise.
Question about the workshop
Participating in these two days does not lead to certification or equivalence with IFS or Polyvagal training. It’s a unique opportunity for professional development and deepening your clinical understanding and skills with two international leaders in the field of trauma – a dialogue as yet unprecedented in France.
No. This is a clinical development workshop. A certificate of attendance will be emailed to you after the event, but it is not eligible for professional training funding.
Join Frank Anderson and Deb Dana
Register now for in-person attendance or via livestream, with on-demand replay.