WHAT IS TRAUMA INFORMED YOGA?

Trauma Informed is a non-hierarchical, heart forward, and humanity
centered approach.

Trauma-Informed Yoga is a space that honors the nuances of the human experience and the facilitation of an environment where each practitioner can take agency over their own bodily autonomy, nervous system regulation, and power of choice.

A truly trauma-informed space embraces and welcomes all emotional realities while highlighting the undeniable truth that embodiment means discerning for oneself what feels right and what feels safe in each moment.

Embodiment practices, such as Yoga asana, are proven to be the most effective modality in trauma recovery. Hosting a brave space for folks to show up and feel into their bodies is a great privilege and responsibility. For many, yoga asana may be a completely new language and matrix to navigate.

As we dive deeper into this work, we learn that trauma is inherent and unavoidable. Therefore, it is essential to craft yoga spaces that are inclusive, welcoming, exploratory, brave, and supportive.

A Brief Overview of SYI’s Trauma-Informed 200-Hour YTT

We created the Trauma-Informed section of School Yoga Institute in 2019 as we recognized an emerging desire for Yoga Trainings that focus on mental health, emotional intelligence, and social justice.

Our Trauma Informed Yoga Teacher Trainings were created and are led by Jeanine Talento and Brooke Alexander, two of our most beloved and seasoned facilitators.

The primary themes of our Trauma-Informed 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training are to de-stigmatize and de-pathologize trauma, mental illness, and emotional discomfort. In this training, we come to understand that Yoga is much more than the hour or two we spend on our yoga mats — it’s a means to engage in self contemplation and then explore ways we can be in service.

Our Trauma Informed 200hr Yoga Teacher Training weaves through 4 cycles: Stabilize, Metabolize, Visualize, and Alchemize. The intention for the flow of this program is to invite students into a dee reflective space of Self Confrontation and then to empower them to excavate their wounds into their wisdom and their pain into their purpose through Service.

Stabilize: The first cycle of our Trauma Informed 200hr Yoga Teacher Training is Stabilize. As we orient ourselves within our new community, it is essential that we take the time to understand what our needs are in order to feel safe and grounded. As we explore sensitive topics and reflective subject matter, it is critical that we each know how to self regulate and trust that we can rely on our own parameters of stability. Our Cycle 1 Asana practice is Slow Flow Yoga — a practice that is all about foundation, alignment, safety, and grounding.
Metabolize: Our second cycle is Metabolize, where we begin the intricate process of self contemplation. This cycle gifts us the opportunity to meet ourselves with radical honesty and courage. With care and patience, we learn that we can tolerate facing our shame, hurtful memories, and limiting beliefs, and process them in a healthy way in order to understand ourselves more fully. Our Cycle 2 Asana practice is Yin Yoga — a practice where poses are held for 3-7 minutes and we have the opportunity to navigate discomfort and build the resilience to process our trauma without going into a state of overwhelm.
Visualize: Our third cycle is Visualize and is when we begin to shift our focus from deep inner reflection to our purposeful contribution to a Trauma Informed world. Together we will cultivate hope for a Yoga industry that involves realistic representation in terms of race, age, body size, gender & sexual orientation, and ablity. Our Cycle 3 Asana practice is Vinyasa Yoga — with options, a Vinyasa practice can be a great way for students to explore new shapes in their body and challenge themselves physically. Trying new things in our asana practice can lead us to break down the barriers of fear and our limiting beliefs off of our mats as well.
Alchemize: The fourth cycle of our Trauma Informed 200hr Yoga Teacher Training is Alchemize. The intention of this cycle is to spark inspiration for you to turn your wounds into your wisdom and your pain into your purpose. In Alchemize, you will decide how you want to use this newfound knowledge to create powerful change in the world. Our Cycle 3 physical practices include a variety of somatic explorations and embodiment practices. students into a deep reflective space of Self Confrontation and then to empower them to excavate their wounds into their wisdom and their pain into their purpose through Service.

In this training, we come to understand that Trauma-Informed Yoga is a non-hierarchical, heart forward, and humanity centered approach. We learn how to curate any Yoga asana practice to be Trauma Informed, where students feel safe to artfully move through the practice in a way that suits their unique needs.

Yoga translates to mean Union and therefore this work is a natural result of how yoga has evolved over time because we are meeting our world where it is at. Through the lens of Trauma-Informed education, Yoga is not only an art and a science but a necessity for the future of our world at large.

We so hope you can join us for a Trauma-Informed training online or in-person!

Wherever you are on your journey as a yoga teacher, we're here to help! If we can support you in any way please contact us!

USEFUL RESOURCES

Click on the links below to read more about Trauma-Informed Yoga and our Yoga Teacher Trainings

What To Expect on a Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher Training

Explore All Of Our Trauma-Informed Offerings

Emotional and Mental Health Benefits Of Yoga

Healing With Yoga

CONNECT WITH US

“TELL ME, WHAT IS IT YOU PLAN TO DO WITH YOUR

ONE WILD AND PRECIOUS LIFE?”

- Mary Oliver