Foreign language anxiety (FLA) affects approximately 52–85% of adult second-language (L2) learners and is associated with fear of negative evaluation, reduced self-efficacy, and avoidance of communication (Barber, 2023; Raj & Sekar, 2025; Bielak, 2025).

Polyvagal Theory (PVT) (Porges, 2021, 2022) offers a neurobiological framework for understanding FLA. It proposes that the autonomic nervous system (ANS) operates through a hierarchy of safety-based states. The ventral vagal state supports social engagement, flexible communication, and connection, whereas perceived threat shifts the system into sympathetic activation (fight/flight) or dorsal vagal shutdown (freeze). In these defensive states, verbal expression is inhibited regardless of actual language competence. Although PVT has been widely applied in trauma-informed care (Walker & Flaherty, 2024), somatic therapies (Haeyen, 2024; Faulkner, 2023), and neurodiversity-informed practices (Dwan & Brice, 2025), its application to FLA remains limited. This study addresses that gap by conceptualizing FLA as a neurobiological phenomenon that can be treated through polyvagal-informed, body-based interventions.

The study involved three adult L2 English speakers: a senior manager in his late 30s, a 30-year-old architect who had recently relocated, and a 32-year-old doctoral student. Each presented with clinically significant FLA, including career avoidance, linguistic restriction, and withdrawal from native-speaker environments. Over 8–9 weekly individual therapy sessions, a tailored intervention protocol was implemented. This protocol included polyvagal-informed strategies: psychoeducation using the polyvagal ladder; somatic breathing techniques; humming and rhythmic vocalization; and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) resource installation. Between sessions, clients used Deb Dana’s trigger and glimmer journaling to extend regulation into daily language contexts (Dana, 2018).

All three clients demonstrated meaningful behavioral changes. The senior manager accepted a previously avoided promotion, the architect secured a job at an international firm, and the doctoral student began attending academic events with native speakers. These outcomes were supported by subjective reports of increased readiness and reduced avoidance. Cross-case thematic analysis identified five key themes: (1) safety is a neurobiological prerequisite for L2 fluency; (2) avoidance reflects adaptive ANS responses rather than intentional resistance; (3) somatic readiness precedes conscious behavioral change; (4) journaling expands the window of tolerance; and (5) EMDR resourcing strengthens access to ventral vagal states prior to language exposure.

These findings suggest that FLA cannot be fully addressed through cognitive strategies alone when the nervous system remains in a defensive state. A body-first approach that restores ventral vagal regulation may be more effective in facilitating language production. The integration of EMDR resourcing with glimmer and trigger tracking appears particularly useful in bridging in-session regulation with real-world application (Demir & Hasateş, 2026).

However, the study has limitations, including a small sample size (N=3), the absence of a control group, and reliance on qualitative, self-reported outcomes. Future research should incorporate controlled designs and physiological measures such as heart rate variability or standardized anxiety scales (e.g., FLCAS) (Horwitz et al., 1986). Overall, the findings highlight a key implication: improving language performance may depend less on increased practice and more on restoring a sense of neurobiological safety that enables communication to emerge naturally.

References

Barber, J. D. (2023). The relationship between language mindsets and foreign language anxiety for university second language learners. International Journal on Social and Education Sciences (IJonSES), 5(3), 653–675.

Bielak, J. (2025). To what extent are foreign language anxiety and foreign language enjoyment related to L2 fluency? Language Teaching Research, 29(3), 911–941.

Dana, D. (2018). The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy. W.W. Norton.

Demir, M. U. C., & Hasateş, M. C. (2026). Polyvagal Theory and interoception-based interventions. Psikiyatride Güncel Yaklaşımlar, 18(1), 207–223.

Dwan, S., & Brice, A. E. (2025). Integrating Polyvagal Theory and the neurodiversity paradigm for inclusive practice. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, 10(1).

Faulkner, S. C. (2023). Drumming, rhythm, and regulation through a polyvagal lens. JoCAT, 18(1).

Haeyen, S. (2024). A theoretical exploration of Polyvagal Theory in creative arts and psychomotor therapies. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1382007.

Horwitz, E. K., Horwitz, M. B., & Cope, J. (1986). Foreign language classroom anxiety. Modern Language Journal, 70(2), 125–132.

Kuruzović, N., Volarov, M., & Đorić, V. (2025). The impact of contracting on active participation and alleviating foreign language anxiety. Research in Pedagogy, 15(2), 445–456.

Porges, S. W. (2021). Polyvagal Theory: A biobehavioral journey to sociality. Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology, 7, 100069.