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Survivors of trauma—whether abuse, accidents, or war—can end up profoundly wounded, betrayed by their bodies that failed to get them to safety and that are a source of pain. In order to fully heal from trauma, a connection must be made with oneself, including one’s body. The trauma-sensitive yoga described in this book moves beyond traditional talk therapies that focus on the mind, by bringing the body actively into the healing process. This allows trauma survivors to cultivate a more positive relationship to their body through gentle breath, mindfulness, and movement practices.
Overcoming Trauma through Yoga is a book for survivors, clinicians, and yoga instructors who are interested in mind/body healing. It introduces trauma-sensitive yoga, a modified approach to yoga developed in collaboration between yoga teachers and clinicians at the Trauma Center at Justice Resource Institute, led by yoga teacher David Emerson, along with medical doctor Bessel van der Kolk. The book begins with an in-depth description of trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including a description of how trauma is held in the body and the need for body-based treatment. It offers a brief history of yoga, describes various styles of yoga commonly found in Western practice, and identifies four key themes of trauma-sensitive yoga. Chair-based exercises are described that can be incorporated into individual or group therapy, targeting specific treatment goals, and modifications are offered for mat-based yoga classes. Each exercise includes trauma-sensitive language to introduce the practice, as well as photographs to illustrate the poses. The practices have been offered to a wide range of individuals and groups, including men and women, teens, returning veterans, and others. Rounded out by valuable quotes and case stories, the book presents mindfulness, breathing, and yoga exercises that can be used by home practitioners, yoga teachers, and therapists as a way to cultivate awareness, tolerance, and an increased acceptance of the self.
Foreword Peter A. Levine xi
Foreword Stephen Cope xiii
Introduction Bessel A. van der Kolk xvii
1 Reclaiming Your Body 1
2 Traumatic Stress 9
A Brief History of Traumatic Stress and Trauma Treatment 9
Historical Views on Mental Health Symptoms 9
Link between Traumatic Events and Symptoms 10
Veterans and Traumatic Stress 12
Expansion of the Application of the PTSD Diagnosis 13
Modern-Day Treatment Models for Post-traumatic Stress 14
Complex Trauma and the Limitations of Available Treatment Models 15
More Recent Treatments 16
The Future of Trauma Treatment 17
Trauma and the Survival Response 18
The Impact of Trauma 21
Yoga as Trauma Treatment 23
3 Yoga 25
The Origins of Yoga 25
Yoga in the West 28
4 Trauma-Sensitive Yoga 35
The Need for Trauma-Sensitive Yoga 35
Key Themes of Trauma-Sensitive Yoga 39
Experiencing the Present Moment 39
Making Choices 43
Taking Effective Action 50
Creating Rhythms 52
5 For Survivors 59
Developing a Trauma-Sensitive Yoga Practice 59
An At-Home Practice 62
6 For Clinicians 91
Integrating Yoga-Based Practices into the Therapy Office 91
Matching Yoga-Based Interventions to Goals 95
Creating Present-Moment Focus 97
Developing Mindfulness Skills 98
Building Curiosity and Developing Tolerance for Experiencing Sensation 99
Changing the Relationship with the Body 100
Centering 102
Grounding 106
Building Affect-Regulation Skills 107
Breathing Practices and Affect Regulation 108
Practicing Choice 109
Integrating Aspects of Experience 111
Increasing Confidence 112
Building Connection to Others 114
Addressing Challenges in Introducing Yoga-Based Strategies into the Therapy Office 116
7 For Yoga Teachers 119
Building a Trauma-Sensitive Yoga Class 119
Language 120
Assists 122
Teacher Qualities 126
Environment 128
Exercises 130
Responding to Triggered Reactions in a Yoga Class 134
Conclusions 139
Notes 143
Index 153
About the Authors 159
AverySmith
Posted June 24, 2011
This book is great for yoga lovers, yoga instructors, and anyone trying to overcome a trauma in their life. This book was brought to my attention by a review I read in Yoga International Magazine. It called it 'thoughtful and thorough...brings a spirit of optimism to the process of healing past wounds and reclaiming body and mind.'
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Overview
Survivors of trauma—whether abuse, accidents, or war—can end up profoundly wounded, betrayed by their bodies that failed to get them to safety and that are a source of pain. In order to fully heal from trauma, a connection must be made with oneself, including one’s body. The trauma-sensitive yoga described in this book moves beyond traditional talk therapies that focus on the mind, by bringing the body actively into the healing process. This allows trauma survivors to cultivate a more positive relationship to ...