Can Yoga Help with Trauma, PTSD, and Anxiety?

The definition I use for trauma is when something happens that is “too fast, too soon, and too much”. When this occurs, our body in it’s incredible intelligence will do what it can to help us survive the traumatic experience. In this way, the body absorbs what our mind can’t. When trauma lands on the body, it shows up. This can look like pain through migraines, physical limitations, tensions in certain areas, chronic fatigue, stomach issues, and autoimmune conditions. It can also show up with flashbacks, nightmares, feeling depressed, not wanting to get out of bed, restless, difficulty concentrating, emotional dysregulation, and difficulty connecting in relationships. This differs person by person.

Anxiety is the expression of the body being stuck in a place of fight or flight. When a traumatic experience happens or if we carry a more sensitive/attuned nervous system, our body will move and may be stuck in survival mode to help protect and keep us alive. When this happens we may notice being more hypervigilant, perfectionist, need to control, scanning our environment constantly, restless or fidgety, thoughts are racing, over-thinking, etc. Physical sensations could be heart is beating fast, sweaty, difficulty regulating body temperature, tightness or rigid muscles, etc.

In healing trauma with yoga and through effortless somatic yoga, we find ways to safely come back to the body. This happens through supportive movements, breathing, and meditation. It is ADAPTABLE to each person and catered as you need since each person’s life and experiences are different. Therefore, so are the supports.

Through somatic yoga we begin to build a relationship with the body, one that feels safe and secure. The effects of this kind of yoga practice can benefit a person in not only alleviating anxious symptoms and difficult flashbacks, but also can benefit finding a healing relationship with food and exercise (if that has been a coping mechanism), better sleep, increase in ability of mood regulation, connected to intuition and creativity, problem-solving and decision making skills, and overall feeling more alive and connected.

Here are some free tips to begin to use effortless somatic yoga for healing:

1. Tune into body sensations.

   Before starting your day, ask yourself, “What do I feel in my muscles and bones?”. Take a moment to sit and listen and see what shows up. As you listen just notice it, no need to analyze or make sense of it.

2. Use simple movements that release tension.

   Spend time moving your body in ways that feel kind to you. This could look like yoga poses, or it could also look like dancing, or curling up in a ball snuggled tight. Moving in ways that are comfortable with you will naturally tell parts of your body, “you are safe here”.

3. Find safe ways to be with your breath

   Take a moment to turn your attention towards your breath. This can be with your eyes closed or open. This can be sitting or standing. Choose an option that is right for you. If it helps say, “I am aware I am breathing in. I am aware I am breathing out.”. Finding breathing techniques for anxiety can be difficult to do on your own so please reach out for more support regarding this area.

Using body-based therapy for emotional healing is the key to being able to access the healing source within you. It’s important to find a trained teacher and therapist who has personal and professional experience in this area. See below for videos of examples of trauma-informed somatic yoga.