The Healing Power of Yoga
As a therapist who is also a certified and trauma-informed yoga teacher, I am a strong believer in utilizing the healing power of yoga when holistically treating trauma.
When a person experiences trauma, a memory of experiencing helplessness can be stored in the body as muscle tension. It is very common for people to cope with this bodily distress either by numbing (e.g., eating disorders) or sensation seeking (e.g., self-harm).
It can be very difficult to be aware of one’s body after trauma because, as Bessel van der Kolk says, the body keeps the score. However, healing from trauma cannot solely be done through treating the mind. The mind-body system is one, and it is just as important to tend to the body and what it holds.
Yoga is a gentle and compassionate way to begin this process. It is a way to look inward, tune into the body, and learn to tolerate bodily sensations. It can be a way to ground in the breath, re-learn how to relax the muscles, and begin to feel more safe in the body again.
If you want to try yoga in the comfort of your own home, you can find some great practices on YouTube, such as Yoga With Adriene.
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