Trauma Focused Yoga

It is a growing awareness that our bodies store trauma. Research shows that many practices are effective for aiding the release of trauma from the body, including talk therapy, EMDR Therapy, acupuncture, reiki.

In Trauma-Focused Yoga, gentle hip-opening poses are used to release tension from the psoas muscles, a common location for tension and stored trauma. Because practicing hip-openers usually causes emotions to come rolling up to the surface, we recommend working with a therapist and a trained Trauma-informed Yoga Instructor.

One of our favored instructors is Nityda Gessel who has dual licensure as a yoga professional and mental health professional. They gift blogs and videos to support the community's embrace of safe Trauma-informed Yoga practice. Their blog The Psoas Muscle: How it Holds onto Trauma and How to Let it Go with Yoga is well worth the read, and in THIS video, they guide beginners in the practice.

We are collaborators with My Comunidad, a yoga studio that values equity, inclusivity, and accessibility of community healing resources. Founder, Clarissa Cota, nurtures a safe space for folx to become connected to their body and with intentional healing through Trauma-Focused Yoga practice.