Yoga Chitti Vritti nirodha.
To yoke the inner mechanisms of the mind.
“Working through trauma can teach us so much wisdom and can reveal the beauty of our existence that, because of trauma, we had lost sight of.”
— Dr. Gabor Maté, The Wisdom of Trauma
Your body is home.
Trauma detaches us from our body…mind versus body. A traumatized body is an anxious body. Hypervigilant and unable to relax. When the body is always on edge, the muscles are in a state of constant tension and the mind is rigid; people often state they do not feel like themselves or feel “lost.”
Trauma informed yoga is the practice of using a slow and intentional practice to reconnect to the body in the healthy and safe way. This can be difficult and scary for those who have experienced trauma, for whom the practice of reconnecting with the body is a battle. Moving the body from an enemy to a friend, a home.
This takes bravery and support and as a trauma informed yoga instructor I commit to holding the space for you to courageously practice being still, settling into your body, and allowing yourself to be.
Together we will focus on four themes in the practice: experiencing the present moment, making choices, taking effective action, and creating rhythms.
Ultimately, I am helping you learn to live in the present in order to thrive.
“Trauma victims cannot recover until they become familiar with and befriend the sensations in their bodies. Being frightened means that you live in a body that is always on guard. Angry people live in angry bodies. The bodies of child-abuse victims are tense and defensive until they find a way to relax and feel safe. In order to change, people need to become aware of their sensations and the way that their bodies interact with the world around them. Physical self-awareness is the first step in releasing the tyranny of the past.”
— Bessel A. van der Kolk, The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma