Therapy/Counselling, Supervision, Social Work and Trauma Sensitive Yoga in Otautahi & the Canterbury Region

Trauma Centre Trauma Sensitive Yoga:

Trauma Centre Trauma Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY) provides a “bottom-up” adjunctive treatment approach to trauma and this is fundamentally through the development of physical and emotional regulation (Emerson, 2015; Emerson et al., 2009).  In addressing PTSD, individuals need to learn that the sensations they experience are tolerable, find acceptance with their internal experience and develop alternative strategies to manage distress.  The dysregulation associated with early childhood trauma is primarily body based and through focusing one’s attention on breathing and sensations in the present moment, people can identify or notice the connection between their emotions and their body. Noticing this connection and increasing interoception while reducing PTSD symptoms supports regulation rather than ignoring one’s internal state. 

Additionally, in yoga you become aware of sensations rising and falling rather than being stuck in a frozen state – the end of discomfort can be anticipated and is transitory.  Key concepts in TCTSY are Practice Making Choices, Present Moment Experience, Taking Effective Action and Creating Rhythms/Predictability (Emerson, D. 2015; Van Der Kolk, B. 2014).