Trauma Sensitive Yoga

Healing Trauma through movement & embodiment

No intervention that takes power away from the survivor can possibly foster her recovery, no matter how much it appears to be in her own best interests. — Judith Herman, Trauma & Recovery

Trauma Sensitive Yoga, is a unique validated clinical adjunct therapy that helps support survivors of complex trauma (C-PTSD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in re-connecting mind and body. Trauma Sensitive Yoga has foundations in Trauma Theory, Attachment Theory, Neuroscience and Hatha Yoga practice.

The significance of integrating body-oriented approaches like yoga into trauma healing. Trauma-sensitive yoga emphasises creating a safe and empowering environment where individuals can explore sensations in their bodies, cultivate self-awareness, explore choice making and develop skills for self-regulation. By incorporating mindfulness, breathwork, and gentle movement, trauma-sensitive yoga aims to help individuals build resilience, reclaim a sense of agency, and restore connection with themselves and others.

Trauma is perhaps the most avoided, ignored, belittled, denied, misunderstood, and untreated cause of human suffering” Peter A Levine PHD

“Neuroscience research shows that the only way we can change the way we feel is by becoming aware of our inner experience and learning to befriend what is going inside ourselves” Bessel van der Kalk, The Body Holds the Score.

What is Trauma?

What is trauma? Sometimes we encounter experiences that so violate our sense of safety, order, predictability and right, that we feel so utterly overwhelmed-unable to integrate and simply unable to go on as before. Unable to bear reality.  We have come to call these shattering experiences trauma.  None of us are immune to them.  (Stephen Cope MSW)

Trauma (PTSD) refers to a deeply distressing or disturbing experience that overwhelms an individual's ability to cope, often resulting in emotional, psychological, and sometimes physical harm. It can stem from various sources such as violence, abuse, accidents, natural disasters, or other life-threatening events,

Complex trauma (CPTSD) refers to prolonged or repeated exposure to traumatic experiences, typically beginning in childhood and often involving interpersonal trauma such as abuse, neglect, or caregiver disruptions. It can result in a range of profound and lasting effects on psychological, emotional, and social functioning, impacting an individual's sense of self, relationships, and overall well-being.

Trauma is not what happens to you, it's what happens inside you as a result of what happened to you” Gabor Mate

What to expect in a Trauma Sensitive Yoga session

Although we use physical forms and movements, the emphasis is not on the external expression, of getting it right. Rather, the focus is more on the internal experience of the participant (interoception). The practice is accessible and  open to everyone, regardless of flexibility, experience, age, gender.

There are no physical assists in TCTSY, you are invited, never coerced in your practice. It is a practice that we develop together and practice together. This brings a shared authentic experience; you are practising and experiencing in your body and I am practising and experiencing in my body.

Trauma Sensitive Yoga can help us to:

  • reconnect to our body in a protective environment

  • develop a positive relationship between mind and body

  • increase awareness of our internal, felt experience

  • cultivate a sense of agency and empowerment

  • live in the present moment

  • rebuild and strengthen relationship to self and others that is authentic and safe

 

The Five underpinnings of Trauma Sensitive Yoga

  • You will always be invited to participate in every step of the practice. It is your choice whether you’d like to accept any invitation or not. As a facilitator, I only use language that is simple, specific, objective, and non-metaphorical. Phrases such as "if you wish to... support your choices and ability to take agency of your body.

  • You have complete control over what you do and do not do. I am here to offer safe, professional guidance that helps you focus on the experiences of moving, breathing, and resting. This helps develop agency and empowerment, and to learn to make choices that feel comfortable in your body. There are no "right" or "wrong" ways to experience a shape, you may be making a different choice to me.

  • During the session there are no hands on assists, no shapes are  better than other shapes and I as a facilitator, strive to shift the power dynamics to honour your choices.

    You‘ll never be asked to share your story, and you aren’t required to go into the history of your experience of trauma. However, you may need to be engaged in a talking relationship/therapy outside of the sessions (therapist, counsellor, GP, pastor/priest or social worker).

  • We both practice at the same time. You have a body and I have a body and we are sharing a practice of making individual choices and experiencing what it is like to be in our individual body. This becomes authentic as it is experienced in the present moment.

  • As we practice together, I notice felt body sensations and offer these as a choice for you to notice.  They may include; temperature, pressure, muscles engaging/stretching, tingling  or breath moving.  

What to do next

If you would like to reach out to find out more about whether this therapy or I, would be the right fit for you.  Please click here to email. We could then arrange a time for a FREE 20min phone consultation

Cost

Individual sessions of 60mins including 45mins of practice and 15mins of orientation/sharing time.

£80 per session

£390 course of 6 sessions

Location

In Person

Ashridge Yoga Studio, Moneybury Hill, Berkhamsted HP4 1LX

or

Online via Zoom