What is Trauma Informed Yoga + What are its Benefits?

I wrote this article for STAR - Sexual Trauma Awareness + Response, a non-profit here in Baton Rouge dedicated to resourcing survivors with legal aid, counseling, + more after sexual assault.

Trauma-informed yoga (TIY) is intended to help students reconnect with their bodies after experiencing short- or long-term trauma. TIY approaches the practice of yoga with consideration of the effects that trauma has on a person’s brain, nervous system, body, spirit, and heart.

What is trauma?

You’ve likely experienced some degree of trauma at one point in your life. This may have been a “little t” trauma — a stressful move, career change, or financial worries; or maybe you’ve experienced “big T” traumas — sexual assault, physical abuse, or ongoing oppression.

If you were unable to dedicate time, space, and resources to heal from the trauma, you may notice its effects on your body, mind, heart, and spirit: tight muscles, disconnection, racing thoughts, hyper-vigilance, hopelessness, resentment, and more.

How trauma-informed yoga can help?

First, it should be noted that yoga, even TIY, is not intended to be used as a stand-alone tool for healing from trauma. It is always recommended that a survivor of trauma be under the care of a psychologist or other mental health professional.

TIY — also referred to as trauma-sensitive or trauma-conscious yoga — often includes: breath work, slow/ grounding postures, and intentional, inviting language rather than commands. Students are offered multiple options throughout the class so that they may feel safe both during and after class. An example of this may be, “explore what it may feel like to lift your arms overhead” versus “lift your arms overhead”. In providing an opportunity for a person to experience a body movement by choice can give a survivor of trauma more autonomy over their bodies during the practice. And over time, this can support a survivor in regaining a sense of control in their life.

Physical postures (called “asana” in yoga) and breath awareness allow students to learn how to stay in the present moment and can help survivors with centering and grounding.

Trauma-informed yoga may help you:

·       Connect deeply with your physical body

·       Learn to release tension from your body

·       Gain more awareness of your breath, thoughts, and movements

·       Reduce fear responses in your physical body

·       Empower yourself to heal holistically — body, mind, heart

·       Feel safe to experience any physical sensations that may arise in your body

Join STAR in honoring Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April. I will be hosting a class at Electric Depot in Baton Rouge on April 12th at 6 PM.

Photograph by Hannah Sharriee.

All Are Welcome Here

You may have noticed that yoga in the west has been co-opted by thin, white, able-bodied cis white women … myself included.

And it ~should~ go without saying but …

If you are …
Trans
Black
Queer
Fat
Brown
In pain
Experiencing grief
“Too old”
Inflexible
Deaf
Shy
Brand new to yoga
English is your second language
Or any other reason you imagine you don’t belong in a yoga studio -

You are welcome in my spaces.

Whether that’s an in-person yoga class, a coaching session, or simply here on this platform. You are welcome in my spaces.

Whether it's day 1 of your yoga/ spiritual journey or year 10.

You are welcome in my spaces. I’m happy to have you here.

If you have a problem with any of the groups of people I listed above… well, you probably won’t enjoy being in my spaces. But you are still welcome to be here too.

I hope you learn to open your heart + put down your bigotry / fat phobia / racism / etc.

E X P A N D

My intention for 2021 was to  E X P A N D.

In my business + mindset + skillset + emotional intelligence + my own power.

And each time I thought about my intention or shared it, there was a (not so small) voice in the back of my mind yelling - “yea, but not physically! WE WILL NOT EXPAND PHYSICALLY.”

Now, before I go on - I fully realize + acknowledge my privilege as a still-thin, able-bodied, white, cis woman…*

I share my story because I believe that body image + acceptance / neutrality is something ~ everyone ~ can heal from.

Maybe it was growing up in the toxic realm of dancing. 

Maybe it’s simply existing as a girl/ woman in this world.

Maybe it’s the white/thin-washing of yoga.

Maybe it’s being a coach in health + wellness.

But I have never felt skinny enough.

That little voice that was so fearful of expanding physically led me to realize I still had work to do on fully accepting + loving myself.

Spending this past year learning to love this expanding body was a trip. Was it getting OFF hormonal birth control for the first time since age 18? Was it getting ON antidepressants? Was it the handy-pandyemic? Was it finally realizing my own fat phobia + having compassion for myself to let that fear go?

I know the start of the year “encourages” a lot of us to slim down, tone up, shed the holiday weight. I just want to let you know that that IS NOT necessary. 

Weight gain doesn’t make you a bad person. 

A bigger body is not something to fear or hate.

So whether you’re brand spankin’ new to body acceptance or if you’ve been unlearning the harms of diet culture for a minute now - I hope you continue to love + accept your FULL EXPANSIVE self in this year to come.

[*I’d like to remind you that the anti-dieting + anti-fat phobia movements were both engineered by queer, Black, fat women. I never want to be the face of body positivity. But I do know how important it is to share our stories as women in this fucked up, patriarchal, white supremacist world. 

And if just one person sees this + decides it’s time to love their body - no matter the size - that’s all I want.]

Being Anti-Antidepressants in the Health + Wellness Field

I had been diagnosed with anxiety a few years back + somehow that felt more acceptable to admit to than being depressed. We’re all a little anxious some of the time, right? But over the years, the anxiety was leading to such terrible, negative self-talk that the “I sort of feel meh sometimes” feeling I had been experiencing morphed into more of a “I think I have a real problem” feeling.

I was always under the impression that I didn’t have “real” depression. I wasn’t impossibly sad all the time. I still showered, cooked, went to work, did all the things. I was still social + outgoing + seemingly happy. But the easiest way to describe my depression is this – I didn’t want to kill myself but I also didn’t really care if I lived. And when you lack the appetite to fully live, life feels pretty bleak. 

I don’t remember the exact tipping point when I realized that all the holistic rituals I was incorporating just weren’t cutting it. It was a long, slow decision to finally introduce an antidepressant into the mix. And if you suffer from anxiety or you’re a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP), then you know that your decision-making system is already taxed.

I was officially diagnosed with depression in March 2021; however, I’ve had low-level depression since being a teen. After a few months of waffling between whether or not antidepressants were the right choice for me, I finally decided to start taking Zoloft in June.

The choice was clouded by so much fear.

Fear of feeling numbed out because of the medicine.

Fear of being reliant on this medication indefinitely.

Fear of insomnia, gaining weight, or any of the other multitude of symptoms.

Fear of the stigma that still surrounds mental health issues + medication.

But the real fear was admitting I actually have depression. And that there isn’t enough meditation, yoga, green smoothies, or moon circles to cure it.

There seems to be a strong movement within health + wellness to discount all things science-related. I’m all for questioning the validity of what we’re being sold, but at what cost? Pharmaceutical companies absolutely can have bad intentions, but medicine + science exist for a reason. Being a coach within the health + wellness industry carried an unspoken agreement that using pharmaceutical drugs to help ease my own anxiety + depression was shameful or weak.

I’m not here to bash anyone’s opinion of being against antidepressants. But I wish more people shared their stories of joy + the life-changing benefits that being on medication allows. I wish there was less fear + stigma around choosing to take medication. And of course, I dream of the day when everyone has access to free mental health services (but that’s a whole separate conversation).

So I wanted to share my story. If I inspire just one person to open the dialogue with their healthcare provider about maybe needing medication, I’ll be thrilled.

If you’re feeling super unsettled + stuck in a loop of self-doubt, reach out to someone. Share your story with a friend + colleague + doctor. Uncover the shame that can be attached to relying on medication for a temporary or permanent amount of time.

Seeking support does not equate to weakness.

Taking medication does not mean you aren’t strong enough to persevere.

Adding a pharmaceutical remedy to your toolbox doesn’t make you a bad person.

I think we – healers, health + wellness coaches, yoga teachers, etc. – do a disservice to our community by continuing to stigmatize antidepressants + other medications that help aid people with their mental well-being. I want to encourage you to be an advocate for mental health resources for the people you serve.

If you have questions for me, please reach out via email - emindmove@gmail.com.

If you need immediate support – please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

Moving Meditation

To listen to the guided version of this meditation, please click here.

Today, I want to guide you through a moving meditation.

Often, we think of meditation as having to be super still, seated, or lying down. There is definitely a time + place for that + benefit to it. We don’t spend enough time in stillness. But today I want to invite you to really tap into your body’s sensations + maybe move around a little stuck energy in the body.

A lot of my work revolves around pain… so if you’re here for that reason, this will be really enjoyable I hope!

As always, listen to your body! Here we go.

Come to a seat - on the floor, on a chair, or on the edge of your bed. Find as much comfort as you can.

We’ll just start to sway - side to side. What I love about this practice is there’s no one to look at. So YOU get to create this practice + make up what the words mean to you. It’s your body, your practice - so you dictate the intensity, the movements, etc.

So let’s take a big inhale through the nose, big sigh out the mouth. Let it go.
Two more like that.

Now, start to take the shoulders around in circles. As I say that - your thought may be to take the shoulders up to the ears, down, back, + around. Or maybe you want to make big circles with the shoulders around the hips - kind of like you’re hula hooping with the top half of the body.

You can continue with those cleansing breaths - in through the nose, out of the mouth. Or I invite you to tap into your Ujjayi breath. Try to match the length of the inhale to the exhale - 3 or 5 seconds. Continue breathing in + out of the nose. Create just a little constriction at the back of the throat. Think of the motions it would take to fog up a mirror or make an “h” sound. Keep the mouth closed.

Now, we’ll come upright to a seat at center. Close the eyes if you’re comfortable. Notice any shifts or different sensations in the mind + body + breath.

Keep your awareness on the deep, intentional inhales, easy exhales.

Set up for a little twist here. We’ll gently move side to side - left to right. So from center, take a twist over the right shoulder. Depending on where you’re sitting - that left hand can come to your knee, the chair, etc. Right hand behind you. Big breath in + out.

We’ll repeat that twist to the left. Same setup - twist + the right hand can land to support you. Deep breath in + out here. Then head back to center.

We’ll take a few rounds like this - moving right to left. Notice the connection of breath + movement. Take three twists to each side.

If you’re comfortable, close the eyes. Take a moment here in the stillness to scan your body. Without judgment, notice any shifts in your physical body. Maybe there have been some shifts in your state of mind. Maybe you feel a little lighter or the body feels more at ease. Maybe not - and that’s okay too!

Bring the arms up overhead as you breathe in. Exhale - bring the arms down to rest on the Earth (or the chair). Repeat: inhale - lift the arms, exhale - arms come down. A few more times.

Now take a moment to move intuitively or organically for the head + neck. Roll the head around or look side to side. Roll the shoulders if you need to.

Start to orient yourself back to the room. Open your eyes + notice your surroundings. First, observe what you are seated on. Then slowly start to notice colors or sounds in the room. Are there smells?

Depending on your setup, you may want to extend the legs. Start to scrunch the toes - like you’re trying to squish a towel underneath the toes. Bring them in + then letting those toes release back out. Maybe start to roll the ankles some.

Notice as you looked around the room, did you lose that connection with the breath? That’s ok. It’s normal! Can you bring your attention back to the breath?

Let the feet rest. Take a deep breath in + out. Sit tall + firm.

Find a gentle movement forwards + backwards for the spine here. Maybe taking a seated cat cow… You can inhale, bring the chest forward + arch the back. Exhale, round the spine. Repeat 2-3 more times.

Check in without judgment. No labels needed - not good or bad. Just “hmmm, interesting”. Maybe you can simply say, “I feel different”.

Affirmation: Abundance + Confidence + Compassion

To listen to the guided version of this meditation, please click here.

I am enough.
I am abundant. 
I am confident. 
I love myself + I forgive myself. 
I am compassionate. 

I am enough. Exactly as I am.
Right here. Right now. 

I have enough. 
I produce enough. 
I am enough.

I am abundant in time, in money,
in energy, in connection, in love.
I allow abundance to flow to me + through me. 
The universe always has my back. 

I am confident. 
I stand tall. 
I trust my intuition. 
I know what my body needs. 
I listen to my heart + my soul. 

I love myself + I forgive myself. 
For past mistakes. 
For allowing anxiety to rob me of the present moment. 
I am doing a wonderful job.

I am compassionate toward myself + toward others. 
I forgive. 
I listen with an open heart. 
I choose kindness. 
I choose myself. 

I am enough. 
I am abundant. 
I am confident. 
I love + forgive  myself. 
I am compassionate.

Healing White Light

To listen to the guided version of this meditation, please click here.

Today, I want to walk you or guide you through a healing meditation for pain.

Before we get started, take a few moments to settle down, get really comfy. You may choose to take a seat on the floor or in a chair. Or you can lie down on a mat, in your bed, wherever you’ll feel most comfortable.

Before we dive in, let’s take a few deep breaths together. As we inhale through the nose, we’ll breathe deep into the low belly. Open mouth - sigh it out, let it all go.

Again, inhale through the nose, breathing deep into the low belly. Exhale, sigh - try to relax any tension in the body.

One more time - inhale through the nose … + release…

I want you to take a moment to notice any sensations in the body - pain, tightness, tension, aching. We’re going to give a description to the pain today. So see if you can give it a color, a shape, + a size…

A color, a shape, a size.

Focusing on one area of the body in pain today, let’s take another inhale in through the nose … + out of the mouth.

I want you to visualize a beam of healing, white light entering through the crown of the head, washing down over your body, to that point of pain. The white light starts to encompass your pain point - whatever shape, color, + size it is.

Notice the breath here. Easy inhale in through the nose. Easy sigh out of the mouth.

Again, noticing the shape, size, + color around your pain. Maybe it’s shifted some, maybe it hasn’t. Either way, it’s okay.

But again, I invite you to envision that healing beam of bright, white light - entering your crown of your head, washing all the way through the body. Bringing with it, calming, healing, peaceful energy… swirling around your point of pain.

Take another slow, mindful inhale through the nose. And even slower exhale out the mouth.

That healing beam of bright, white light entering through the crown of your head - making its way to your area of pain. Cradling that pain, whatever shape, size, + color… bringing healing, calming, white light.

And now maybe you’ve noticed that the shape, size, color have shifted. Maybe the shape of your pain is getting a little smaller. The color is getting a little duller. And again, it’s okay if not. We’ll repeat this a few more times.

Really taping into that area - labeling the pain with a shape, size, color. Take an inhale. With the exhale, try to let go. Picture that healing, bright, pure white light - coming in through the crown of your head. Traveling through the body, washing away any pain, tightness, any tension.

One more time - noticing the shape, size, color surrounding your pain. Inhale through the nose. Exhale out the mouth. Allowing + accepting that healing white light to enter through the crown of your head. It swirls its way around your body, through and through to your pain - bringing with it ease, peace, relaxation, letting go, acceptance.

Let’s take another inhale in through the nose. Let it go - sigh out the mouth.

You can return to this practice of envisioning this healing, white light washing through your body- taking just a little bit of that pain with it.

Thank you for joining me. I hope you found just a touch of relief for your pain.