What is Trauma-Informed Yoga? An Interview with Yoga 4 Change Teacher, Sabrina Rodorigo
Yoga 4 change helps individuals in their recovery journey by offering a trauma-informed yoga curriculum. Sabrina Rodorigo, one of Yoga 4 change instructors, was interviewed to share what trauma-informed yoga looks like in practice and what are some of the benefits it comes with.
“In Trauma informed yoga it’s important to offer choices, plenty of options and being mindful of what our students might be dealing with outside of the classroom and how we can create a supportive space for them and, of course, how mindfulness practices such as Yoga and meditation can relax our nervous systems and foster resiliency”
Trauma-informed yoga follows similar principles as a traditional Hatha yoga practice, but it takes it a bit further by exploring how trauma can linger within us and the effects of these adverse experiences on the mind and body and becoming conscious of the experiences of others. This yoga practices uses mindful breathwork and physical movement to ground an individual in the here and now.
“With breathing, inhaling and exhaling is very therapeutic. We as humans’ breath to survive, but we don’t always take mindful breathing. When we take a big breath in and big breath out, we are intentionally calming our parasympathetic nervous system and letting our body know it’s okay to relax and feel safe. Weather it’s 10 seconds of breathing or a full hour of breathing, that regulation of breathing can calm down our nervous systems, our bodies. When we get in touch with our breath and synchronize movements with breathing it can really integrate the mindfulness of the stretching and bring a person into their body. If a person had experienced trauma, they may experience something called disembodiment where they don’t feel in their physical body because of experiences that may have happened to them. That synchronization of movement and breathing allows a person to visualize what they’re doing with their body, with their breath and integrate it together.”
Yoga 4 Change classes are structured in an inclusive and supportive environment. It offers their students choices and a voice for how they’d like to practice yoga, whether it’s on a mat or a chair, and explore what they’re feeling within their bodies when stretching, both emotionally and physically. The instructors come into the classes to work with their students rather than direct them.
“In any type of work out program, whether it’s yoga or dance class, the teacher is instructing at you and essentially telling you what to do because that’s the rule in that type of traditional setting. For Yoga 4 Change were not there to teach at people, we’re there to guide them and meet them where they’re at… I always guide people to go as far as they’d like to. Maybe today it’s a centimeter of a stretch, maybe it’s their 100%. The intention is that you don’t have to touch the floor or your toes to go into a yoga posture.”
Practicing yoga on a chair and mat allow for accessibility and inclusivity for everyone by bringing the floor to you. Most yoga postures done on a mat can also be done seated in a chair. Chair yoga practice teaches people helpful postures that can be done at any time throughout the day outside of a yoga class, whether you’re seated at your desk job or at school.
“There are so many stretches you can do in a chair and as long as you’re breathing and stretching, you’re doing yoga. You don’t have to get into a pretzel position.”
Practicing Trauma-Informed yoga teaches individuals tool such as mindfulness, body awareness, breath control, opportunity for choices, and space for grounding through techniques that promote calmness and stress reduction.
“The more we breath the more we can relax our nervous system when we move our body it can release endorphins and that can reduce some symptoms that people might experience if they are struggling with mental health or recovering from trauma”
Blog written by: Bianca Centeno