Trauma-Sensitive Yoga

  • This practice is an opportunity for you to be in charge of your body in the present moment. You are welcome to notice sensations in your body, in your muscles, and make choices based on what you notice. Or you might not feeling anything at all. You might choose to rest instead. Or you might decide to sit while I stand. The moment is yours, and there is no “correct” way to experience it. This emphasis on your internal experience (vs what we think we should look like externally) is the power behind this method and is why it is considered a successful adjunct treatment for complex trauma.

    All language is invitational and shapes and directions are guided by your choices. This alone can be its own practice, and I support your experience by following your choices and hearing your feedback.

  • Choice-making, empowerment, and embodiment are core elements to the TC-TSY method that help recreate the sense of agency that trauma can damage or remove.

    The method is based in Neuroscience, Trauma Theory, and Attachment Theory. Studies conducted in 2021 that focused on female veterans and PTSD related to sexual trauma in the military showed it as an effective complementary treatment to complex trauma and PTSD. TC-TSY was compared to Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) which is often considered the first choice for treatment; those in the TC-TSY group experienced faster improvement in their symptoms, better participant retention, and sustained effects equal to those in the CPT group. For more information on these and continuing studies, visit the Trauma Center’s website.

  • Interoception involves our senses and how we feel them inside our bodies. Feelings of hunger, pain, our breath, the sensation of a muscle group within a shape are examples of interoception.

    Exteroception involves our awareness of stimuli that occurs outside of our bodies. Sounds in the room, colors or other visuals, and air temperature are examples of exteroception.

    Why these matter? You can choose to change your sensations, both interoceptive and exteroceptive. You can choose to move out of a shape if it is uncomfortable. You can choose to change the rate or depth of your breathing. You can choose to put on a sweater if the air is on too high. And you can choose to remove yourself from a situation if something does not feel right. The idea of taking such effective action on behalf of ourselves is a key element of TC-TSY.

  • Activations, triggers, and emotions can be experienced in a physical way. Movement can be used to practice understanding and response to those physical sensations with free choice. You are in charge of your own body and discovering this can offer a sense of empowerment and choice in the control of your own space.

    I am not a clinician, and it is possible we will never talk about your experiences in or out of our session. You are welcome to share or not share - the TC-TSY approach will stay the same. I always welcome your feedback on how the session went for you and how I can improve my facilitation. I am happy to answer questions about the practice itself and hear your thoughts on what might be next. However, because I am not a mental health clinician, we will not process things like emotions or memories that come up for you within the session. This is when it is helpful to have a mental health practitioner available to you who is trained to process your experiences.

  • While talk therapy (in its various forms) is highly recommended when possible, it is not required to begin a TC-TSY practice. TC-TSY is helpful as an adjunctive treatment, but there are many reasons why someone may choose to try other directions (cultural, financial, accessibility, etc). I do encourage those in TC-TSY to have some form of support system in place prior to beginning their practice. This allows you to have another space in which to process what might come up for you in a TC-TSY session.

  • None. A goal of TC-TSY is to let go of attachment to outcomes and choose what you want in the present moment based on how you feel and what seems interesting to you. There is no right and there is no wrong. There is no correct version of a shape to aim for - you create the perfect version out of your own needs and natural shape.

  • I function as a facilitator for your experience. As such, power is completely shared. Our experiences are authentic to each one of us, shared in the same space and time. I offer options to choose from based on your needs for physical or mental focus and pacing. You can choose from those options or explore your own path when ready. In other words, I serve as a partner to your own discoveries vs what often can be more directional and dictated in a usual yoga class.

  • Each person’s experience is so different. It can be quite intense, both physically and mentally, depending on many personal factors. It can bring up emotions and thoughts or reactions that are unexpected which can manifest physically. What matters is that YOU are in charge, YOU choose the direction, and YOU can say “stop” or “more” at any time. I am with you at every step in that to facilitate what you need. Because I am not a licensed mental health practitioner, we will not be processing what comes up for you - rather, I am there to hold a safe space with you as you discover what your choices hold for you.

    Depending on what you are used to in your day-to-day, you might find this approach to be the perfect pace and you might find it slower and calmer than you are used to. It does tend to be a bit slower than some forms of traditional yoga to allow time for you to explore your choices and change your mind if you like. If you are quite active in some form, this might provide balance. Or perhaps it can be combined in some way with what you are used to to create the connection you want.

  • Short answer, yes - this form of yoga is accessible to anyone interested in exploring it. You are in charge of your own body, and your experience in your practice is shared with me in whatever way you feel safest and most comfortable. This might involve props such as blocks or straps if you wish or you might find new ways to create shapes that work best for your body. As we move forward together, you might find yourself discovering what your body can do and offer in new and surprising ways. We can learn to listen to your needs and create shapes that are defined by what your body asks for.

  • TC-TSY specifically avoids all physical touch as it can remove you from your own empowered experience in addition to being possibly activating. My touch can remove the immersion into your own body (your sensations, your shapes) which in turn can alter the foundation of empowerment we are aiming to create. If you would prefer to involve physical assists in your practice, we can chat about your thoughts on this and possibly change to a more trauma-informed approach (vs the specific research-based TC-TSY structure.

  • Yes, if you prefer virtual options or aren’t near my location, this is an approach we can explore. Often, online sessions are easier to fit into our busy life schedules, and they offer the option for you to be in your own safe space as you explore something new. If you are in my area, we can also talk about a hybrid option that allows for some sessions in-person and shorter, more frequent sessions virtually. The main thing is to create an experience that works best for YOU, and I don’t want location to be a hindrance.

  • That is dependent on your needs. We can schedule a full hour and not use the entire time. We can aim for 15 minutes. Or something in between.

    To begin each session, we might connect for a few moments to start. Following this, I will offer movement options that are guided by your choices. At the end, there will be a little time for questions and feedback.

  • I believe yoga belongs to us all. Everyone is at a different place in their financial journey, and to allow you privacy in your decisions, I offer a tiered pricing model that aims to balance both our needs. Choose what can work for you at this time. And if that changes, you can feel free to pick a new option.