Healing From Trauma and Addiction

Welcome, and thank you for being here.  You are here because you recognize you have lived around addiction or trauma.  Anyone whose life has been ruled by uncertainty, inconsistency, perhaps intermittent rage, anger interspersed with kindness have experienced trauma. 

All of these events are lodged in the body as well as the psyche. Individual talk and group therapies address what is stuck in the mind and emotions. We are now realizing that we heal better and more thoroughly if we also address the feelings that are trapped in the body. Yoga and simple breath practices can release these traumas trapped in our bodies.  Together yoga therapy combined with other modalities of treatment and support can effect a total integrated program for healing.

As a woman in recovery and the “victim” of childhood and adulthood traumas: chronic as well as “shock” traumas, I became well aware of the timeless impact of these events when I became in danger of relapse. I discovered what I have now come to understand as the retention of the past in my physical body. Yoga practiced in a safe environment, mindfully and slowly, allowed me to release and process these shadows of my past. It can allow you to release yours too.

When we are in physical, mental, or emotional pain, we often turn to outside sources for relief. These external outlets can easily become addictions. If we are not addicted to smoking, eating, drinking, drugs, or social media, then we can be addicted subconsciously to acceptance, advancement, rejection, emotional love, etc.  Utilizing meditation and visualization techniques we can recognize the stressors - physical, emotional and spiritual - and bring ourselves into a space of present moment awareness where we can see things as they are, feel things as they are and process things as they are, not how we wish them to be. 

Trauma Sensitive Yoga is an invitational process, with focus placed on supporting individuals to reconnect with their internal experiences.  Allowing yourself to feel safe through fostering relationships with yourself and those around you.   Some forms of Yoga may have triggers, including the following: sanskrit terms, focus on the physical aspect of poses, accelerated or controlled breathing, and physical touch through assisting.  Trauma Sensitive Yoga is an intentional and invitational process.You are guided to recognize that there is no perfect way to breath, no perfect pose, or specific goal: it’s about meeting yourself where you are, and exploring the process of finding what feels right for your body. It’s about your internal comfort, which is different for everyone. 

Trauma and addiction recovery are best done in a community.  Combining mindfulness with the 12 step program fosters relationships, community, trust, respect and recovery.  We are a certified 12 Step School, with offerings taught by instructors active in their own recovery.  We offer group classes as well as private workshops for local recovery centers and those in sober living.