Yoga And Trauma

Trauma of any kind, emotional, physical, or sexual can leave a lasting impact on us regardless of our age. Yes, some people can move out of their trauma and can readjust to normal functioning, but people who have been affected by severe trauma, consecutive traumas, or were not given the proper resources to deal with their trauma, are likely to suffer from psychological maladjustment.

We can see that in the form of substance abuse, depression, anxiety, specific phobias, OCD, and so on. One more issue that a lot of trauma survivors, especially sexual trauma survivors is a feeling of disconnect from their bodies. If you are someone that happens to be dealing with these issues, then yoga (along with psychotherapy and maybe medication) might prove to be beneficial for you. You can look into the Marianne Wells Yoga Teacher Training as an option.

Trauma can make people feel unsafe in their bodies, and this means they are not fully connected to their body and senses. Some survivors have also reported feelings of numbness along their extremities as a result. The purpose of yoga, especially yoga practices that focus on trauma care and support, is to help these people safely reconnect their bodies in a healing environment.

Simple poses and stretches can help people pay attention to the sensation in different body parts as they transition from one pose to another. Yoga can also be cathartic because some poses can be suggestive and this can be overwhelming for trauma survivors and it can allow them an emotional release and at the same time, slowly but surely help them reclaim their bodies that were deemed unsafe. It takes time, and if you are interested in yoga for trauma survivors, then it is strongly advised to look into groups that focus on that and have a skilled instructor that can handle any emotions that might come up.