Tassie-Mates Farm Support Program & Yoga Studio

08/07/2025

Pause with me. ☕

Feel the ceramic warmth in your palm, watch the soft shapes of steam rising.
With each breath the body remembers: "I am not in an emergency".
Outside, pasture and sky trade quiet glances. The animals don’t rush.
The gum keeps its own long rhythm, and somewhere in that stillness, the overwhelm loosens its tight grip.

This is the kind of medicine I practice here.

When a person steps onto the farm, the land meets them exactly as they are—no diagnosis required, no performance demanded. The soil gives honest feedback, gently inviting you to engage, release, breathe.

Animals negotiate relationships through presence alone: step closer, step back, wait together. In those exchanges the nervous system gathers new data—about safety, predictability, autonomy—and it begins to recalibrate.

I have watched shoulders drop as feed scoops are filling a trough.
I have heard words return, unforced, while a sweet horse leans in for scratches.
These moments may look ordinary, yet they mark the return of capacity: the ability to notice, to decide, to connect.

My work isn’t about fixing; it’s about holding a space of calm long enough for each person’s own wisdom to resurface.
Ground first, then grow.

If your journey is asking for a place of care and healing, the gate here is unlatched. Step through when you’re ready. ✨🌿💞

30/06/2025

🍁☘️🌿 Nature and Animal-Based Supports Under the NDIS

For many participants, engaging with animals or spending time in nature is more than a leisure activity — it can be a meaningful part of building capacity, supporting emotional wellbeing, and increasing community participation.

Under the NDIS, goals related to confidence, social engagement, skill development, and emotional regulation may be supported through activities such as:

- Animal-assisted programs

- Nature-based therapeutic or day programs

- Support worker-assisted visits to farms, shelters, or community gardens

- Capacity-building workshops involving land care or animal handling

These types of supports can be claimed through NDIS when they align with the participant’s plan goals and are delivered in a structured, capacity-building context.

Examples of relevant goals might include:

- “I want to build my confidence by trying new community activities in a safe environment.”

- “I want to improve my daily living skills through structured animal or land care programs.”

- “I want to reduce my anxiety and feel more connected through regular participation in nature-based activities.”

As a provider, I work with participants and support coordinators to ensure that services are not only goal-aligned but also delivered by experienced staff in a way that supports meaningful outcomes.

If you’re exploring how to incorporate nature or animal engagement into your plan, we’re happy to discuss options that meet both NDIS requirements and the individual’s needs.

28/06/2025

🌿 Embracing Nature-Based Supports Through the NDIS 🌿

Navigating the NDIS can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially when trying to align your personal interests with your plan's goals. Nature-based activities—like gardening, land management, animal interactions, and mindful movements—can be powerful tools in enhancing wellbeing, building daily living skills, and fostering community connections.

💐 Understanding How These Activities Fit Into Your NDIS Plan

The NDIS funds supports that are considered reasonable and necessary to help you achieve your goals. Depending on your individual plan, the following support categories may be relevant:

1. Capacity Building – Increased Social and Community Participation

- Support Item: 09_008_0116_6_3 – Innovative Community Participation

- Support Item: 09_011_0125_6_3 – Community Participation Activities

2. Capacity Building – Development of Daily Living and Life Skills

- Support Item: 09_009_0117_6_3 – Skills Development and Training

3. Core Supports – Assistance with Social, Economic and Community Participation

- Support Item: 04_210_0125_6_1 – Community, Social, and Recreational Activities

These categories can encompass a range of activities aimed at enhancing daily living skills, social engagement, and community involvement.

✨ How Nature-Based Activities Align with Your Goals✨

- Animal Engagement: Encourages emotional connections and can assist in developing empathy and social skills.

- Gardening and Land Management: Promotes responsibility, routine, and a sense of accomplishment through nurturing and environmental stewardship.

- Gentle Yoga: Supports physical wellbeing and mindfulness, aiding in stress reduction and body awareness.

Engaging in these activities can be a meaningful way to work towards your NDIS goals, whether they involve improving daily living skills, increasing community participation, or enhancing overall wellbeing.

💐 Taking the Next Step

If you're interested in exploring how these nature-based activities can be incorporated into your NDIS plan:

- Discuss with Your Planner or Support Coordinator: They can help determine how these activities align with your goals and which support categories are applicable.

- Seek Professional Recommendations: A letter from a healthcare professional, such as a psychologist or occupational therapist, can provide supporting evidence for including these activities in your plan.

- Connect with Providers: Reach out to service providers who offer nature-based programs to learn more about their offerings and how they can support your journey. ✨

15/06/2025

This is for the ones who are tired—not from laziness, but from carrying things that don’t show up on reports.

The ones who turn up to appointments on three hours’ sleep.
Who explain the same thing, again and again and again.
Who carry the weight of their own story, while trying to translate it into “functional impact” for someone behind a desk.

I see you.
And I’m wishing you gentleness today.

A pause.

A moment of being properly heard. Not assessed. Not fixed. Just… heard.

29/05/2025

✨✨✨

27/05/2025

Hi friends, Sacred Sutras Yoga Studio is changing name. In the coming weeks you may notice the page changing appearance. This is due to an expansion and change in service provision.

If you have any concerns relating to this change, please do not hesitate to reach out directly via our messaging option.

🙏🍃🌿🎋

04/09/2024

Exploring Trauma-Sensitive Yoga as a Viable Treatment for PTSD 🧘‍♀️🌿🔰⚕️

Recent studies are shining a spotlight on trauma-sensitive yoga (TSY) as a promising treatment option for individuals struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), especially among women veterans who have experienced military sexual trauma (MST). Traditional treatments like cognitive processing therapy (CPT) are effective but have high dropout rates and don't always lead to full recovery. New research indicates that TSY, particularly Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY), can be just as effective as CPT at reducing PTSD symptoms. Even more compelling, the retention rates for TCTSY are higher, with participants more likely to complete their treatment, which suggests a broader benefit in the long term.

If you're looking for alternative, evidence-based approaches to trauma recovery, TSY might be worth exploring further. This method focuses on interoception, choice-making, and being present—essential elements for those working through complex trauma without the added stress of reprocessing their trauma history.

For more details, reach out or explore the latest research in this area.

Evidence for Trauma Sensitive Yoga as a Treatment for PTSD Related to Military Sexual Trauma in Women Veterans: Findings from a 5-year RCT

21/08/2024

🌙 Yoga for Better Sleep: What the Science Says 🧘‍♀️

A recent systematic review and meta-analysis exploring 'The effect of yoga on sleep quality and insomnia in women with sleep problems', found that yoga can significantly improve sleep quality in women struggling with sleep issues! Researchers reviewed 19 studies and discovered that women who practiced yoga experienced better sleep compared to those who didn’t. While yoga didn’t drastically reduce severe insomnia, it was especially beneficial for women without breast cancer or menopausal symptoms. They deemed yoga safe with no serious side effects!

If you’re looking to enhance your sleep, yoga might just be the natural remedy you need. 🌿✨

Check out the study here: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12888-020-02566-4

Background To examine the effectiveness and safety of yoga of women with sleep problems by performing a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods Medline/PubMed, ClinicalKey, ScienceDirect, Embase, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Library were searched throughout the month of June, 2019. Randomized con...

20/08/2024

🙏💗✨

14/08/2024

What is trauma-sensitive yoga? 💞✨

Trauma-sensitive yoga is a unique approach that emphasises the importance of language and choice in creating a safe space for students. The words a teacher uses can profoundly impact how someone experiences their practice, especially for those who have a history of trauma. It’s interesting to consider how this language evolves over time as both the teacher and the students grow more attuned to the subtleties of their bodies and emotions.

In a trauma-sensitive yoga class, the teacher often avoids using directive language. Instead of saying, “Do this pose,” they might say, “If it feels right for you, you could try this movement.” This subtle shift in wording acknowledges that the student is the expert on their own body and gives them the freedom to explore what works best for them in that moment.

This approach also opens up the possibility for students to experience their practice in a way that feels empowering. Over time, they might notice how their relationship with their body changes—not because they’re being told what to do, but because they’re being invited to explore their own experiences. The trajectory of such a practice can lead to a deeper sense of autonomy and self-trust, as students learn to listen to and honour their own needs.

There’s also the question of how this approach impacts the overall atmosphere of the class. Without the pressure to perform or achieve specific outcomes, the space becomes one of curiosity and gentle exploration. Students might feel more comfortable experimenting with different movements, noticing how their body responds, and making choices that support their well-being.

It’s worth considering how this way of teaching could influence other areas of life. Could the skills and self-awareness developed in a trauma-sensitive yoga class translate into a greater sense of autonomy and resilience outside of the studio? It’s a possibility that invites further exploration, as the practice continues to unfold and reveal new layers of healing and growth.

With love and respect,
Jette 🙏