Trauma Informed Yoga

​

 

When you hear the word "Trauma" your thoughts might go to experiences of war, natural disasters or extreme situations of violence. Trauma can also result from events that are not life- threatening. The times in your life that you felt overwhelmed and unable to cope, even if for a moment, could register as trauma in your body.

 

Trauma could result from:

• Divorce 

• Going through a Breakup

• Getting Lost in a Store as a Child

• The Unexpected Loss of a Loved One

• Being Forgotten at School by a Parent

• Being the Subject of Bullying

• Verbal abuse

• Emotional Neglect

 

Your body has an unconscious, physical reaction to this experience. Some people jump into action and some people freeze. Whatever your response, you did not choose it. Your Nervous System scanned for threats and chose which response would best help you out of the situation as unscathed as possible. However, sometimes we can get “stuck” and our Nervous System may be constantly scanning for danger or even detect a threat in the absence of one.

 

Some consequences of traumatic incidents include:

• Difficulty Maintaining Healthy Relationships

• Negative Self-Talk

• Inability to concentrate

•  Feeling Disconnected from your Body.

 

It's not uncommon for many to feel stuck in the past, replaying images or thinking about what you could have done or said differently. Alternatively, maybe your attention is preoccupied with the future and being concerned about the next problem or fear.

 

It takes practice to train yourself to stop the "time traveling" from past worries or future concerns and to instead bring yourself consciously, to the current moment. This is where Trauma Informed Yoga comes in. You practice being in the present, recognizing that you are safe and using breath-work to signal to your body that all is well. Many yoga classes focus on strength and stretching and these classes have their purpose, but that is not the goal of the Trauma Informed Class. For those healing from trauma, gentle movement and a focused breath can be a tool to remain anchored in the present.

 

Learning how to breath with an emphasis on a long exhale sends signals to your nervous system that you are safe and that your body can relax. Over time, you can learn to change your everyday breathing patterns which can help you to find calm and control in times of chaos. In practice, you learn that all poses will eventually end and so any discomfort you may be feeling will also stop. Practicing sitting in discomfort, knowing that everything is temporary,  improves your ability to deal with physical and emotional distress. 

 

In Trauma Informed Yoga, we practice tolerating inner experiences and renegotiating the relationship to your body. The result for many is feeling more connected and at ease in the mind and body. In fact, brain scans in showed that after 20 weeks of yoga practice there was increased activation of areas in the brain that are critical for physiological self-regulation. When you are better able to regulate your physiological state and breathe before reacting, everyone around you benefits.

​

If you're interested in Trauma Informed Yoga Classes for yourself or a group please reach out to be directly by email.