Trauma Recovery courses Happy Body Project and Wellness Centre in Wilstead that includes a gentle but powerful yoga practice developed to be sensitive to the effects of trauma. Many people have experienced traumatic events or relationships such as losses, separations, accidents, illnesses, and even our current pandemic context. We often don’t use the word “trauma” to describe these experiences, but trauma relates to any deeply distressing circumstance in which we have felt ourselves or others to be in danger. Traumatic experiences can leave a long-lasting legacy in the form of a strong emotional charge to our memories of traumatic times, an ongoing protection of ourselves by avoiding certain places, people, activities, a change in the way we think about or see ourselves. There is growing recognition that traumatic experiences leave a legacy in the body too. For example, our bodies continue to remind us when we are in similar situations, our bodies can keep us on high alert as a way of guarding against further threats, our bodies can protect us by disconnecting in situations that remind us of feeling in danger, our bodies adjust to traumatic experiences in the way that we hold ourselves, breathe, sleep and in our metabolism. There is increasing research evidence suggesting that traumatic experiences can be associated with increased risk of several significant health difficulties later in life. Our six week course is designed for adults aged between 18 and 70 years and is accessible even if you have physical disability or health issues. The course is run as a small group (approximately six participants) with two facilitators. As a Yoga practitioner Franchesca is our expert in mind and body connection and, as a Psychologist, Jemma brings expertise in understanding and recovery from trauma. We have designed our course to give you more information about the impact of traumatic experience on the body, to offer you ideas about ways to work with the legacy of traumatic experiences in the body, and to guide you through gentle but powerful yoga practice that has been developed especially to be sensitive to the effects of traumatic experience. Each session will have a particular focus e.g. sleep, breathing, nutrition. Every session will include short trauma-sensitive yoga practice with opportunity for you to reflect and, if you wish, discuss together with others in your group. We know that hearing other’s experiences of traumatic circumstances can be triggering so we ask all participants not to talk directly about traumatic experience. We will spend time at the beginning of the course orienting you to the course, the environment, and agreeing together how to make any adjustments to increase your sense of safety during sessions. We will offer you a series of pre-recorded trauma-sensitive yoga practices for you to embed the practice after your course has finished. Fundamental concepts
We know that one of the most difficult parts of traumatic experiences is personal control having been compromised. In this course you will experience our emphasis on offering you as much choice and control as possible, and our emphasis on inviting you to explore your experience of choice and control. In association with this, we will invite you to help us shape the content of the group as it unfolds, so that, as far as possible, it is as closely tailored to the needs and wishes of your particular group. Unlike conventional yoga, trauma sensitive yoga practice does not involve any touch, or partner work, the instructional is invitational in tone rather than commanding, and group participants will be seated at wide spacing from one another. We know that turning attention to the body can be challenging in different ways. We have designed our group to offer you different levels to work at, to work in a gradual way over the course, and also to allow you to work within your window of tolerance. What you don’t need for this course
Unlike conventional yoga classes our course does not require you to wear particular clothing and most of the work is done sitting in a chair. You do not require a certain level of fitness or any prior yoga experience. Our work is not energetic or vigorous. You can take this course even with health difficulties or disability. You can let us know ahead of time of any physical issues that you would like us to hold in mind and we will encourage you to practice within what your body can easily manage. Although the focus of our course is recovery from trauma, you don’t need a formal diagnosis of PTSD to join this course.
