The Trauma-Informed Sect of School Yoga Institute was created by Jeanine Talento in 2019 and was brought to life and expanded with the collaboration of Brooke Alexander in 2021.
In the past few years, our Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher Trainings have grown in popularity and our curriculum continues to evolve along with this emerging field of study.
Our Trauma-Informed programs are designed not only to provide you with the tools you need to share the ancient wisdom of yoga with others in a trauma-sensitive way but also to inquire into your own life from this perspective. We will focus heavily on the ways you can take yoga off of the mat and into the world, insighting powerful change in your communities.
Trauma-informed work is an investigation into who we are, what has shaped us, and how we can rediscover joy and embodiment in our lives. We come to realize that we can foster an even greater sense of intimacy and vitality not in spite of trauma, but actually because of it.
When “teaching” Yoga, we are not just guiding poses.
We are guiding people.
We are guiding nervous systems.
We are guiding complex and unique physiologies.
Each of us has a different orientation of how we perceive our own safety or lack thereof. Through a psycho-somatic understanding of Trauma and the ways it lives in the body, we can embrace the practice of Yoga in a way that permits each individual to have their own experience. Psycho-education around dissociation and disembodiment can give us the tools to not only understand our own physiology but the ways in which the inner worlds and trauma responses of the folks that we work with may differ from our own.
A yoga space that honors the nuance of the human experience facilitates an environment where each practitioner can take agency over their own bodily autonomy, nervous system regulation, and power of choice. A truly trauma-informed environment 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.
Our integration of this knowledge then informs the way that we show up to hold space for others on their mats. With compassion, curiosity, and kindness we can broaden our willingness to meet the fluctuations of being human both within ourselves and within each other. Embodiment practices, such as Yoga asana, are proven to be the most effective modality in trauma recovery. With this in mind, we learn that we can excavate art from our painful experiences and use it all as a source of freedom and authentic self-expression.
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.
Click on the images below to learn more about each course
Online: Feb 9 - 28, 2024. In-Person: Mar 8 - 17, 2024 (Thailand)
Online: Apr 12 - May 1, 2024. In-Person: May 4 - 13, 2024 (Costa Rica)
Online 200hr YTT - Nov 3 - Dec 17, 2023 with Jeanine & Brooke
Portugal 50Hr YTT - Jan 4 - 10, 2024 with Jeanine & Brooke
Hybrid 200hr YTT - Feb 9 - Mar 17, 2024 with Jeanine & Brooke
Hybrid 200hr YTT - Apr 12 - May 13, 2024 with Jeanine & Brooke
Hybrid 300hr YTT - Nov 8 - Dec 23, 2024 with Jeanine, Brooke, Raquel & Nichole
The curriculum for our Trauma-Informed Yoga Training differs quite greatly from our Mystical approach.
Because of the sensitive and intimate subject matter, we encourage all participants to have their own therapeutic support systems outside of the program container. Some of the topics covered in these programs are:
Trauma-informed yoga is specifically designed to help individuals who have experienced trauma. This type of yoga takes into account the unique needs and experiences of individuals who have experienced trauma and creates a safe and healing space for them to practice. Unlike traditional Yoga, Trauma-Informed Yoga focuses on creating a safe and nurturing environment for individuals to explore their bodies and their feelings. This type of yoga is typically practiced in a small group setting, with a focus on building community and creating a safe and supportive environment.
Trauma can have a profound impact on an individual's physical, emotional, and psychological well-being. Trauma can manifest in a variety of ways, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Trauma-informed yoga can be a powerful tool for individuals who have experienced trauma, as it can help to reduce anxiety and stress, improve sleep, and increase feelings of self-awareness and self-esteem. Trauma-informed yoga can also help individuals to develop greater resilience and coping skills, which can be essential for recovering from trauma and moving forward in a positive direction.
A Trauma-Informed Yoga Training will teach you how to create a trauma-informed yoga practice that is safe, supportive, and healing. You will learn specific techniques and strategies that you can use to help individuals who have experienced trauma to feel more comfortable and at ease in their bodies. It will also help you develop greater empathy and compassion for individuals who have experienced trauma. This increased empathy and compassion can help you to better support and connect with your students, and to create a more welcoming and inclusive yoga community.
School Yoga Institute offers Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher Trainings since 2019. As we recognized an emerging desire for Yoga Trainings that focuses on mental health, emotional intelligence, and social justice, we have spent the last several years expanding our curriculum and content with the abundant new research and information emerging in the world of trauma. 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.
Our Trauma-Informed offerings differ greatly from our Mystical programs. While we still cover, revere, and honor Yogic history and the sacred nature of these ancient practices – this specific methodology serves as a more modern approach to Yogic pedagogy.
We view our trauma-informed curriculum as a bridge between western psychology and eastern philosophy. Because of this, we have participants interested in teaching Yoga in more traditional settings, as well as those who are looking to share Yoga in more alternative settings such as in therapy, hospitals, schools, prisons, addiction centers, domestic violence centers, etc.
We offer a Trauma-Informed 200hr YTT, 300hr YTT, and several trauma-informed continuing education programs. Depending on the participant’s career goals, the expectations when signing up for a Trauma-Informed Yoga Training may vary.
Need more information? Have questions about our Trauma-Informed programs?