Trauma Informed Yoga
What is Trauma Informed Yoga?
Trauma-informed yoga is an approach to creating a safe, welcoming atmosphere in which students can learn regulation skills through connection with the breath and increased body awareness. Its aims to help its participants to develop a greater sense of mind-body connection, to ease their physiological experiences of trauma, to gain a greater sense of ownership over their bodies, and to augment their overall well-being.
Do I have to have experienced trauma to benefit from this?
Anyone can benefit from yoga. Trauma is a hard to define, broad category that is different for every experience. One recent definition of psychological trauma is ‘Psychological trauma is damage to the mind and body that occurs as a result of a distressing event. Trauma is often the result of an overwhelming amount of stress that exceeds one’s ability to cope, or integrate the emotions involved with that experience’. Trauma is anything that disrupts our nervous system and mind-body connection.
Trauma can also be defined as ‘events that involve “inescapable shock”: threats to physical survival and/or psycho-emotional integrity. Traumatic events may be one-time occurrences, such as a car crash, or part of an ongoing pattern, such as chronic domestic violence or growing up with an alcoholic parent. Trauma can be relational wounds, physical/emotional/sexual abuse, health scares or surgeries, natural disasters, societal injustices, systemic discrimination, loss of a pet, or about anything else that is causes immense stress and fear to your nervous system. It can be personally or vicariously experienced.
Here are some differences between a modern day/traditional yoga class versus a trauma informed class:
Trauma-Sensitive Yoga
Modern Postural Yoga
Environment
Space is welcoming, safe, comfortable for vulnerable students
Any suitable space
Physical exercise
Internal sensations important, for feelings of safety, modifications offered, focus on movements that are safe and comfortable for your own body
Achieve particular postures, often competitive and striving
Hands-on adjustment
Allow space, no touching
Polite hands-on acceptable
Instructor style
Gentle, students stay in control, more pacing
Directive
Non-directiveness
Non-directive instructions, give lots of options
Directive language acceptable
How To Prepare For A Trauma-Informed Yoga Class
In virtual yoga sessions, it’s not uncommon for difficult or uncomfortable emotions to arise to the surface. Judgments and comparisons of self to others or the instructor might come up. Know that this is normal. Our inner voice has the tendency to be critical of self and of what we can and cannot do in the moment. Our minds have the tendency to wander. Again this is normal.
Here are a few insights to consider before you start your practice.
1
You are welcome here exactly as you are. There is no requirement that you need to be in a good mood or that you need to do the entire practice or even know how to do yoga in order to participate. Sometimes the most healing experiences happen when we make it to our mat feeling unsettled. How you are in this moment is enough and welcome. And sometimes, two minutes is all we can do in that moment. And let that be enough for you.
2
There is no prior yoga experience or ‘optimal’ physical capability needed. We all come into this practice with different physical fitness levels and previous injuries or areas of pain. Our strength, energy and flexibility levels change daily so honor where your body is coming into the practice. Honor that you chose to show up to that mat and tune into your body. That is the victory right there. Take modifications and rest as much as you need without feeling guilty. Allow yourself to choose what is best for your body, and know when to stop, pause or modify.
3
Wear loose or comfortable clothing that you do not feel restricted in. Working towards your optimal level of comfort is key.
4
If you’d like, bring a few options with you to class in case that difficult sensations or emotions arise, although this is not necessary or mandatory. Some of the items you may wish to bring with you to session include a weighted blanket, a pillow, a pair of socks, or a towel, a journal to jot down any discoveries, a bottle of water, and Kleenex. And you can add to this as you’re comfortable.
5
If you’re feeling particularly tense, triggered, or stressed, you may wish to incorporate the five senses into your practice. Perhaps you may wish to open a window to allow the cool air to come in. Maybe you want to spray your favorite essential oil or drop a few drops on your hands and breathe deeply in before you start. Or you might like to have some flavored water or a cup of tea that you can turn to in the middle of your practice. When we engage our five senses, we bring ourselves a sense of grounding into the present moment. And we must remember that it’s neurologically impossible for the brain to hold a worry or a fear while at the same time being in the present moment.
6
Spend some time prior to starting the session to make a plan for yourself to navigate any difficult triggers that may surface in the session. We can’t always predict when this might arise, so it’s very important that you spend some time figuring out what might be helpful for you if a trigger surfaces.
As always, I am here to help process your Trauma Informed Yoga experience with you after any class. Please message me with any thoughts, challenges, reflections that come up and I will set aside time to process these with you.