How Yoga Principles Enhance Trauma Therapy for Healing
Trauma is not just something that happens in our minds; it’s an experience that profoundly impacts our bodies and nervous systems. As renowned trauma expert Dr. Bessel van der Kolk explains in his groundbreaking work, The Body Keeps the Score, trauma gets “stuck” in the body, leading to a range of emotional, physical, and psychological challenges. While traditional talk therapy is a powerful tool for trauma healing, it often doesn’t address the somatic (body-based) effects of trauma. This is where incorporating yoga principles into therapy can play a transformative role.
Understanding Trauma Through the Body
When someone experiences trauma, their body often shifts into survival mode, activating the fight, flight, or freeze response. This response is necessary in the moment of danger. While helpful and necessary during the trauma, these responses can become common in everyday occurrences if the trauma isn’t processed fully. As a result, the body may remain in a state of hypervigilance or shutdown long after the threat has passed.
Trauma survivors often feel disconnected from their bodies, as if they are “numb” or detached. This disconnection can manifest as chronic pain, tension, or a lack of awareness of physical sensations.
Incorporating yoga principles into therapy can help bridge this gap by inviting trauma survivors to reconnect with their bodies in a safe, controlled way. These principles offer an opportunity to rebuild trust in the body, reestablish a sense of safety, and process trauma without needing to verbalize or relive distressing memories.
How Yoga Principles Can Be Incorporated in Trauma Therapy
As a trauma therapist and certified yoga teacher, I often draw on yoga principles to help clients reconnect with their bodies and regulate their emotions in a way that feels safe and supportive. While therapy is not a yoga class, these principles seamlessly integrate into the therapeutic process to enhance healing. Here are some of the ways yoga principles can be incorporated in therapy:
1. Grounding and Present-Moment Awareness
Grounding is a cornerstone of both yoga and trauma therapy. In sessions, I may guide clients through grounding exercises that draw on yoga-inspired techniques, such as:
Focusing on the sensation of their feet on the floor.
Using breathwork to anchor themselves in the present moment.
Engaging in gentle movement, like stretching or rolling the shoulders, to reconnect with the body.
These practices help clients feel more present and less overwhelmed, particularly when discussing difficult topics. These are often used when a client is starting to feel disconnected or dysregulated.
2. Mindful Breathing
Breathwork is one of the simplest yet most powerful tools for regulating the nervous system. In therapy, I often introduce clients to yoga-inspired breathing techniques, such as:
Box breathing: Inhale for 4 counts, hold for 4, exhale for 4, and hold for 4 again.
Exhalation-focused breathing: Extending the exhale longer than the inhale to activate the parasympathetic nervous system and promote a sense of calm.
These exercises help clients manage anxiety, reduce hypervigilance, and feel more in control of their bodies.
3. Body Awareness
Trauma often disconnects people from their physical sensations. In therapy, I encourage clients to tune into their bodies by noticing:
Where they feel tension or discomfort during sessions.
How different emotions manifest physically (e.g., a tight chest for anxiety or a sinking stomach for fear).
Moments when they feel relaxed or at ease, reinforcing positive bodily experiences.
For instance, a client might notice a tightness in their chest when discussing a specific memory. By gently exploring this sensation, they begin to understand how their body holds stress and learn to release it over time
This practice, inspired by yoga’s focus on interoception, helps clients rebuild a connection with their bodies and learn to interpret physical signals as valuable information.
4. Creating Safety Through Choice
In both trauma therapy and yoga, choice is essential. During sessions, I offer clients autonomy by inviting them to:
Decide whether or not they want to engage in a particular exercise or practice.
Explore alternative ways of expressing or processing emotions.
Set the pace of the session based on what feels manageable.
By prioritizing choice, therapy becomes a space where clients can reclaim control and develop trust in themselves. Over time, these practices help clients notice shifts in their emotional and physical states, allowing them to respond rather than react to triggers. For example, a client may recognize rising tension during a family gathering and use grounding exercises to stay present and calm.
How Yoga Principles Support Trauma Healing
Incorporating yoga principles into therapy complements other therapeutic modalities, such as EMDR, IFS, or somatic experiencing. These principles support clients at different stages of trauma recovery by:
Reclaiming Safety:
Grounding exercises and breathwork help clients reestablish a sense of safety in their bodies and environments.Developing Awareness:
Focusing on body awareness allows clients to identify triggers and understand the connection between their physical sensations and emotional responses.Processing and Integrating:
Gentle movement and mindful breathing create a foundation for releasing tension and processing stuck energy.Building Emotional Capacity:
Regularly practicing these principles strengthens the ability to navigate challenges with greater ease and confidence.
Trauma Therapy with Brea Giancaterino in Denver, Colorado
As a trauma therapist and certified yoga teacher, I believe that healing requires addressing the mind, body, and nervous system. By incorporating yoga principles into therapy, I help clients reconnect with their bodies, regulate their emotions, and process trauma in a way that feels safe and empowering. This process allows clients to fully process their traumatic experiences, leaving them with deep, lasting change.
Clients often share that these practices make them feel more connected to their bodies and empowered to handle emotions in ways they never thought possible. By combining yoga principles with trauma-focused therapy, we create a path to healing that’s as unique and multifaceted.
If you’re ready to explore this holistic approach to trauma therapy, I’d love to support you. Contact me today to schedule a consultation and take the next step toward healing and reclaiming your sense of self!
Learn more about trauma therapy, here.
