Beyond the Mat: Yoga, Trauma, and the Journey Back to the Body
- Nadia Renata
- May 31
- 4 min read
It’s Not About the Pose
We often hear it said that "yoga heals trauma." But the truth is more nuanced. Yoga is not a magic cure. It doesn’t erase what happened. What it does do is something quieter, but just as profound: it creates space. Space to feel. Space to notice. Space to return to a body that trauma may have taught us to disconnect from.
For those of us in the Caribbean, where therapy might still be stigmatised and where "just pray about it" is the standard prescription, yoga offers an embodied pathway. It invites us back into a relationship with our breath, our nervous system and our buried emotional terrain.
What Trauma Does to the Body
Trauma is not just what happened to you. It’s what happens inside you because of what happened. For many, trauma disrupts the body’s natural regulation systems. It disconnects us from sensation, numbs awareness or locks us in fight-or-flight mode.
You may feel like your body isn’t safe. You may overreact to small things. Or you may not feel anything at all.
Trauma lives in the body, not just the mind. That’s why talk therapy alone, while powerful, isn’t always enough.
How Yoga Helps: The Somatic Bridge
Yoga doesn’t fix trauma, but it can support healing from trauma by helping us:
Reconnect with the body in a safe, gradual way - Trauma often causes us to disconnect from our bodies as a survival mechanism, especially if the body was the site of pain, fear or violation. Yoga offers an opportunity to gently return to the body with care and curiosity. This reconnection isn't forced; it happens in small, intentional steps, like feeling your feet on the mat or noticing the rhythm of your breath. In a trauma-sensitive practice, you're always given choice and agency, which helps rebuild trust between your mind and body.
Develop awareness of breath, sensation and tension - One of the first signs of healing is noticing, really noticing, what’s happening inside you. Yoga helps you tune into your breath patterns (are you holding it?), body sensations (tight jaw, clenched fists) and areas of tension or numbness. This awareness is foundational: before we can release or shift anything, we need to recognise it. This internal noticing can also help interrupt the automatic reactions (like shutting down or overreacting) that trauma often hardwires into us.
Release stored stress through gentle movement - Trauma lives not just in memory, but in muscle. Our bodies remember what our minds try to forget. Certain yoga poses, especially slow, rhythmic ones, help mobilise and discharge built-up tension from the nervous system. Movements like cat-cow, child’s pose or slow twists can gently coax the body out of protective patterns like rigidity or collapse. The goal isn’t dramatic release; it’s safe, steady unwinding.
Build resilience in the nervous system - Trauma can leave your nervous system stuck in states of hypervigilance (fight or flight) or collapse (freeze/shut down). Yoga, through breath, movement and stillness, helps teach the nervous system how to shift more fluidly between states and eventually return to a regulated baseline. This flexibility is called nervous system resilience. Over time, you may find you're better able to handle stress, recover from emotional upsets and stay grounded in situations that once overwhelmed you.
Increase emotional tolerance without being overwhelmed - When we’re traumatised, even small emotions can feel enormous. Yoga creates a contained, supportive space to feel more without being flooded. By staying with a sensation or emotion for a few breaths and knowing you can stop or adjust at any time, you begin to stretch your window of tolerance. This doesn’t mean forcing yourself to “push through.” It means learning to be with your emotions gradually, with kindness and choice. The result? More confidence in your ability to feel without falling apart.
Certain postures or breathwork may activate stored emotions or memories. This is not a sign of regression, but an opportunity for gentle awareness.
On the other hand, some movements and poses can stimulate areas of the brain dampened by trauma, including those responsible for emotional regulation, memory integration and a sense of connection. Think of it like turning the lights back on in rooms you forgot existed.
Caution: Not Every Practice Is Trauma-Informed
It’s important to note that not all yoga is trauma-informed. Some practices may push you too far, too fast. Language, touch or breath techniques can sometimes be triggering.
A trauma-informed yoga space will:
Emphasise choice over compliance
Avoid forceful adjustments or commands
Offer options instead of corrections
Encourage tuning in rather than performing
If you’re exploring yoga after trauma, look for instructors trained in trauma sensitivity or somatic awareness. And most importantly, listen to your body’s cues over any teacher’s instructions.
You Are Not Broken
There’s a quiet grief in realising how many of us have spent years disconnected from our own breath, our own limbs, our own needs. But there is also power in reclaiming it.
Yoga doesn’t ask you to be flexible, fit or spiritual. It just asks that you arrive. With your shaking hands, racing heart, tight hips or busy mind. And it meets you there.
Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is feel your feet on the ground and stay.
“Your body is not the enemy. It is the storyteller, the witness, the keeper of truth.” - Nadia Renata [Audacious Evolution]
Reflection Prompt: What parts of your body have felt distant, disconnected or unsafe? What would it feel like to befriend them again?
Affirmation: "I return to my body with tenderness. I am allowed to feel, to release and to begin again."
Disclaimer: While yoga can be a supportive practice, this article is not intended to diagnose or treat trauma. Please reach out to a qualified therapist or healthcare professional for personalised care. You don’t have to navigate healing alone. Healing is deeply personal and support isn’t weakness; it’s wisdom.
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