Trauma Sensitive Yoga

When treating a client who has suffered from interpersonal trauma - whether chronic childhood abuse or domestic violence, for example - talk therapy isn't always the most effective course. For these individuals, the trauma and its effects are so entrenched, so complex, that reducing their experience to a set of symptoms or suggesting a change in cognitive frame or behavioral pattern ignores a very basic but critical player: the body.

Brendon Abram combines his first-hand experience with PTSD in the field and years of teaching to offer this practical guide to bringing trauma-sensitive yoga to both clinical and studio settings. Drawing on his work with military veterans, first responders, and survivors of domestic and sexual abuse, he emphasizes the importance of respecting the uniqueness of every individual and demonstrates how to use the foundational principles of yoga to create a safe experience.

Although many forms of trauma treatment rely solely on talk therapy as a means of healing, we cannot "talk out" every issue related to trauma. Indeed, trauma is stored in the body and the brain and must be treated as such. Designed with both mental health clinicians and clients in mind, Trauma-Informed Yoga offers forty-seven short, simple practices that regulate the autonomic nervous system, calm the racing mind, and center those of us living chaotic twenty-first century lives.

Among the various treatments for trauma, trauma-informed yoga stands out, rooted in an ancient practice, offering a safe, compassionate, and empowering path to recovery. This book, authored by a seasoned yoga practitioner, serves as a compassionate guide towards empowered healing, resilience, and personal growth.

Trauma-Informed Yoga for Survivors of Sexual Assault provides a comprehensive overview of how to offer yoga to survivors of sexual assault in a safe, effective, evidence-based, and healing way. Zahabiyah A. Yamasaki, founder of Transcending Sexual Trauma through Yoga, draws on the framework of trauma-informed care and trauma-informed yoga program development and curriculum, while also weaving in personal narrative and inspiring survivor stories.