FGY&W
Trauma-Informed Services
Trauma-Informed Yoga
Trauma-Informed/ Trauma-Sensitive Yoga aims to create a supportive and gentle environment that considers all people’s lived experiences and processes of healing, while trying to avoid situations, postures, and language that may be triggering or re-traumatizing for an individual. This method of practice primarily focuses on the internal experience of the participant and how they are feeling, while shifting away from the more superficial and physical expectations of what a pose “should” look like. The sometimes spoken hierarchical aspects and language of Yoga, such as beginner, moderate, and advanced, are avoided in a trauma-informed class. Instead, everyone is encouraged to go at their own pace and comfortability, while given an array of different forms of a posture to choose from.
Trauma-informed Yoga promotes and affirms the participant’s power of choice. By facilitating a class with invitational language, such as if you would like to or when you are ready, it is purposely communicated that a participant can choose to partake or not without judgment. This power of choice-making can cultivate a sense of agency and security for the participant. Also, some Yoga facilitators, such as For Giving Yoga & Wellness, do not use hands on or physical adjustments to assist students. Verbal adjustments and demonstration of poses and movements are used to help participants to avoid harm or possible injuries. However, trauma-informed classes that do use physical adjustments will always ask for the participants’ consent.
The intention of trauma-informed Yoga is to assist individuals in building awareness and connection back to their bodies. When an individual experiences acute, chronic, or complex trauma, they may not know exactly how they are feeling, how to verbalize it, or are maybe avoidant of their feelings in order to protect themselves. They may be struggling with mental health concerns, such as PTSD, depression, anxiety, OCD, etc. They may hold tension in specific areas of their body that may cause discomfort and irritation, or have physical chronic conditions. By conscious exploration of the body, mind, and emotions through Yoga and other mindfulness practices, an individual can foster over time a reuniting with oneself through present awareness, compassion, patience, forgiveness, and curiosity. All classes offer the use of modifications and props, such as chairs, blocks, straps, blankets, bolsters, foam rollers, etc. All classes are made to fit your specifications!
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For more information, you can visit: Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga
Chair Yoga
​Chair Yoga is a gentle, accessible style of Yoga that is inclusive and careful to the body, mind, and soul. With the use of a chair, individuals are able to stay seated using the support of the chair to explore poses at their own comfort level or even stand with the chair for balance. It is excellent practice for those who don't have much time during the day to move their bodies or who have low mobility.
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For more information, you can visit: Harvard Health
Breathwork ​
Breathwork is a somatic practice that facilitates an individuals' connection to the breath. By releasing tension and toxins through the breath, individuals can use breathwork as a method of regulation to calm or uplift their nervous systems. Ancient Eastern practices, such as Yoga, Tai Chi, and Qigong, have been using the breath as a source of connection to the body and higher consciousness in the forms of Pranayama and Chi for thousands of years. Breathwork is a particularly powerful tool for individuals to use in times of distress or in times of relaxation.
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For more information, you can visit: Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials
Guided Meditation
Guided Meditation ​is an excellent tool, especially for those who may be new to meditation or struggling with meditation. A guided meditation involves oral optional direction by another (therapist, teacher, coach, etc), in which they may direct the meditator by using guided breathing techniques, body scanning, visualization, grounding, imagery, and verbal guidance. Meditation can be triggering and difficult. Therefore, an optional guide that can possibly help in the assistance of mindfulness and mental ease could be beneficial.
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For more information, you can visit: Berkeley Well-Being Institute
Reiki Healing
Discovered by Dr. Usui in the early 1900’s and of Japanese origin, Reiki is a gentle, non-invasive complimentary energy healing method that promotes overall health on all levels (body, mind, and spirit). Reiki means “Spiritual Energy” in Japanese, as well as Universal Life Force Energy. Reiki sessions can help participants enter into the parasympathetic system of the body, reaching higher states of relaxation and healing. ​Reiki healing uses physical touch or hovering of the hands over the body by the practitioner to help in the transference of Reiki energy. The practitioner acts a neutral conduit of Reiki energy, while the individual receiving Reiki energy does the healing.
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For more information, you can visit: Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials