Why Trauma Sensitive Yoga?
“No intervention that takes power away from the survivor can possibly foster (their) recovery, no matter how much it appears to be in (their) immediate interest” (Hermann, J).
Yoga, simply put means “to join together” or unite and is a practice of connecting or uniting the self. Trauma can be considered a form of dis-connection or a lack of integration between the mind and the body.
Stress, anxiety, (not to mention living in modern society!), can also create conditions for disconnection.
So re-connecting the mind and body with present moment awareness can be a useful practice for those of us who have experienced trauma. I currently facilitate yoga with survivors of sexual abuse in New Zealand who are all receiving trauma treatment alongside trauma sensitive yoga. Given that sexual violence has a wide prevalence in New Zealand, with 23% of adults experiencing one or more incidents of sexual violence (helpauckland.org.nz), not to mention rates of complex PTSD, anxiety, depression and mental health challenges, the adjustment of teaching methods can benefit many people who are seeking wellbeing through yoga.
For instance, perhaps the yoga teacher is in front of the room looking at the group and there’s a sense that you have to move in a certain way. The teacher walks behind you and puts their hands on your body without asking. The teacher might show you how to do it differently. The lights might suddenly turn off, you might feel expected to be still or not leave the room and even to move in a way that feels uncomfortable.
I’ve personally experienced both the ways that yoga can support healing from trauma and intensified panic and anxiety. And have seen the ways others have benefited from a trauma sensitive approach.
Trauma sensitive yoga refers to a specific approach known as Trauma Center Trauma-Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY) developed at the Trauma Center in Brookline, Massachusetts and is a “clinical intervention for complex or chronic, treatment-resistant post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)”, as noted on the Center’s website. This approach to yoga is based on attachment theory, neuroscience and trauma theory and is particularly sensitive to creating conditions for psychological and emotional safety or regulation of the nervous system.
Safety is the first pre-requisite in order to be willing enough to explore ones inner world and body sensations.
Safety can be disrupted, sometimes subtly, when there is any sense of threat, power or coercion. When safety is disrupted, our stress system turns on and we are naturally looking outwards instead of inwards. We are unlikely to derive the complete benefits of yoga, which is to meet the body where it is in the present moment.
Of course, what turns one person’s stress system on is nuanced based on context. In a traditional yoga class, safety might mean physical safety; ensuring for example that injuries are accounted for or that the joints are aligned in a form or pose. However, when a group series is devoted to trauma informed care, safety becomes not only about physical safety but also, and perhaps more importantly, psychological safety.
So how can you feel safe enough to explore your inner world?
A psychologically safe environment includes trauma sensitive values of choice and empowerment.
In a yoga class, this might include:
• You are in charge of what you do with your body at all times.
• Invitations are always used instead of commands.
• Genuine options and choices are offered.
• Opportunities are provided to learn from the actions you take.
• The facilitator is non-verbally reading the room.
• The facilitator is doing something with rather than ‘for’ or ‘to’. The facilitator is doing the activity alongside and it is not a situation where the facilitator is prescribing something and then standing outside of it to observe or interpret.
• The facilitator is part of the group and stays on their mat. There are no physical assists.
• Consistency and predictability.
• Offering an intake to address safety concerns, including cultural and emotional safety.
If you are a trauma survivor, talk to your yoga instructor first and find out if their class is right for you. Lack of choice, which may be familiar to those who have experienced trauma can be perpetrated in healthcare and wellness settings. A trauma sensitive class or session might be one experience during the week where choice is given about what you do with your body or how you experience your body.