Trauma-Informed Yoga for Softening and Releasing Tension: Gentle Practice for Sexual Trauma Survivors (Day 3)

Welcome to Day 3 of Embody & Bloom: The Foundation Yoga Series. This is a trauma-informed yoga series designed to gently support sexual trauma survivors in reconnecting with their bodies through safety, presence, and choice.

If you like, I welcome you to explore the full series overview and all seven practices here: Embody & Bloom: Foundation Yoga Series.

Now that we have a supportive foundation from the past two days, we can explore trauma-informed yoga for softening and releasing tension. If you’d rather spend more time grounding and tending to your nervous system, I invite you to repeat Day 1: Creating Safety in Your Nervous System or Day 2: Ground and Settle.

Why we hold tension in our bodies after trauma

When we constantly brace ourselves, whether we know we’re doing this consciously or not, we can begin to create “holding” in our bodies. This is common after trauma because our bodies and nervous systems are on high alert, trying to keep us safe. 

This can show up as:

• clenching our jaws
• tightening our shoulders
• holding our breath
• tightness in our hips or abdomen
• hunching forward

I offer a gentle reminder that these feelings aren’t a problem to be “fixed.” You are not a problem to be fixed. This just means your body is telling you there is something residual that might be ready for release. We can’t rush this or make it happen through an exact number of repetitions. 

It’s less about completing a checklist of exercises and more about creating a state of inner comfort, trust, and safety. Today’s class honors this, providing both gentle release practices and also allowing rest and grounding.

What to Expect in This Trauma-Informed Yoga Practice

This 30-minute trauma-informed yoga class explores gentle grounding, intuitive movement, and restful yoga poses to support nervous system regulation and softening.

Throughout this class, you’re always welcome to pause, adjust, or make any changes so that you feel the most comfortable and supported. 

We’ll explore:

• Grounding (1:30)
  We start today’s class seated, exploring grounding with a butterfly tap practice that you can explore any time you like to return to the present.
• Gentle Movement (3:30)
  Next, we’ll move through gentle, flowing movement like side stretches, shaking, intuitive movement, spinal undulation, cat/cow, and low lunge with a chest expansion. There is a moment of grounding included to notice any shifts and return to center. 
• Restful Poses (12:20)
  We honor rest with poses like child’s pose, crocodile pose, half frog pose, reclined pigeon, and supine twist. While in crocodile pose, there is an option to explore hip rocking for releasing stored tension or emotions.
• Grounding (27:30)
  We end class with a gentle restful pose of your choosing and grounding.
• Closing (28:00)

Who This Practice Is For

This practice is supportive if you:

• Notice physical tension or emotional holding
• Feel ready to gently explore softening and release
• Experience holding or tightness in your jaw, shoulders, hips, or breath
• Wish to explore a trauma-informed, choice-based yoga practice
• Prefer slow, grounded, restful movement

I invite you to be kind with yourself during this class. We can sometimes get caught up in chasing a release that we forget the purpose of the class is to be with ourselves and create an environment for release – not make one happen. 

Release can also be different for each person. One might cry, another might yawn or feel a little lighter. Some breathe easier, others notice a little less emotional weight in their bodies or feel little twitches in their muscles. Your experience is unique to you – including if nothing changes. The practice itself is always enough.

If you have a release that feels overwhelming, I welcome you to pause, return to grounding, and reach out for support. This is why grounding is so important. It can feel like the more boring part of a practice but it’s to support you if you feel you’re going too far.

I welcome you to honor your limits. You never need to push past your comfort for meaningful shifts to happen. My Survivor Support page has additional resources to accompany a trauma-informed yoga practice for a well rounded care plan.

Trauma-Informed Yoga for Softening and Releasing Tension (Day 3 Class)

If you’re ready to begin, I invite you to practice with me on YouTube below, or explore this class in my free private platform if you prefer a more supported, calm, and contained space to move through the classes. This is a gentle space for you to return to your body at your own pace and in your own time.