Yoga is a lifestyle and wellness practice that serves as a tool to improve our physical, emotional, mental health and far beyond that. When people think of yoga the common thing that comes up is the physical practice or poses of yoga. These are also known as the asanas. There can also be a misconception that yoga is about stretching into unattainable shapes. While the physical practice is a large component of yoga the practice goes far beyond just that. Yoga also involves meditation, breathing techniques, diet and lifestyle/wellness practices. Yoga is a spiritual practice including breath control, meditation, and specific bodily postures to bring harmony between the body and the mind.

Trauma informed yoga is unique in the benefits that it offers which include but are not limited to increased perception, allowing for present moment awareness, accessing feeling in the body and shaping of the breath. Perception can take the form of awareness, insight and feeling of the senses. Present moment awareness is about being in the here and now as well as the understanding that right now is all that we have. Yoga also allows us to feel sensations in our body and helps us to develop a stronger relationship with our bodies. Shaping the breath involves the use of breathing techniques as it relates to our yoga practice. Simply put, shaping the breath is a practice of controlling the breath.

Yoga can be a powerful tool and like anything else we do, it takes practice. Below are a few tips to help you on your yoga journey that you can try anytime and anywhere.

  • Practice good posture at work, when out to eat, or when watching tv. Focus on rooting down, finding length in the spine, opening the chest and heart and engaging the belly.
  • Practice shaping the breath. Focus on slow, deep inhalations and exhalations. Notice the rise and fall of your belly and chest. Take five deep breaths in and out through the nose.
  • Focus on being in the here and now. Stop and smell flowers, notice how a breeze feels or stop and pause to notice what’s around you.

As life progresses, we experience difficulties from our day to day that we carry with us. Engaging in yoga helps our bodies to interpret these changes in a healthy way. With time and intentionality, you will see and experience the benefits of incorporating trauma informed Yoga into your routine. Remember it doesn’t have to look like going to Walmart to get a new yoga mat, but it can look like practicing good posture which helps us to ground ourselves to our environments. If you would like to integrate this practice into your self-care plan or you are curious on how movement effects your overall mental wellness, we would love to connect with you. You can reach out to our intake team at 518-465-3813 to schedule an appointment to talk to one of EAP clinicians.

By: Meryl Tremblay, LMSW, EAP Counselor