“The cure for the pain is in the pain.” – Rumi | “The cure for the pain is in the pain.” – Rumi |“The cure for the pain is in the pain.” – Rumi | “The cure for the pain is in the pain.” – Rumi |
Scientific studies have shown that stress, trauma, anxiety and depression have physical symptoms in addition to emotional and mental symptoms. Somatic movement is moving with full-body awareness, focusing more on how you’re feeling rather than meeting a specific fitness goal. It is a way to connect your emotions to how you are feeling physically, and when done regularly, somatic movement can benefit both the body and mind in profound ways.
Somatic yoga combines elements of meditation, breathwork (pranayama), and movement (asana) to help students look inward with compassion. We approach teaching through a trauma-informed lens, which creates a more inclusive space for those who have endured trauma (60% of adults) or are currently processing trauma.
“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 on within ourselves” – Bessel Van Der Kolk
What is Trauma-Informed Yoga?
The intent of any yoga practice is to facilitate the “rest-and-digest” response of the parasympathetic nervous system — which is the opposite state to the “fight, flight, or freeze” response that holds many trauma survivors captive.
However, this can sometimes backfire. For trauma survivors, some mainstream yoga techniques can reactivate the fight-or-flight response, putting the sympathetic nervous system into overdrive.
We offer public classes, as well as small groups and individual sessions for anyone that wants a more direct and intentional approach to healing.
Specific poses, assists, prompts, breathwork, and environmental factors can be quite triggering.
During one of my lowest times, mentally, I lost my yoga practice because I couldn’t stand the thought of going to a class and being told to “find my safe space” or my “happy space”, of which I had neither at the time.
Examples of when yoga can trigger trauma include:
- Holding postures for a prolonged period of time
- Physical assists without permission
- Certain breathwork (pranayama) practices
- Artificially heated environments that exceed the body’s normal temperature
- When a teacher’s language and sequencing is exclusive rather than inclusive
- Yoga postures that aggressively open the hips and spine
