Facing a traumatic event is not easy for kids, especially if it takes place during the first 3 years of their lives. Their nervous system can be shattered, affecting many aspects of their lives. My name is Jen Stuart and, in today’s post, we will delve into the benefits of Trauma Sensitive Yoga for children.

Trauma Sensitive Yoga benefits for kids

• Acknowledge the experience 

Yoga for Trauma helps children to acknowledge the existence of trauma, so they can start to heal. They can reflect on the events that took place and be gradually guided to take active action. Trauma Sensitive Yoga for children is a practice that can be accompanied and reinforced by the presence and support of parents or guardians, who can show them how to regulate their emotions.

• Develop the ability to concentrate

Kids tend to focus on multiple things at the same time. Yoga for trauma teaches them to withdraw their attention from intrusive thoughts and put it into something more positive. 

Different from an adult class, Trauma Sensitive Yoga for youth can be explored in a fun and inventive way, allowing the child to free up their creativity but giving them the right tools to be able to centre when needed. 

• Present moment awareness 

Yoga for trauma recovery helps children to embrace their new living conditions. Children can move on from trauma by getting aware of the present moment, recognising that their fundamental needs are being met, feeling safe in their bodies, their community and in the world.

• Control impulses

Many kids who are trauma survivors can’t control their reactions. Part of the essence of Trauma Sensitive Yoga is to create a safe space, physically and mentally. Children are able to introduce a new and necessary step in between a stimulus and a reaction: a moment to contemplate the situation. They learn to soothe feelings of fear, anxiety, worries, and others. 

• Trauma Sensitive Yoga supports their development 

Children can suffer from developmental trauma, which interferes in the progress of their social skills and their self-identity. It can distort their self-image and result in gender dysphoria and raise confusion about their sexual orientation. 

Yoga for Trauma bridges, again, the body and the mind. Mindfulness makes children more aware of their own self. It enables kids to continue developing at a steady pace.

• Get a happier household

In the course of my professional life, I have worked with many children in private Trauma Sensitive Yoga classes. It’s very rewarding to be present during their healing journey because the whole family is able to recover. The results I have witnessed are remarkable. For example, kids who weren’t able to express their feelings learned to open up to the people who love them. Others who were addicted to social media were able to regulate their screen time and be less dependent on technology.

Yoga for Trauma can bring multiple benefits to children who are trauma survivors, and to their families. If you have a kid who has ongoing emotional turbulence and is dealing with depression, anxiety, or physical disability due to a traumatic experience, visit Journey with Jen to route your loved one to recovery.