Trauma-Sensitive Yoga and the Rationale underlying Somatic Therapies for Stress

Greetings readers. I am currently undergoing advanced training in Trauma Sensitive Yoga with a group at the Justice Resource Institute (http://www.traumacenter.org/). So I want to share with you how somatic therapies can critically complement standard verbal, cognitive therapies (“talk therapy”) for addressing traumatic stress.

Even if you don’t identify as being “traumatized,” consider that one important definition of traumatic stress is “stress that overwhelms our coping mechanisms for a period of time.” Most of us can relate to feeling overwhelmed temporarily.

Here is a way to get to know psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk's thinking behind treating trauma via somatic therapies. The first paper by van der Kolk (http://www.trauma-pages.com/a/vanderk4.php) is a classic in the field of Trauma and sets the stage for the importance of engaging the body, the physical self, in the context of treatment.

The second piece by Dr. van der Kolk (http://www.traumacenter.org/products/pdf_files/NYASF.pdf) is a very recent look at the neurobiology of trauma and also includes the first of its kind yoga study.