In this lively webinar, Dr. Niloufer Merchant in dialogue with Dr. Rebecca Bailey, traces the impact of racial and cultural trauma from a Polyvagal theory lens. Culture is embodied, as is trauma, and hence polyvagal theory provides a unique way for us to understand the impact of cultural and racial trauma at physiological nervous system level. Concepts such as cultural safety vs cultural competency, racial/cultural trauma, decolonization, code switching/appeasement, and coregulation and ancient practices are explored. Parallels are drawn to equine therapy throughout. Finally, the webinar ends with a discussion on how to engage in joyful social change by anchoring in ventral, to balance the often used sympathetic/fight response in social justice work .