Trauma-Sensitive Yoga: Principles, Practice, and Research

Since 2003, the Trauma Center Yoga Program at the Justice Resource Institute in Brookline Massachusetts has been providing Yoga to a variety of trauma survivors, including war veterans, rape survivors, at-risk youth, and survivors of chronic childhood abuse and neglect. Pilot study results have demonstrated the benefits of Yoga for indi - viduals suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. The Trauma Center Yoga Program also trains Yoga instructors and clinicians in how to offer Yoga to trauma survivors. This paper describes best principles and practices of teaching Yoga to survivors of trauma.