More than half of adults experience at least one traumatic event in their lives. Up to 45% of new parents report their birth was traumatic. Given the prevalence of trauma in our population and specifically the perinatal community, it’s important that one’s yoga practice supports healing not further trigger trauma.
For yoga teachers it’s necessary to understand how to support students with knowledge of trauma informed yoga. As practitioners, knowing how to adapt your own practice from a trauma-informed lens and what boundaries to expect from your teacher, may help support your healing.
In this episodes of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with Taylor Wray, Trauma Informed Yoga Specialist. Taylor explains how trauma affects the body and brain. She also shares the main principles of trauma informed yoga. Taylor talks about triggers that may unknowingly be in a general class and how students and teachers can be aware of them.
In this episode you will learn:
- About Taylor and what lead her to study trauma informed yoga.
- What is trauma informed yoga?
- The main principles of trauma informed yoga.
- How trauma can affect the body and the brain.
- Cues, adjustments, sequences, and poses in a general yoga class that may unknowingly trigger people.
- How trauma informed sequencing differ from a typical sequence.
- Ways touch should or shouldn’t be used in classes.
- How students can talk to their teacher about hand on adjustments or other triggers they may have.
- Discussing how to approach language and yoga cueing in a trauma informed manner.
- Tools a yoga teacher can immediately start to implement in their classes.
- Taylor offers one final tip and piece of advice for yoga teachers about trauma informed yoga.
- Where to find Taylor’s work!
About Taylor Wray
Taylor started her yoga journey over 15 years ago and now leads 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Trainings, Continuing Education Trainings, Yoga Teacher Coaching Programs and Retreats. One of her specialties is Trauma informed yoga.
Taylor continues her dedicated yoga practice as a student and teacher and has been fortunate to have studied with some of the most impactful yoga teachers around the world; like Shiva Rea, Briohny Smyth, Dice Ida-Klein, Honza and Claudine Lafond, Seane Corn, Hala Khouri, Suzanne Sterling and was deeply inspired by my very first yoga teachers Alex Austin, Jenn Chiarelli, and John Salisbury at At One Yoga.
Taylor currently teaches many styles of yoga – Vinyasa Flow, Gentle Yoga, Restorative Yoga, Yoga Nidra, Guided Meditation and Trauma-Informed Yoga. All of her classes are taught with a trauma-informed lens.
Connect with Taylor:
- Website – https://www.taylorwrayyoga.com
- Yoga Teacher Circle Podcast – https://taylorwrayyoga.buzzsprout.com/
- Instagram: @taylor_wrayyoga
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