Why trauma-informed yoga?

 

Public yoga classes don't always feel good. If you have a history of trauma or mental health issues, certain aspects of a yoga class can be contraindicated, problematic, or even dangerous for you. You might be allergic (metaphorically speaking) to the "cookie cutter" poses and dictatorial figure of the instructor. You might notice that certain poses make your heart rate go very fast or slow down much more than seems appropriate for the amount of physical effort you are exerting. Certain props can feel scary or wrong. Being touched by an instructor could be uncomfortable or even intolerable. Being asked to do partner work with a stranger could provoke an anxiety attack, compel you to leave the class, or else to go through the motions while feeling internally shut down. Perhaps you have never made it to a class, or tried yoga at all, for fear it will trigger you somehow.

 

If you can relate to any of the above, it is possible that you might benefit from a private yoga session with an instructor who is also a therapist and understands how trauma affects the nervous system.

 

Yoga Can Help Trauma Recovery

 

If you are living in a body that has survived trauma, it might not be very comfortable for you to spend time bringing awareness to your body in the present moment. This is normal and typical of trauma survivors - you are not alone. However, learning how to be present in your body and breath, in a practice like yoga, has been shown to help recover from trauma symptoms. Yoga is linked to better mental health and there are many studies showing this (see Resources). For example, some poses are good for anxiety (e.g. child's pose), others are good for depression (e.g. supported reclining bound angle pose), while the breath work has been shown to help with vagal health. You can learn the poses that feel good to you, help you regulate your nervous system, and return a sense of safety to your body.

​

What a Session Might Look Like

 

I feel truly privileged to work with people, to help them to discover the beauty and freedom that yoga can offer. It is crucial for a person with a disregulated nervous system to learn yoga at the right pace, in a space that feels as safe as possible. This can mean taking pauses for discussion and processing, for tracking sensations that arise, and, most importantly, for listening to your body and what it is telling you. The goal is tuning into a body-mind connection in a way that doesn't feel overwhelming or dissociative, and allowing any held intensity to move through and out, so that you ultimately experience freedom and pleasure.

 

Other ways yoga can be a part of our work:

​

• I can offer specific yoga poses during therapy sessions (to do during the session and/or at home) that address issues related to our work (e.g. anxiety, depression, fatigue, poor health, pain).

• We could have an educational session, where we discuss what you are experiencing in your regular yoga class, and I provide coaching on how to work with your concerns.

​

Please contact me if you would like to discuss your circumstances, or to set up a session.

​

Resources

​

Visit the Resources page on Trauma Informed (TI) Yoga for links to studies on yoga and trauma, an interview with leading trauma specialist discussing the potential of yoga, and more.