Dr. George Thompson is an international leader in trauma-informed systems and author of The Polyvagal Parent: The Science and Soul of Raising a Connected Child. His work has transformed how care systems understand and respond to trauma—grounded in the nervous system’s innate drive for safety and connection. Dr. Thompson blends rigorous science with profound empathy—and holds an unwavering belief in the heroic potential of every person to heal.
Dr. Thompson is co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of Velocity Health Group near Springfield, Missouri in the US. Velocity is a new type of psychiatric residential program, an Accelerated Treatment Center, which combines intensive inpatient treatment with an integrated aftercare model designed for long-term success. He also has a private practice of psychiatry in Houston, Texas, USA, focused on the treatment of trauma and other complex conditions.
Dr. Thompson was appointed Chairman of the Polyvagal Institute’s board of directors in 2024. He was on the board of the DDP Institute from 2014 to 2020, serving as Treasurer for that board as well.
Thompson’s other books include Polyvagal theory and the developing child: Systems of care for strengthening kids, families, and communities, written with Marilyn Sanders and Working with relational trauma in children’s residential care: A guide to using dyadic developmental practice, written with Edwina Grant and Kim Golding.
