Many practitioners have their own interpretation of what yoga for trauma is. After studying and deepening my research as well as being an active member of the yoga community, I believe that yoga for trauma is a practice that is built on a solid rock. Trauma Sensitive Yoga is, above all, a healing modality to bring participants into their physical body through present moment experiencing. 

• Where did Trauma Sensitive Yoga come from?

Although many people were already familiar with the benefits of yoga, it required two specialists to coin the term Trauma Sensitive Yoga. Both David Emerson and Bessel van der Kolk were pioneers of yoga for trauma release, and they cleared and led the way for many other practitioners to explore and develop the many benefits yoga can offer to people who are holding in pain and suffering. 

• What’s the objective of Trauma Sensitive Yoga?

A session of yoga for trauma is definitely not the same as a regular yoga session. For now, let’s understand that one fundamental difference between Trauma Sensitive Yoga and general yoga class is the objective that they pursue: Healing trauma with yoga is the main purpose of this practice. It focuses on helping the person in their emotional recovery journey.

• How yoga helps heal trauma

All stories we have lived emotionally, so has our physical body – the ‘good’ and the ‘bad’. The body and mind are interlinked and connected. The body remembers what the brain may have forgotten. Therefore, it is crucial to allow the physical body to release. 

The aftermath of a negative life-changing event can be unpredictable and unreadable, healing from trauma is not always linear. Physical pain and discomfort can be directly linked to a stored emotion, this manifesting in different forms such as joint aches, recurrent headaches, numbing, among many other ailments. 

The body has a physiological and biochemical response to trauma, which is why both mind and body are compromised. Healing trauma with yoga is possible because it teaches participants to bring awareness of their body in the present moment. Something that they might have been neglecting/ignoring can allow space for them to be more present and mindful with the feelings they are experiencing. As I explain on my website, Journey with Jen, being aware of yourself is the valuable and key stage when the yoga for trauma is embodied.

• Who can practice yoga for trauma?

Any person who has gone through a traumatic experience can practice trauma-sensitive yoga, no matter how intense or not the trauma is considered by any member of society. Different events can be traumatic for some and not others, we are all unique and this is important to remember. That’s why yoga for trauma survivors is broad, addressing specific needs/problems, such as yoga for PTSD, yoga for traumatic brain injury (also known as yoga for TBI patients), yoga for anxiety, yoga for depression, yoga for body pain relief, etc. 

• The difference between Trauma Informed Yoga and Trauma Sensitive Yoga

A general yoga class can become a Trauma Informed one when the teacher is aware that trauma clients are present during the session and is informed of what can trigger them. The teacher makes sure the class is a safe space for these clients, avoiding doing something that can disturb them, like touching them without confirming it’s okay to do so. 

Understanding trauma is not a simple process, as you already read above, it involves a series of physiological and biochemical responses that affect the mind and body. Although being a sensitive and empathetic person is an important characteristic of a trauma-informed yoga teacher, there is specific trauma training that gives one vital tools to guide people through their recovery journey and deal with the obstacles that will inevitably arise during the session.

A Trauma Sensitive Yoga class does not avoid trauma, it invites the client to explore it with the objective to overcome it. In my courses, you and I will explore trauma together, using techniques such as interoceptive awareness, spatial orientation, touch, and other effective methods. If you are ready to start your healing journey or you need a gentle hand to guide you into the first steps into it, please visit Journey with Jen.