Trauma-Informed Yoga: A Heart-Centered Journey of Healing

What Is Trauma-Informed Yoga?

Trauma-Informed Yoga (TIY) is a gentle, compassionate approach to yoga designed to create a safe and empowering space for those healing from trauma. Unlike traditional yoga, it prioritizes choice, comfort, and emotional safety, ensuring that every movement and breath fosters a sense of control and self-trust. TIY acknowledges that trauma is stored in the body, and through mindful movement and breath, it helps rebuild the mind-body connection, reducing stress and promoting healing.

Origins & Development

Trauma-Informed Yoga emerged in the early 2000s, pioneered by David Emerson and Dr. Bessel van der Kolk at the Trauma Center in Massachusetts. They recognized that trauma survivors often feel disconnected from their bodies and need a different kind of yoga—one that eliminates triggers, avoids forced postures, and provides a sense of agency. Unlike traditional yoga, which may focus on perfect alignment or deep stretches, TIY is about feeling safe in your body and learning to trust yourself again.

How Trauma-Informed Yoga Differs from Traditional Yoga

TIY removes common stressors that could be triggering for trauma survivors. Key differences include:

✅ Invitational Language – Poses are offered as choices rather than commands (“If you’d like, you can try…”).

✅ No Hands-On Adjustments – Instructors do not physically correct poses to ensure personal autonomy.

✅ Emphasis on Safety – Students are encouraged to modify poses, keep eyes open, or exit a pose at any time.

✅ Teacher Stays on the Mat – Instructors practice alongside students instead of walking around, preventing feelings of vulnerability.

✅ No Focus on Performance – It’s not about deepening a stretch or achieving a perfect pose, but about feeling present and comfortable.

The Health, Mental, and Spiritual Benefits

TIY supports healing at all levels—physical, emotional, and spiritual. Benefits include:

🌿 Calms the Nervous System – Helps shift from fight-or-flight mode to a state of relaxation through slow, mindful breathing.

🧘‍♀️ Reduces Anxiety & PTSD Symptoms – Studies show it significantly lowers stress and improves emotional regulation.

💖 Rebuilds Mind-Body Connection – Encourages awareness of sensations, helping survivors feel safe in their bodies again.

🌟 Supports Spiritual Growth – Creates a space for inner peace, self-compassion, and reconnection with the Inner Child.

How Trauma-Informed Yoga Supports Inner Child Healing

Many trauma survivors carry wounds from childhood that affect their ability to feel safe and loved. TIY gently nurtures the Inner Child, offering:

✨ Self-Compassion: Every slow, mindful movement is an act of self-care, just like re-parenting the child within.

✨ Safe Emotional Release: Poses like Child’s Pose allow for emotional processing in a protective, calming way.

✨ Reconnection with Playfulness: Gentle sways and movements remind the body how to feel free and joyful again.

Practicing TIY is like telling your Inner Child, “You are safe now.”

How to Practice Trauma-Informed Yoga at Home

You don’t need a studio or expensive classes—you can start at home with minimal effort!

🔹 Create a Safe Space: Use a soft blanket or yoga mat, dim the lights, and play calming music if desired.

🔹 Begin with Grounding: Sit comfortably and take slow, deep breaths, repeating a mantra like “I am safe.”

🔹 Try These Simple Poses:

Child’s Pose – Gently fold forward, resting your forehead down for a sense of security.
Cat-Cow Stretch – Move slowly to release tension and reconnect with your breath.
Mountain Pose – Stand tall, feet grounded, feeling strong and steady.
Legs Up The Wall – A deeply restorative posture to calm the nervous system.

🔹 Practice Mindful Breathing: Try extended exhales (inhale for 4, exhale for 6) to relax the body and mind.

🔹 Use Free Online Resources: Many trauma-informed yoga instructors offer free YouTube videos to guide you.

YouTube Recommendations for At-Home Practice:

1️⃣ 10 minute Trauma Yoga Flow for Healing Stress, Anxiety, & Depression

2️⃣ Yoga For Panic And Anxiety | 15 Minute Yoga Practice

3️⃣Childhood Trauma Yoga Routine 💙 Healing Inner Child Yoga

Final Thoughts: You Deserve to Feel Safe and Whole

Trauma-Informed Yoga is more than movement—it’s a gentle return to yourself. Each breath, each pose is a reminder that you deserve peace, safety, and healing. Through this practice, you can reconnect with your body, soothe your nervous system, and awaken your Inner Child’s joy.

🌿 Healing is a journey, not a destination. Take it one breath at a time. 💖