• Get there early so that you can find a comfortable spot and be able to settle in.
• If possible, let the instructor know that you are new to yoga and somewhat nervous. You don’t have to say anything about trauma/PTSD, but this will help the teacher be sensitive to your needs.
• The issue of touch: Sometimes in yoga, a teacher may offer an adjustment to help you be safer in a pose or to experience it more fully. If you do not want to be adjusted or touched, it is okay to let the teacher know. Many teachers are taught to ask first, but even the most experienced teacher might forget, sometimes. Remember, it’s always okay to ask for what you need.
For veterans with PTSD, the Outpatient PTSD Clinic at the NLR VA at Fort Roots offers yoga as part of their programming. You must have a referral from your Primary Care Physician or provider in the Mental Health Clinic to participate.
* A traumatic event is defined as exposure to death, threatened death, actual or threatened serious injury or actual or threatened sexual violence. This could be direct exposure to, witnessing first hand, indirectly learning that a close friend or relative has been involved in a violent or accidental death or injurious event, or repeated exposure to details of traumatic events, e.g. through professional contact as a first responder or therapist. Exposure through media is not considered a traumatic event.
REFERENCE
U. S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs, PTSD: National Center for PTSD, DSM-V Criteria for PTSD
http://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/PTSD-overview/dsm5_criteria_ptsd.asp
Mary Horne, LCSW, RYT-500 is a Trauma Therapist and Yoga Teacher trained by Matthew and Holly Krepps at Circle Yoga Shala. She taught Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction classes for eight years and has been practicing yoga and mindfulness since the late ’90s. Mary has given numerous presentations on mindfulness to a wide variety of audiences and has taught yoga to students age 6-80. She teaches at Blue Yoga Nyla Sanctuary in the Park Hill area of North Little Rock, AR.
See her profile at:
http://blueyoganyla.com/public.html/BIO_Mary.html and visit her website www.yogamaryhorne.com.
moment, the habitual reaction of avoidance that is a symptom of PTSD is countered. Simply showing up on one’s mat suggests a willingness to be present with one’s self, which may mean coming into contact with unwanted thoughts, feelings, memories and body sensations. Many students find that as they learn to respond rather than react in their yoga practice, they carry that into their daily lives. When a student notices reactivity in their practice, and they can breathe in the moment, anchoring themselves in their practice, they often report an increased ability to notice reactivity off the mat, and to use what they’ve learned in yoga practice to respond rather than just react.
Negative Cognitions and Mood
The practice of linking movement with breath is another way in which the attention is anchored in the present. When movement and breath are linked the attention shifts from a mostly outer-focused awareness to one that includes a deep inner-focused awareness. Retraining the attention to be flexible, able to see inwardly and outwardly at the same time, is part of what makes posture practice yoga. Rather than, just stretching or exercise, and provides a way of being in movement that returns one to balance. When the student can have the arrow of attention point in both directions simultaneously, it is as if the window of seeing is being wiped clean. Distortions in thinking and the resulting afflictive mood states may be seen more clearly when one learns to look inward and outward. The mind begins to let go and with that letting go, beliefs that may have been embedded, ingrained and clung to can be seen for what they are: products of the mind. This is true for all students, not just those with symptoms of PTSD.
I sometimes describe PTSD as the human condition turned up to 10. Taken as a composite, the symptoms of PTSD are symptoms of disconnection. I have not met anyone in my life who is unfamiliar with feelings of disconnection. I have also not met anyone who has practiced yoga for even a short time who has not experienced some sense of connection through the practice. Yoga is a practice for the human condition.
Try it and see.
Suggestions and Resources
If you, or someone you know is experiencing symptoms of PTSD and is interested in exploring the role that yoga might play in the healing process, here are some suggestions:
Being around new people in a new environment can be stressful for someone experiencing symptoms of PTSD. Practicing yoga may be very beneficial, but going to a yoga class can be just as stressful to someone with PTSD as going to a large rock concert. Here are some tips:
Contact the studio first and get some information about the studio and the classes. Most studios offer a variety of classes to meet different needs. Some questions you might ask:
• What classes offered are appropriate for someone new to yoga?
• What is the usual size of the class that you will be attending?
• Does the instructor have any knowledge or experience in working with individuals with trauma?
• Does the instructor play music? What kind?
• Is it a “hot” yoga class? If you are new to yoga and have symptoms of PTSD, a hot yoga class is likely to be too stimulating.
• What is the usual male/female ratio? This might be important for persons who have experienced a sexual trauma.
Other tips:
• Look for words like gentle, restorative, level 1. These will be classes that are more suited to someone looking for the calming aspects of yoga or someone new to yoga asana.
• Try going with a trusted friend or family member the first few times until you feel comfortable. Who knows, it might develop into a fun, shared activity!
• Get there early so that you can find a comfortable spot and be able to settle in.
• If possible, let the instructor know that you are new to yoga and somewhat nervous. You don’t have to say anything about trauma/PTSD, but this will help the teacher be sensitive to your needs.
• The issue of touch: Sometimes in yoga, a teacher may offer an adjustment to help you be safer in a pose or to experience it more fully. If you do not want to be adjusted or touched, it is okay to let the teacher know. Many teachers are taught to ask first, but even the most experienced teacher might forget, sometimes. Remember, it’s always okay to ask for what you need.
For veterans with PTSD, the Outpatient PTSD Clinic at the NLR VA at Fort Roots offers yoga as part of their programming. You must have a referral from your Primary Care Physician or provider in the Mental Health Clinic to participate.
* A traumatic event is defined as exposure to death, threatened death, actual or threatened serious injury or actual or threatened sexual violence. This could be direct exposure to, witnessing first hand, indirectly learning that a close friend or relative has been involved in a violent or accidental death or injurious event, or repeated exposure to details of traumatic events, e.g. through professional contact as a first responder or therapist. Exposure through media is not considered a traumatic event.
REFERENCE
U. S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs, PTSD: National Center for PTSD, DSM-V Criteria for PTSD
http://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/PTSD-overview/dsm5_criteria_ptsd.asp
Mary Horne, LCSW, RYT-500 is a Trauma Therapist and Yoga Teacher trained by Matthew and Holly Krepps at Circle Yoga Shala. She taught Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction classes for eight years and has been practicing yoga and mindfulness since the late ’90s. Mary has given numerous presentations on mindfulness to a wide variety of audiences and has taught yoga to students age 6-80. She teaches at Blue Yoga Nyla Sanctuary in the Park Hill area of North Little Rock, AR.
See her profile at:
http://blueyoganyla.com/public.html/BIO_Mary.html and visit her website www.yogamaryhorne.com.
a variety of classes to meet different needs. Some questions you might ask:
• What classes offered are appropriate for someone
new to yoga?
• What is the usual size of the class that you will be
attending?
• Does the instructor have any knowledge or
experience in working with individuals with
trauma?
• Does the instructor play music? What kind?
• Is it a “hot” yoga class? If you are new to yoga
and have symptoms of PTSD, a hot yoga class is
likely to be too stimulating.
• What is the usual male/female ratio? This might
be important for persons who have experienced
a sexual trauma.
Other tips:
• Look for words like gentle, restorative, level 1. These will be classes that are more suited to someone looking for the calming aspects of yoga or someone new to yoga asana.
• Try going with a trusted friend or family member the first few times until you feel comfortable. Who knows, it might develop into a fun, shared activity!
• Get there early so that you can find a comfortable spot and be able to settle in.
• If possible, let the instructor know that you are new to yoga and somewhat nervous. You don’t have to say anything about trauma/PTSD, but this will help the teacher be sensitive to your needs.
• The issue of touch: Sometimes in yoga, a teacher may offer an adjustment to help you be safer in a pose or to experience it more fully. If you do not want to be adjusted or touched, it is okay to let the teacher know. Many teachers are taught to ask first, but even the most experienced teacher might forget, sometimes. Remember, it’s always okay to ask for what you need.
For veterans with PTSD, the Outpatient PTSD Clinic at the NLR VA at Fort Roots offers yoga as part of their programming. You must have a referral from your Primary Care Physician or provider in the Mental Health Clinic to participate.
* A traumatic event is defined as exposure to death, threatened death, actual or threatened serious injury or actual or threatened sexual violence. This could be direct exposure to, witnessing first hand, indirectly learning that a close friend or relative has been involved in a violent or accidental death or injurious event, or repeated exposure to details of traumatic events, e.g. through professional contact as a first responder or therapist. Exposure through media is not considered a traumatic event.
REFERENCE
U. S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs, PTSD: National Center for PTSD, DSM-V Criteria for PTSD
http://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/PTSD-overview/dsm5_criteria_ptsd.asp
Mary Horne, LCSW, RYT-500 is a Trauma Therapist and Yoga Teacher trained by Matthew and Holly Krepps at Circle Yoga Shala. She taught Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction classes for eight years and has been practicing yoga and mindfulness since the late ’90s. Mary has given numerous presentations on mindfulness to a wide variety of audiences and has taught yoga to students age 6-80. She teaches at Blue Yoga Nyla Sanctuary in the Park Hill area of North Little Rock, AR.
See her profile at:
http://blueyoganyla.com/public.html/BIO_Mary.html and visit her website www.yogamaryhorne.com.
Mary Horne, LCSW, RYT-500 is a Trauma Therapist and Yoga Teacher trained by Matthew and Holly Krepps at Circle Yoga Shala. She taught Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction classes for eight years and has been practicing yoga and mindfulness since the late ’90s. Mary has given numerous presentations on mindfulness to a wide variety of audiences and has taught yoga to students age 6-80. She teaches at Blue Yoga Nyla Sanctuary in the Park Hill area of North Little Rock, AR.
See her profile at:
PTSD continued on page 30