All trauma is somatic. Regardless of the depth of one's trauma or the means in which it was experienced - even the trauma itself was not physical - it lives within the body. We all have bodies. Thus, the likelihood that you are working with someone who is a trauma survivor is high: how do you do so effectively and sensitively? This workshop will lead you through a somatically-informed approach and application on how trauma lives in the body, and the ways in which to work with it safely and effectively. Beyond what asanas to teach and how, this approach takes neuroscience and somatic psychology into account, providing participants with tangible tools to use with clients. We will explore how power, privilege, and difference live in the body and how they impact trauma; and what it means to be working with a trauma survivor as a trauma-based educator or specialist. The techniques we cover can be applied in either group or individual work, and can also be applied to you: you will learn about the ways in which to keep yourself resourced and safe during times of challenge, as well as when working with others.

This intensive weekend will cover:

• How to create safe spaces

• Resourcing and containment for self and others

• Signs and symptoms of trauma activation in the body

• Oscillation of attention and body sensation/awareness

• Expression and sequencing of trauma and other "stuck" emotions/experiences

• Trauma-informed teaching language

• Trauma-informed asana and modifications

• Therapeutic use of touch: when to do it; when not to

• The nervous system: interoceptive and exteroceptive approaches

• Boundaries: what they are, how to create them, and where they exist with the yoga teacher/student relationship

This workshop is eligible for CEUs through Yoga Alliance.
*This workshop is also part of the curriculum for 300-hr YTTs*