Yoga in Trauma Recovery (2)
There's a growing trend—particularly in wellness and social media spaces—of presenting yoga as a standalone treatment for trauma. While the intentions may be good, this oversimplification risks doing more harm than good.
To be specific, we're talking about yoga asana (physical postures) and pranayama (breath practices). These are powerful tools that can support nervous system regulation, improve interoceptive awareness, and enhance mobility and breath capacity. But they are tools, not treatments.
When it comes to emotional trauma—whether acute or complex—healing typically requires psychotherapeutic modalities that engage the psyche, behavior, and relational dynamics. Yoga can complement this work, but it does not replace it. Without appropriate psychological containment, practices like deep breathing or stillness can even be destabilizing for some individuals.
Physical trauma recovery is another area where yoga is often overprescribed. While gentle asana and breath can help retrain the nervous system post-injury or illness, this work must be guided by medical assessment, physiotherapy, and sometimes nutritional or pharmacological support. Even a nutritionist can be a vital part of this multidisciplinary approach.
As yoga continues to enter clinical and therapeutic settings, we encourage medical professionals to see it not as a panacea, but as a partner discipline—best used in tandem with trauma-informed care, mental health services, and biomedical oversight. This is a student-centric approach, meaning it prioritizes the individual's needs and autonomy, empowering them to make choices about their practice.
Integrative programs such as the Trauma Center Trauma-Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY), developed at the Justice Resource Institute (JRI) Trauma Center (co-founded by Bessel van der Kolk), the Boston Trauma Centre’s Yoga Program, the Minded Institute (UK), Warriors at Ease (US military settings), and LoveYourBrain Yoga (for Traumatic Brain Injury) offer compelling examples of yoga being embedded alongside psychotherapy, physiotherapy, and psychiatric care. These models highlight the importance of trauma-informed training, clinical supervision, and interdisciplinary collaboration when incorporating yoga into trauma recovery work.
Yoga has much to offer—but only when placed in context, and in community with the sciences of healing.
Continues : Trauma & Wellness Washing
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