Reconnecting the Mind and Body After Trauma: How Trauma-Informed Yoga Can Support Healing

Trauma is not just something that happens in our minds — it is something we feel in our whole bodies. Trauma can result from experiences that are overwhelming and exceed a person’s ability to cope, whether it is a single event or a pattern that builds up over time (Herman, 1992; Emerson & Hopper, 2012).

This might include childhood abuse, emotional neglect, violence, war, natural disasters, accidents, or living in unsafe or unpredictable environments. Trauma can affect anyone, but certain groups — such as refugees, LGBTQIA+ communities, young people in out-of-home care, and frontline workers — are more likely to be exposed (Bendall et al., 2018; Phoenix Australia, 2013).

In Australia, trauma is common. Around 75% of adults will experience a traumatic event in their lives, and approximately 12% will develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a result (Copeland et al., 2007; McLaughlin et al., 2013).

Trauma Heals Through Mind and Body

Trauma affects the nervous system and parts of the brain involved in emotional regulation and body awareness (Rousseau & Cook-Cottone, 2018). People with trauma histories often describe:

·       Feeling disconnected or numb

·       Difficulty sensing or “feeling” the body

·       Feeling unsafe even in neutral or safe environments

·       Chronic pain, tension, migraines, or digestive issues (Van der Kolk, 2015; Gupta, 2012)

These experiences are partly due to disruptions in interoception — the brain’s ability to sense internal bodily states (Emerson & Hopper, 2012; West et al., 2016).

Trauma work needs to integrate practices that involve both the mind and the body to support healing.

Trauma-Informed Yoga

Yoga has long been recognised as helpful in regulating the nervous system (Levine, 1997; Van der Kolk, 2014). It is important that traditional yoga is adapted and modified to be trauma-informed; otherwise, it can be triggering for individuals who have experienced trauma (Justice & Brems, 2018).

Trauma-Informed Yoga (TIY) is adapted to support safety, choice, and autonomy. Key features include:

·       Offering choice in every movement

·       Using invitational language (e.g., “if it feels comfortable, you might explore…”)

·       Avoiding physical adjustments or touch

·       Focusing on how the body feels rather than how it looks

·       Rebuilding trust in internal cues

TIY encourages gentle, grounded, and non-judgemental reconnection with the body. This helps individuals learn to respond to internal states rather than react from fear or overwhelm.

What the Research Shows

Research demonstrates that TIY can:

·       Reduce anxiety, depressive symptoms, and improve sleep in young people who experienced adversity (Davis et al., 2022)

·       Reduce stress and PTSD symptoms in survivors of intimate partner violence (Nguyen et al., 2019)

·       Improve trauma-related symptoms across various populations (Macy et al., 2015)

·       Increase activation in brain regions responsible for emotion regulation (Van der Kolk, 2014)

TIY is most effective when used alongside psychological therapy (Rousseau & Cook-Cottone, 2018).

Accessing Trauma Support: Making Healing Practical

After understanding trauma and how Trauma-Informed Yoga works, it’s important to know how to access support in real life. Healing from trauma is most effective when care:

·       Addresses both the mind and body

·       Provides time and consistency for recovery

·       Is affordable and accessible

Practical steps include:

·       Seek care that integrates mind and body. Trauma work is most effective when talk therapy is combined with somatic practices, like Trauma-Informed Yoga or other somatic approaches.

·       Check your eligibility for rebated sessions. In Australia, Medicare’s Better Access Scheme can cover up to 10 psychology sessions per year. Some private health funds also offer rebates.

·       Consider insurance schemes for work- or vehicle-related trauma. If your trauma was caused by a work-related incident or a motor vehicle accident, you may be eligible for support through workers’ compensation or compulsory third-party (CTP) insurance administered by SIRA.

·       Explore complementary practices at home. Trauma-Informed Yoga and somatic exercises can be practiced safely at home or online. Arielle Schwartz, a licensed clinical psychologist, provides a range of accessible videos on trauma recovery, grounding, body awareness, and gentle movement.

·       Plan for ongoing support. Healing takes time. Find practitioners or programs that allow for continuous support so you don’t feel cut off after just a few sessions.

Healing is a journey — with the right support and tools, you can reconnect to both your mind and body at your own pace.