What is Trauma Informed Yoga?
Trauma Informed Yoga integrates yoga practices with an understanding of trauma's impact on the body and mind. Research shows that TIY offers a valuable, body-based intervention that complements traditional talk therapy, promoting a sense of safety, improving ability to stay in the present moment and nervous system flexibility.
TIY is a gentle and supportive way of practicing yoga that respects your boundaries, choices, and needs. It is designed to help you reconnect with your body, regulate your nervous system, and cultivate a sense of safety and trust.
In this class you will:
Learn simple and effective breathing, movement, and meditation techniques that can help you cope with difficult emotions and sensations
Practice at your own pace and comfort level, with options and modifications for every pose
Receive clear and invitational guidance from a trained and compassionate teacher who understands trauma and its effects
No matter what your background, experience, or ability, you are welcome to join us for this healing practice. You do not need any special equipment, clothing, or skills to participate. All you need is an open mind and a willingness to explore.
Benefits:
Fosters Safety: Creates a safe, non-judgmental environment for healing and self-exploration.
Encourages Mindfulness: Helps individuals stay present and grounded in the moment.
Builds Resilience: Strengthens the ability to cope with stress and recover from adversity.
Promotes Self-Regulation: Teaches techniques to manage emotional and physiological responses.
Enhances Body Awareness: Increases sensitivity to bodily sensations, which can be empowering for those who have felt disconnected from their bodies.
Supports Autonomy: Empowers individuals by offering choices and encouraging personal agency.
Cultivates Compassion: Encourages kindness towards oneself, which can be transformative for those affected by trauma.
What does working with trauma mean to me?
From my own trauma recovery journey, I've found that various approaches have helped me, including somatic-based talking therapy, yoga, expressive movement classes, mindfulness, Buddhist practices, and psychoeducation on trauma. Building a supportive network and helping others with similar experiences also played a crucial role.
These practices taught me to appreciate the present moment, distinguish between past and present experiences, return to baseline more quickly when triggered, and recognize my mind and body patterns, signals, and limiting beliefs. Mindfulness and understanding trauma responses were particularly impactful.
In our Trauma-Informed Yoga (TIY) work, the primary goal is to introduce safety and stabilization. Jumping straight into processing trauma without this foundation can be overwhelming, which is why traditional talk therapy often falls short. Our focus is on being present and providing a safe, compassionate space, facilitating co-regulation and helping individuals return to baseline quickly when stressed.
One way that yoga can help with trauma recovery is that yoga asanas can create new neural connections. For instance, raising arms in a warrior pose in a safe environment can help reframe the action, reducing its association with trauma. This form of processing helps overwrite old patterns and fosters a sense of safety.
If students are triggered during a session, they need someone to hold space for their emotions and help them return to the present moment. Brendon Abram's "Teaching Trauma Sensitive Yoga" emphasizes that bottom-up somatic approaches reach parts of the brain that talk therapy can't, fostering acceptance—an integral part of trauma processing and yoga practice.
For me, completing trauma processing means accepting what happened without letting it define me, remembering without re-traumatizing, and bringing self-compassion when needed. It's about noticing survival and trauma responses and understanding that this is a lifelong, spiral process that brings peace to my mind and soul.
