If you’re experiencing setbacks in your healing around the time of your anniversary, you’re not alone. You might be more sensitive to triggers, experience more irritability or begin unhealthy coping mechanisms.
Trauma lives in your body, and your body remembers everything in order to keep you safe (including your anniversary.) Yoga is a holistic way to release this trauma and allow you to self-regulate during times of increased stress.
I invite you to read these five yoga tips to cultivate self-love around your sexual trauma anniversary.
Common Anniversary Symptoms trauma survivors Face
For the longest time, I thought I was the only one who experienced certain symptoms around my sexual trauma anniversary. Even events leading up to the anniversary bring up old triggers, feelings and nightmares. If you experience the same symptoms, you’re not alone. Survivors may experience symptoms for days or even weeks before their anniversary. Here are some common symptoms you might face:
- Anxiety
- Anger
- Nightmares
- Flashbacks
- Depression
- Fear
This resource explains that PTSD rates after sexual trauma are more common than other traumas, which is why many survivors experience symptoms long after the event occurred. It’s important to have as many self-care and support options that bring you inner peace, release trauma-related stress, and allow you to be empowered in your healing. One self-care strategy that can do wonders for your trauma healing is a holistic, trauma-informed yoga practice.
How yoga Can support you during your Sexual trauma anniversary
Yoga is a spiritual practice that connects your mind and body, brings your attention to the present, fosters self-love, and increases self-compassion. It’s important you find a yoga practice that honors your trauma symptoms because any yoga class may not be best for your healing.
Trauma-informed yoga is a style of teaching yoga that honors your symptoms, reduces common triggering techniques, and strengthens your mind-body connection. I welcome you to read more about this practice, growing research, and if it’s right for you in this blog post.
How is Yoga Self-Care?
When you practice yoga, you are practicing for no one else but yourself. This isn’t selfish, this is self-care. You give yourself the time and space you need, the opportunity to treat your mind and body with love, and the opportunity to feel instead of speaking or trying to “logic” your way out of your trauma. This isn’t to speak ill about talk therapy (it’s been extremely helpful on my own journey), but including yoga is an additional way to work through symptoms without speaking or reliving your trauma.
Here is supportive research on yoga’s affects on PTSD and sexual trauma:
- This study discovered trauma-informed yoga specifically for sexual trauma could improve emotion regulation and awareness. This can benefit PTSD symptoms.
- This review showed yoga and meditation are promising compliments to an overall care plan in PTSD management.
- Women who experienced military sexual trauma showed reduced symptoms and self-compassion after a trauma-informed yoga intervention program in this study.
Adding yoga to your self-care plan for managing your sexual trauma anniversary symptoms is a perfect addition to better manage your symptoms without bringing up old memories or speaking about your trauma.
5 Tips Yoga Tips For self-Love Around Your Anniversary
I welcome you to include or exclude as many of these tips as you choose. You are always in control of your yoga practice. It’s also okay if the thought of practicing yoga on the day of your anniversary is overwhelming. Personally, I practiced the day before and after mine, then did other forms of self-care on my actual anniversary. What works for you is always the best strategy.
1. Practice yoga designed for self-love and compassion
I welcome you to practice yoga that is catered to your symptoms and explores themes that will benefit you most. While doing a yoga class strictly for weight loss and strengthening may still provide physical and mental benefits, it may not give you the chance to be with your emotions.
Showing yourself kindness and love around the time of your sexual trauma anniversary is important for your healing, and a yoga class aimed at this will be much more effective. At the end of the day, it’s your practice and you’re always welcome to do the practices that work best for you.
2. You don’t need to do an hour yoga class every day
If you already practice yoga an hour a day and that works for you, that’s perfect. However, more is not always better. You might face burnout, become discouraged if you don’t notice positive changes right away, or risk injury. I welcome you to find a consistency that works for you, your schedule, and the energy you have for self-care.
This national survey shows that current overall frequency of your yoga practice is more important than how long the classes are or how many years you’ve been practicing overall.
3. Understand emotions may or may not rise (and that’s normal)
One of yoga’s principles in non-attachment (including your yoga practice). This means you don’t become too attached to an outcome, including your emotions. If you find yourself saying, “I should feel x, y, z,” I welcome you to gently notice and acknowledge what you do feel.
You might show up on your mat and have a massive emotional release or notice nothing at all. It doesn’t mean you wasted your practice, you’re still showing yourself you care and receiving benefits even if you can’t immediately feel them. I also welcome you to remember that there is no end goal in yoga. As cheesy as it may sound, your practice itself is the destination.
I also invite you to only go as far into your practice as feels comfortable for you. If you don’t want to focus on your emotions, you can always send your attention to your physical sensations instead.
4. You are welcome to stop or adjust your practice at any time
Just because you show up to a class, or press “play” on your online class, that doesn’t mean you’re now 100% committed and need to push through. There have been days where I show up to my mat, and five minutes in I realize that yoga isn’t what I need that day. I’ll end the class and do what I’m craving instead. Or I’ll do an online class and I’ll switch to a different video halfway through. Other days, I’ll choose grounding outside or meditate for ten minutes. My favorite line I say in my yoga classes is:
There is no wrong way to feel right in your body.
It may seem strange that a yoga teacher would say that yoga isn’t always the answer. But, just because you’re not physically practicing on a mat doesn’t mean you’re not practicing. Tuning into your body, asking what it needs, and honoring those needs is still a yoga practice.
5. Strong emotions Aren’t A Sign Of Failure
You may become frustrated if you take good care of yourself and you’re still experiencing difficult emotions.
Healing doesn’t mean being happy every day or erasing all memories of what happened. You’re allowed to feel your emotions, and they’re not a sign that you did something wrong. Part of yoga is welcoming all experiences and fully embodying them (if you feel comfortable to do so). In my personal practice, when I fully experience an emotion, I find it fades much faster than if I say I shouldn’t feel that way. You feel the way you feel, and that’s okay.
I welcome you to explore support options if you’re curious about other resources to support you outside of yoga’s scope of practice.
Free Yoga class For Your Anniversary
I welcome you to join me for a free trauma-informed yoga class that honors your sexual trauma anniversary. This can feel like a lonely time, especially when others don’t understand why you’re upset.
This class explores the journey of a lotus (the symbol for sexual and domestic violence). We begin low to the ground, and gently rise through gentle movements, mudras, and affirmations. You are not alone in your experience, and if it feels comfortable for you, I welcome you to join me in this healing class.
I invite you to click below to access the class.
Overview
I understand how frustrating it can be to feel you’ve lost all your progress when you experience healing setbacks. The trauma healing work you do does make a difference, and it’s normal to crave more rest, support, and care around your anniversary. I wish you the best as you journey through your healing.
From my vulnerable heart to yours, take care.
