The Healing Impact of Trauma-Informed Yoga
The Impact of Sexual Violence
Everyone is affected by sexual violence, whether they’ve experienced it themselves or it has impacted the lives of those around them. While we often discuss the scope of the issue, and how in the United States, 1 out of every 6 women and 1 out of every 33 men will be the victims of sexual violence (RAINN), what we often discuss less is the long-term impact unresolved trauma has on a survivor’s physical and mental health.
While the statistics are staggering, they don’t cover the full scope of the issue. Most survivors choose not to report their assault for a variety of reasons, including:
- Fear of retaliation on themselves or their loved ones
- Compulsion to protect the person who acted violently
- Previous distrustful experiences with medical providers and/or law enforcement
- Fear of not being believed
- Language barriers
This rings especially true for communities of color where historically women experience sexual assault at younger ages and at higher rates, but are even less likely to report. As reported by The National Center on Violence Against Women in the Black Community, for every Black woman who reports her abuse, at least 15 Black women do not. This makes the availability of innovative healing resources even more vital in order to help survivors navigate the complicated experience of living with, and healing from, trauma.
As studied by David Emerson in his role as co-director of the Center for Trauma and Embodiment at the Justice Resource Institute in Massachusetts, when survivors adapt to their traumatic experiences they may begin to experience alterations in the communications between mind and body. Although these alterations may serve to help the individual survive the traumatic moment, this adaptation can continue beyond the traumatic moment and cause miscommunications between the mind and body in the present. These miscommunications will look different for every survivor, but can include symptoms such as:
- Anxiety and/or depression
- Inability to focus
- Memory loss
- Being easily startled
- Having angry outbursts
- Heart palpitations
- Flashbacks
- Insomnia
- Nightmares
- Intrusive thoughts
- Panic attacks
- Chronic pain
The Healing Impact of Trauma-Informed Yoga
When processing trauma, sometimes there are no words to capture or articulate what one has endured. It can only be felt deeply and heavily in the body, making innovative trauma-informed healing resources – such as art, dance, and yoga – deeply valuable for survivors of assault. Here at Exhale to Inhale, our mission is to empower survivors of sexual assault through trauma-informed yoga. As we’ve seen with the many organizations and survivors we’ve partnered with, trauma-informed yoga has the power to help survivors reconnect with their bodies and begin processing their trauma in safe, consensual, and empowering ways.
Exhale to Inhale’s trauma-informed practice is specifically designed to support survivors through a combination of breathwork, mindfulness, and movement. Breathwork provides an opportunity for survivors to slow their heart rate which can calm a survivor’s hyper-aroused nervous system. Mindfulness and meditation help bring survivors into the present moment, reconnecting their body and mind as they observe the communication between the two. And the gentle movements allow for survivors to build strength and stability while observing any tension or trauma held in the body.
In a safe and supportive environment, survivors have the opportunity to practice making choices that can boost their sense of self-efficacy. When practiced in a group, trauma-informed yoga also has the potential to build a sense of trust, affection, and camaraderie between survivors. After just one class, survivors have reported a decrease in stress and bodily pain and an increase in personal agency.
So while trauma can change the way the mind and body communicates, what we’re learning now is that trauma-informed yoga has the ability to do the same, but in a way that rebuilds, reaffirms, and provides healing to those practicing.
For more information on Exhale to Inhale’s work and the powerful impact of trauma-informed yoga, please enjoy and share our original infographic below!
