Trauma-Informed Yoga
A trauma-informed class prioritizes the wellbeing of its students living with trauma. A trauma sensitive approach acknowledges that we all have our own struggles and recognizes our humanity- not just our wounds but our strength and resilience. This is central to creating an authentic culture that supports everyone to thrive and be nourished. Trauma is stored in the body, no matter the years since the trauma occurred. Yoga is absolutely connected to our mental health, and as a teacher, it's imperative to hold space for our students. High stress and trauma affect our ability to cope with challenges. Understanding the impact that stress and trauma have on the mind & body can combat these effects, allowing us to build resiliency, communicate more effectively, and therefore create organizational wellness.
Participants will learn to identify their automatic responses to stress and trauma. The autonomic nervous system has a direct role in physical response to stress and is divided into the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). When the body is stressed, the SNS contributes to what is known as the “fight or flight” response. After the amygdala sends a distress signal, the hypothalamus activates the sympathetic nervous system by sending signals through the autonomic nerves to the adrenal glands. These glands respond by pumping the hormone epinephrine also known as adrenaline into the bloodstream.
Autonomic functions include control of respiration (hyperventilating), cardiac regulation (racing heart rate), and certain reflex actions such as coughing, sneezing, swallowing and vomiting.
Instructors apply specific strategies to help their participants regulate emotions & responses, and teachers use proven techniques to enable clear decision-making and effective, trauma-informed communication. This increase in knowledge and skills will positively impact therapeutic interventions, and help participants to thrive in their work and personal lives.
Instructors will help participants:
- See the impact of stress & trauma on the mind and body
- Provide tools for self-regulation
- Help build resilience both personally and organizationally
- Release heaviness & emotional burdens
- Encourage Self-Care
Instructors can teach an array of yogic methods such as practicing mindfulness, somatic practices, and meditation, to help reduce trauma & stress symptoms and cultivate a greater sense of well-being. Instructors who are trauma-informed refrain from using triggering words or phrases, and are intentional with their cues to nurture students. Instructors facilitate a compassionate support for trauma survivors as they befriend their bodies and reclaim a sense of safety and empowerment in their lives.
