Sometimes yoga can cause harm—here’s why and how to avoid this

Boundaries, a sense of safety, empowerment and choice, mindful language and avoidance of potential triggers, are the keywords of trauma informed yoga.

These core principles are built around the goal to promote healing for people who have experienced trauma (which is a far greater majority we tend to think).

To do that, trauma-informed yoga teachers consciously predict what could re-traumatize participants—disconnect them from the body or downplay their efforts to build self-regulation, and then structure the classes away from these factors.

Yoga teachers often encourage students to insist and push through emotional discomfort.

Trauma-informed yoga, instead offers a safe space for people to notice subtle signs of dissociation or overwhelm and to not override them.

Thus the practice becomes less about achieving the poses and more about fostering a sense of autonomy and inner safety. During the practice, we lean towards self-care, awareness of emotions and bodily sensations, rather than striving towards goals that could be too much.

It is an internal approach, an intention from which we approach the practice, that can separate trauma-informed yoga from the “regular” yoga.

When yoga can cause harm

Although the goal of all yoga practices is to strengthen the nervous system and increase resiliency, sometimes this can go sideways—when trauma is present.

People who have experienced trauma can easily enter the “fight, flight or freeze” mode, which is the activation of the sympathetic nervous system—the opposite of the “rest and digest” state of being, where the parasympathetic nervous system is activated.

Trauma-informed yoga teachers are mindful of potential triggers that could activate a trauma response.

The common triggers during the yoga practice and the trauma-informed approach to avoid them

The triggers depend on individual’s experiences but the common ones include:

• Too authoritative or harsh tones: loud, abrupt instructions, commands like “You must”

Trauma-informed practice: Use gentle, invitational language, such as “If it feels right, you might try…”

• Hands-on adjustments: physical touch without explicit consent can feel invasive or threatening for trauma survivors.

Trauma-informed practice: Avoids hands-on adjustments unless the participant has clearly opted in, and always asks for permission before touching.

• Specific vulnerable poses: happy baby, reclined butterfly or deep stretches and backbends.

Trauma-informed practice: Offers variations, props, or alternative poses and emphasises that participants can skip any pose.

• Lighting, music or proximity: flickering lights or too bright/dim places can feel unsafe to some people. Teachers standing too close or moving behind students without notice, could cause anxiety.

Trauma-informed practice: Maintains a predictable environment, uses neutral music or silence, and respects personal space.

• Controlled breathing patterns: Practices like breath retention or rapid breathing can lead to feelings of suffocation or panic for some.

Trauma-informed practice: Offers simple breathing exercises with no pressure to conform, such as slow, natural breaths.

• Unpredictability: Rapid transitions between poses or sequences can feel overwhelming.

• Lack of choice: Feeling compelled to follow the sequence can recreate a sense of loss of control.

Trauma-informed practice: Creates a consistent and slow-paced class with plenty of options and pauses for grounding.

• Crowded or tight spaces: A lack of personal space can feel unsafe.

Trauma-informed practice: Arranges the space to allow for individual comfort.

• Certain poses, especially hip openers or heart openers, can release stored emotions from the body, which may feel overwhelming.

Trauma-informed practice: Normalizes emotional responses and reminds participants that they can rest or step out at any time.

• Eye contact: Prolonged or unexpected eye contact may feel confrontational or intrusive.

• Positioning: Standing or walking behind participants can trigger feelings of vulnerability.

Trauma-informed teaching: Maintains soft, neutral eye contact and avoids standing directly behind students.

Paying Attention to These Three Principles

Choice, safety and empowerment, are key to offering trauma-informed yoga teachings and support your students as they navigate the path of healing. Trying to mindfully integrate these into every aspect of the class; such as offering adaptations to poses, reminding to stop as needed, respecting the personal boundaries and always asking before offering hands on adjustments, as well as  adapting the physical space to feel safe, will establish a solid trauma-informed container for the practitioners.