Most of us have a basic understanding of what a typical yoga class entails, but trauma–informed yoga (also known as trauma–sensitive) may raise a few questions.
What is it? How is it different? Should I try it? I’ll answer these and more in this in-depth guide to trauma–informed yoga. This post includes additional information about the benefits of trauma-informed yoga and sexual trauma.
Important Definitions
What Is Trauma?
According to Trauma-Informed Care Research Center:
“(trauma) results from exposure to an incident or series of events that are emotionally disturbing or life-threatening with lasting adverse effects on the individual’s functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional, and/or spiritual well-being.”
What Defines Sexual Violence?
According to the NVRSC:
“Sexual violence is any type of unwanted sexual contact. This includes words and actions of a sexual nature against a person’s will and without their consent. A person may use force, threats, manipulation, or coercion to commit sexual violence.”
Trauma from sexual violence can affect an individual in monumental ways. Every survivor heals differently, so the more trauma-informed care available, the better the chances of lasting recovery and a fulfilling life.
What is Trauma–Informed Care?
According to NVRSC, trauma-informed services provide support that incorporates safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration, empowerment, and cultural relevance.
Trauma-informed care is not about coddling, babying, or hand holding. It’s about respect. Care can come in various forms, including therapy, emergency services, holistic healing, support groups, law enforcement, and more.
The more effort organizations and services put into following trauma–informed care guidelines, the better the outcome for survivors. Yoga is no exception.
Trauma-infomed care is not about coddling, babying, or hand holding. It’s about respect.
How Does Yoga Fit Into Trauma – Informed Care?
Any service can choose to be trauma-informed. Yoga is a perfect addition to a care plan, but traditional classes may trigger you with certain techniques, make you think yoga is your only magical cure, not give multiple options for poses, or make you feel unsafe. Non-trauma-informed teachers are not purposely trying to trigger or re-traumatize you. They have their own way of teaching, which many students may love, and others may find unhelpful to their healing. It’s all about your preferences and the style of yoga and teaching you prefer.
Adding a trauma-informed lens to yoga gives students with previous trauma a chance to take a class with confidence. You know your teacher takes extra precautions to ensure a safe and supportive environment. Trauma-informed yoga teachers do not heal your trauma on a one-to-one basis or speak with you about details of your trauma. We create safety and predictability in your space and practice so you focus more on yourself and learn to self regulate in your time.
If you’ve taken a yoga class before and thought it wasn’t for you, I welcome you to think back to that time and see if any of the following happened during your class:
- You felt hidden pressure to keep up with the teacher or other students
- The teacher didn’t offer adaptations or other options for poses
- The teacher gave you a physical assist without asking for consent first
- The teacher insisted you use a prop, do a pose a certain way, or that you close your eyes and to avoid fidgeting
- You felt like a “bad student” because you couldn’t do all the poses or keep up with the class
- Overall, you couldn’t find a sense of safety or felt uncomfortable for most of the class
Many students feel this way after classes, and it upsets me because yoga is deeply personal. Your way of yoga is the best way.
If any of the above happened during your class, I welcome you to see if trauma-informed yoga might be for you.
What Does The Research Say?
Bessel van der Kolk, a leading researcher of traumatic stress since the 1970’s, and author of the best-selling book, Body Keeps the Score, explains how trauma lives in the body.
Dr. Van der Kolk’s research recognizes that to heal from trauma, we must go deeper than talk therapy. Trauma can leave survivors at a loss for words to describe their experiences. Body-based movements heal without survivors constantly retelling or reliving their trauma.
In a 2021 On Being interview conducted by Krista Tippett, Dr. van der Kolk mentions yoga can activate areas of the brain and mind. He mentions anything that engages the body and mind purposefully with special attention to breathing “resets some critical brain areas that get very disturbed by trauma.”
Yoga is different from other exercise programs because of the emphasis on breath. Mindfulness, body awareness, and a focus on the present are also fundamentals of a yoga practice. Van der Kolk’s research discovered that these components of yoga can help trauma survivors regain their lives.
Additional research that supports yoga’s positive effects on trauma:
This study discovered yoga helped women with complex trauma histories improve:
- Sense of ownership and control over their bodies
- Emotions
- Thoughts
- Experienced a greater sense of well-being, calmness, and wholeness in their bodies and minds.
It also lists research that supports yoga’s positive effects on:
- Chronic pain
- Gastrointestinal problems
- Insomnia
- Improving the body’s response to stress
- Improved quality of life
- Stress management
- Self-concept
- Body awareness and responsiveness
A review found that trauma–sensitive yoga was beneficial to women with PTSD experiencing PTSD, depression, and anxiety symptoms. It was helpful for those who did not respond to traditional talk therapy.
Another study found that yoga improved participant’s emotion regulation and skilled awareness, both of which have the potential to reduce PTSD symptoms in sexual assault survivors.
This study on women veterans with a history of MST (military sexual trauma) showed that trauma-informed yoga benefited an array of behavioral health conditions and showed more self compassion and ease toward themselves.
This theory explores how yoga can be a non-invasive approach to explore the body’s stress response and regulatory systems.
What Makes Trauma-Informed Yoga Different?
These classes take extra precautions so you can practice yoga in a safe space that works to avoid worsening trauma symptoms. While every student has different triggers, trauma – informed yoga eliminates unnecessary ones.
Classes follow the trauma informed care guidelines mentioned previously.
Safety
Teachers cultivate a safe environment.
This includes:
- Bright lights (lights stay on during savasana, no candles)
- The teacher announces if they leave the mat during class
- Honoring your wishes (leaving the door to class open, hosting class in a room without mirrors, or other requests)
- An exit. You can always leave class early without judgment.
- List of resources. Teachers should have crisis numbers on hand if you’re curious about support options. They may also carry a list of other resources.
- Disclosure of their scope of practice. Yoga teachers must clarify their certifications and licenses for trauma care—if any outside of yoga.
Securing a safe environment excludes:
- Music (you may play music if it’s muted during online classes)
- Physical assists
- Triggering language (ex. knife edge of foot, booty, demanding language)
- Triggering props and poses (no straps, no poses exposing the pelvis)
Trustworthiness
Rules of consent between you and the teacher are paramount. There are no physical assists in trauma-informed yoga, but verbal cues may be given. Cues will be given if you risk injury with improper form. Even if a teacher corrects your form, you still have the final say in your practice.
Choice
Freedom of choice makes trauma-informed yoga unique from traditional classes. These classes may have hidden pressure to keep up with the teacher or fellow students. Trauma – informed yoga celebrates that your needs and body are unique to you. You have the choice:
- Where to place your mat in the room
- Whether to follow the teacher or complete your own poses
- If you follow breathing techniques, meditations, Savasana
- Whether to have your camera on or off (online classes)
- How long you stay in class
- How much you wish to pay for class (many trauma–informed yoga teachers offer pay-what-you-choose, sliding-scale payment options, or even free content.)
Collaboration
You may voice your thoughts about yoga classes and play an active role in how teachers shape future classes. You’re welcome to:
- Provide feedback for the teacher
- Voice ideas about future classes
You are your ultimate healing advocate. You have the option to include or exclude trauma–informed yoga from your healing plan.
Empowerment
You’re not only encouraged–but empowered–during class. Because there are no physical assists and many options for poses, you have a space to practice agency over your body. Empowering, invitational based language allows this freedom. Examples of this are:
- You can choose the version of the pose that best resonates with you.
- You can skip, adjust, or remain in any poses at any time.
- You are the expert of you.
- Feel free to add any props to this pose that bring you more comfort.
- I welcome you to explore intuitive movement here and see what feels best for your body.
Cultural Relevance
We cannot talk about sexual trauma without talking about culture. According to RAINN’s statistics:
American Indians are twice as likely to experience a rape/sexual assault compared to all races.
Transgender Students Are at Higher Risk for Sexual Violence
Sexual Violence in the Military Often Goes Unreported
Nine out of every ten victims of rape are female
While anyone can be a victim of sexual violence, it’s important to recognize how minorities are affected, and why so many survivors remain silent. To understand how culture is involved and to bring these statistics to light is the first step to creating change. The bottom line: Yoga teachers must create classes that are accessible, available, and inclusive.
Is Trauma-Informed Yoga Right For Me?
Teachers never assume you have experienced trauma. If you meet any of the points below, trauma-informed yoga is a perfect option to explore.
- You want to learn grounding and mindfulness techniques to use in and outside of class
- You want an inclusive environment without pressure to follow the teacher
- You want to compliment traditional talk therapy and your care team advises you to try it
- You want to be part of a community who understands your healing
- You want to learn more on behalf of a person in your life who experienced trauma
- You want more freedom of choice in your yoga practice
- You want to feel safe in your body
- You’re ready to be your ultimate healing advocate and be empowered through your healing
Who shouldn’t take part?
While trauma-informed yoga is a great avenue for many, these classes may not be suitable for all. Just because it’s not suitable for you right now doesn’t mean it can’t be something for you in the future. Here are some things to consider:
- Your trauma was very recent (within the past 3 months)
- You have a current substance abuse disorder
- Your care team advises against it
- You cannot maintain a safe environment for other participating students
- You are not willing to take trauma-informed yoga seriously or honor those around you
If you are unsure, I encourage you to speak with your support team.
Overview
Trauma-informed yoga is paving the way to respect and honor you after your trauma. It aligns yoga with trauma-informed care principles and follows practices you may not find in a typical yoga setting. There is a growing body of evidence linking the effects of a regular yoga practice and the effects of trauma, giving survivors another avenue to healing.
Trauma-informed yoga is not meant to be your entire care plan, but an optional, helpful addition. Whether you are a survivor or know someone affected, it is important to spread the word about this amazing opportunity for those who would benefit from this practice.
Words for Survivors
Yoga does not require you to talk about your trauma. It does not ask you to do anything except be where you are right now.
Your body is not a separate entity used to hurt you, but a resilient, intelligent, beautiful part of you. Your body did what it needed to survive, and the more you come back to your mat and your body, the closer you become to discovering this truth. The journey is not a smooth walk up a hillside surrounded by wildflowers. It’s a dark tunnel with dead ends and minor victories.
But you are not alone.
We show up day after day and before we know it, we’re out of the tunnel–everything is clear. The light overtakes the darkness, and we can do what yoga taught us all along–breathe.
I hope to join you on this journey.
Take Care.
