Yoga can heal trauma. Yet, it’s important to be gentle with yourself when doing so. While the physical stretching and inner experience can feel good to many people, it can also arouse deep set trauma that resides in our bodies. So it’s important to tune in to how you are feeling especially when you begin a yoga practice.

If strong emotions arise during a yoga practice it’s OK to put yourself into a Child’s Pose or to simply sit down and take a break. Also, most yoga instructors are trained to support people who are experiencing strong emotions due to the yoga practice, so you can speak with them if you need immediate support.

As a yoga instructor and psychotherapist, I weave in yoga poses and/or philosophy as appropriate with psychotherapy clients and have found the effects to be transformative.

The article below explains the science of how practicing yoga can reduce the symptoms of PTSD and other emotional wounds. And explains yoga’s profound ability to support us physically, emotionally and spiritually.

https://yogainternational.com/article/view/transcending-trauma-how-yoga-heals