There are many emerging healing modalities to release tension and trauma from our bodies. This is wonderful for survivors of trauma or if you experience high stress, but the different styles may be confusing. Somatic yoga and trauma-informed yoga are two popular forms of yoga that support your wellbeing, but there are a few key differences. I invite you to join me and explore these two styles more in depth.
What Is Somatic Yoga?
Somatic derives from the Greek word, soma, meaning the body. It’s using movements in your body to heal and release.
Because yoga in itself is a somatic practice, it may seem confusing when a class is labeled as somatic yoga. The key differences lie in the overall goal of the practice.
- Traditional yoga: Overcome your body to experience spiritual enlightenment
- Somatic yoga: Become more in tune with your body with embodiment and specific somatic practices
In addition, somatic yoga focuses on balancing your nervous system, releasing physical tension, and more purposeful, mindful movements that focus on sensation.
What Is Trauma-Informed Yoga?
Trauma-informed yoga is a style of teaching yoga that takes extra precautions to honor the lived experiences of trauma survivors. This means teachers prioritize the safety, trust, and choices of students.
It also avoids traditional yoga techniques that may be activating, or triggering, for trauma survivors. You’ll never be told you need to close your eyes, hold your breath, or do a pose that makes you uncomfortable.
Where the confusion begins between somatic yoga and trauma-informed yoga is that there are many elements of somatic yoga in trauma-informed yoga. This means that trauma-informed yoga also emphasizes choice, intuition, and embodiment over perfecting poses or using yoga as primarily a spiritual practice. It still honors yoga philosophy and aims to maintain a respectful level of appreciation around this practice, but there is less focus on reaching enlightenment or transcending your body into spirituality.
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The focus of trauma-informed yoga is also to nurture your nervous system. Your capacity to hold difficult emotions increases so you can transcend emotions without them overtaking you.
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3 Key Differences Between Somatic Yoga and Trauma-Informed Yoga
Below are a few differences to consider between each of these practices.
Ultimate Class Focus
- Somatic yoga: Body awareness and physical sensations
- Trauma-informed yoga: Safety, choice, and trauma conscious teaching
Common Techniques
- Somatic Yoga: Somatic techniques may go beyond yoga techniques with specific exercises not traditionally found in a yoga class. You focus more on exploration of movements that you prefer instead of textbook versions of poses.
- Trauma-Informed yoga: Uses traditional yoga techniques but through a trauma conscious lens. May also include somatic techniques and embodiment work.
Results From A Consistent Practice
- Somatic yoga: Releasing physical tension and improving body awareness
- Trauma-informed yoga: Increasing your ability to navigate emotions, nervous system regulation, and increased self compassion
Which Style Should You Practice?
It’s difficult to fully separate somatic yoga and trauma-informed yoga. They often interweave their purpose and goals. Here is how you can view these practices differently:
- Not all somatic yoga practices are trauma-informed
- Not all trauma-informed yoga classes use somatic techniques or focus entirely on embodiment
- These two types of yoga are often interwoven, so you get the best of both styles for a deeper healing experience.
Who Would Prefer Somatic Yoga?
This may be more suitable for you if you wish to explore somatic healing and don’t mind non-trauma-informed yoga techniques included in your yoga practice. Embodiment and fluid movements are important to you. You don’t prefer a trauma-informed teacher or lens of teaching.
Who Would Prefer Trauma-Informed Yoga?
You might find more comfort in this style of yoga if you’re a trauma survivor who wishes to explore yoga without triggering techniques and while still exploring somatic techniques. Choice and empowerment are important to you.
Whichever you choose to explore, it’s ultimately up to you which is best. These are both powerful for restoring your mind and body connection, releasing stored trauma, and going outside the box of a yoga class you’d typically experience.
I invite you to explore both options to see which you prefer, keeping in mind there are many similarities between the two.
Overview
The biggest difference between somatic yoga and trauma-informed yoga is the ultimate, deep-rooted purpose for each. Somatic yoga favors fluidity and specific techniques for embodiment while trauma-informed yoga favors creating a safe atmosphere, self compassion, and nurturing your nervous system through more traditional yoga techniques. Thank you for spending this time with me, and take care.
