Trauma-Informed Yoga 101
Introduction
Spanning for thousands of years, making its way from the east to the west, all types of yoga have brought upon healing and spiritual transformation. While “Trauma-Sensitive Yoga” or “Trauma-Informed Yoga” attempts to quantify the effectiveness of yoga as a therapy, the spirit of yoga remains the same: to join the mind and body. I became practiced in this approach long before I even knew it existed, and perhaps unknowingly you have as well. My attempt to demystify the term, “Trauma-Informed” coupled with yoga is because I believe it’s healing powers still lie dormant in both the realms of psychotherapy and yoga. The overlap of these domains place value in our subjective experience and potential as human beings. By and large, trauma informed yoga is a practice for every human being; for we’ve all survived heartbreak, loss, grief, and stress. Despite the reality that no one is immune to suffering, we are all very capable of healing from within.
The Missing Piece
Trauma survivors seem drawn to yoga, for the promise of coming home to the “self,” and find healing benefits from mindful and conscious breathing exercises. However, through experience, I know how disembodying it can be to enter a ‘typical’ yoga studio. The nuance of “trauma-informed” approach to yoga expands the ways we can provide a healing and holding environment with the survivor’s experience in mind. The more popular yoga offerings (power yoga, vinyasa, bikram, etc.) are experienced differently by someone who has experienced trauma. Certain poses can even trigger dissociation, overwhelming states in the body, and even elicit flashbacks. Without the proper knowledge of trauma responses, we may often be doing more harm than good for the survivors that attend our classes.
The Five Core Dimensions of Trauma-Informed Yoga aims to make the practice more accessible, grounding, and empowering for trauma survivors. These core dimensions that make up the practice may be even closer to the origins of yoga philosophy. In that, individuals are taught to trust their own experience over that of a “guru,” a particular style, and over following a class. Trauma-informed teachers guide their students to remain mindful through each movement and encourage them to move at their own pace. In essence, the Trauma-Informed Yoga aims to help individuals establish safety, attunement and trust within their body and experience.
Physical Environment
From high temperatures, low lighting, and often crowded rooms-- The environment can be filled with various triggers for a trauma survivor. The room in a Trauma-Informed Yoga (TIY) class should be well lit, spaced out, with no music at all. The TIY teacher orients the class from the beginning by pointing to the exits and entrances, and other guiding tools to create safety, structure, and predictability. With this in mind, the teacher remains on his or her mat when teaching.
Language
The language in a TIY class is invitational and open-ended. Just think about a time you heard the word “relax” and your body just tensed up. Avoiding metaphorical language and avoiding triggering words and phrases such as “relax,” “let go,” and “juicy stretch,” to name a few. Reminding students that they are in control through language such as, “allow,” “experiment,” “notice,” and “be curious.” Checking-in and inviting awareness throughout practice is the key element to how the language is conveyed.
Exercises
When using the scientific approach to yoga sequencing there is an emphasis on utilizing meditation, pranayama (breathwork), and “shapes” that focus on imbalances of sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system responses. This may include shapes that promote psoas release, increased vagal tone, and heart rate variability. The experience itself promotes resourcing and resilience in the body.
Teaching Style
The style is presented in more of an invitation rather than a set of instructions. This is distinct from gentle yoga and restorative, in many ways; one of the ways is that there is little to no props. Creating safety in the poses are essential, however, the focus is on sensations rather than alignment. So teachers won’t be going up to students to change their postures. Considerations are placed on exploring interoception (feeling your body from the inside out) by cuing inner sensations, and tools for resourcing (body scans) for overall mindfulness and embodiment.
Adjustments
In a typical yoga class, teachers will ask students if they are comfortable with hands-on adjustment. In TIY classes, consent is not enough to mitigate the harm and experience a survivor may experience. Think about a time you said, “yes,” when you actually wanted to say “no,” to an authority figure. In a TIY class we want to empower choice over correction, and over right versus wrong ways to be. Safety is cued in postures, but touch is not mandatory to guidance. Though common adjustments are meant to be supportive, TIY explores embodiment without touch.
