Dynamic. Experience-driven. Influential.
Embark on a transformative program that will empower you to drive positive change within the yoga community. Benefit from a supportive and dynamic community-based approach, fostering growth and leadership.
The impact of trauma and mental health conditions can range from everyday stress to more severe anxiety and disorders, but the initial effect is often similar. Individuals dealing with mental health conditions frequently experience dysregulation in their nervous system, which hinders optimal brain function.
Incorporating mindful yoga practices, breathwork, somatics, and targeted yoga nidra practices can aid in managing stress, anxiety, depression, PTSD, trauma, and other mental health disorders.
In this program, you will learn specific yoga-related techniques and complementary somatic strategies to help individuals who have experienced trauma feel more comfortable and at ease in their bodies while working with you in your group offerings or one-on-one. This will also help you develop greater empathy and compassion for individuals who have experienced trauma.
A Trauma-Aware & Mental Health Yoga Teacher's Manifesto
“I am dedicated to creating a safe space where you can practice yoga to facilitate deep healing and lasting transformation in your life. While I may not fully comprehend the intricate details and depth of your experiences, through my healing journey and the study of yoga and The 7 Bodies Method, I am committed to establishing and maintaining a safe space during all our interactions. There are no "have to's", no "musts," and no "shoulds." You are safe, heard, seen, and loved in my yoga class. I am dedicated to your healing and committed to guiding you safely, lovingly, and respectfully."
About The Program
What is Trauma-Aware & Mental Health Yoga?
Trauma-aware & mental health yoga is not meant to take you back to the origin of pain. It is not a means to diagnose or provide treatment. Its goal is to assist you in being more mindful of your body's sensations. By doing so, you can then focus on releasing any accumulated emotions, stress, and tension.
Trauma-aware and Mental Health Yoga is an approach to create a safe, supportive space where students can build their confidence to learn and practice emotional regulation, emotional agility, and learn how to effectively work with their nervous system to consciously activate their parasympathetic (rest and digest) nervous system. TMH Yoga provides each student with the opportunity to feel safe in their body, in control of their emotions, and experience greater inner peace.
TMH teachers learn how to effectively guide their students so they can lessen their trauma response symptoms through the many tools that the practice of yoga, meditation, Yoga Nidra, sound healing, traditional breath practices, hypnosis, traditional Chinese medicine, and both Eastern and Western psychology offer.
What is the difference between Trauma-aware yoga & regular yoga?
Yoga offers numerous physical and mental health benefits, but a typical yoga class may not be suitable for everyone. Trauma-informed yoga can support post-traumatic growth and healing for trauma survivors. A yoga instructor who is trauma-aware and mindful of mental health will prioritize your experience within a yoga class rather than focusing solely on performance, sequences, or postures.
In many traditional yoga classes, students are often encouraged to work through any emotional discomfort that arises. However, trauma-aware & mental health yoga aims to create a safe space for individuals to recognize signs of dissociation and distress, and to pause whenever necessary. Teachers trained in trauma-informed & mental health yoga are equipped with techniques to allow this pause without affecting the overall atmosphere, sequence, or posture goals of the other students in the class.
What is Mental Health?
Mental health is crucial for a person's overall well-being, enabling them to cope with life's stresses, realize their abilities, and contribute to their community. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a significant increase in anxiety and depressive disorders. The number of people with depressive symptoms has risen from 193 million to 246 million, an increase of 28%, and those with anxiety disorders have increased from 298 million to 374 million, a 25% rise.
Mental health issues are prevalent worldwide, and many people may have experienced them or know someone who has. Common signs of poor mental health include feelings of worry, stress impacting sleep and appetite, depression symptoms, prolonged guilt, feelings of unworthiness, or an exaggerated sense of 'high'. Changes in sleep, weight, personal hygiene, or work/school activity may also indicate a mental health issue.
Mental health is fundamental to overall well-being, and practices like yoga can be beneficial for trauma healing and maintaining good mental health. Some insurance providers cover yoga classes, and corporate wellness programs, including yoga, are becoming more common.
What is Trauma?
When an individual experiences a highly stressful or frightening event that is difficult to cope with or control, it can lead to trauma. This event can be a one-time occurrence or an ongoing situation that persists over a long period of time. Trauma results in a lasting emotional response, which can impact a person's sense of safety, ability to regulate emotions, and capacity to navigate relationships.
The human body's reaction to trauma is natural and can be beneficial up to a certain point. Our body's stress responses have evolved to act as a personal bodyguard, alerting us to potential threats. However, problems arise when past experiences trigger this stress response.
Program Objectives
Participants will gain a thorough understanding of achieving and maintaining a balanced state of mental health. They will comprehend complex and developmental trauma and PTSD, including the neuroscience, subconscious and conscious patterning and the nervous system imbalances that accompany both trauma and PTSD.
They will also learn, through mentorship and in-depth individual exploration, the reasons, methods, and timing for utilizing TMHY (Trauma-Aware & Mental Health Yoga) as a supportive management for complex and developmental trauma and PTSD.
Participants will gain the knowledge and skills needed to conduct TMHY sessions for individuals and groups to assist those dealing with trauma, PTSD, or seeking emotional balance. The program will cover various techniques including curated sequences from restorative yoga, yin yoga, gentle yoga, chair yoga, wall yoga, yoga nidra, breath practices & meditation. After completing the program, students will be able to effectively deliver all techniques and learn how to market themselves as a TMH Yoga Teacher.