What is Yoga Therapy?
Yoga Therapy is more than yoga…its the specific application of yogic tools to address an individual’s physical, mental, emotional, social and/or soul needs. With in-depth specialized training to assess and keep clients safe. C-IAYT credentialed Yoga Therapists work to address specific goals, considering any limitations that may exist. The practices could include: gentle to vigorous movement, breath work, meditation/visualization practices, to address specific discomfort & musculoskeletal imbalances.
Trauma Specialized Yoga Therapy™ (TSYT)
We offer Trauma Specialized Yoga Therapy (TSYT™)…while we may not like to discuss it, as humans we are all survivors of difficult circumstances in life. These experiences may have been caused by certain events such as injury, illness, disease, toxic stress, trauma, and/or repeated stressful primary or secondary experiences. Individual frustration may be clouded by negative beliefs about ourselves and our experiences that stem from our lived experiences and perspectives. This is where “top-down and bottom-up process” come into the picture. Bottom-up processing is the 'body physiological experiences' and Top-down processing is the mind process of ‘psychological perception’.
Traditional trauma therapy is talk-based, a top-down process that focuses on the mind with cognitive narrative. This process alone tends to neglect the physical, visceral, and body-based dimension of trauma/toxic stress held in the body. Research has shown the importance/validity of bottom-up processing as an essential part to renegotiating/recovery from trauma, empowering humans to learn how to calm, self-regulate, embodying ease and vitality in their lives.
This research highlights that Yoga Therapy holistic practices including breath, mindful meditation, physical postures and yoga psychology can reduce autonomic nervous system sympathetic activation, muscle tension, blood pressure, improve neuroendocrine and hormonal activity to decrease physical symptoms, emotional distress, and increase quality of life experiences. We offer a number of research links on our resource page.
For these reasons, TSYT™ is a promising treatment and adjunctive therapy for addressing the cognitive, emotional and physiological symptoms associated with PTSD & C-PTSD specifically.
TSYT™ integrates mind and body practices through specialized evidence-based trauma training within a trauma informed care lens. It focuses on the individual’s own experiences and choices, clients build a safe container to work on their present health & wellness using their strength-based resources and empowerment to full capacity to support their trauma reconciliation from the inside out.
TSYT™ is particularly helpful to those who are experiencing anxiety, depression, sensory disorders, PTSD/C-PTSD, medical & ventilator trauma, post/long COVID/haul syndrome, chronic pain, metabolic disorders, developmental/shock trauma, physical injury, natural and man-made disasters, and additional co-occurring challenges…
Certified IAYT Yoga Therapist
Our goal is to provide access to customized, whole person somatic integrated health & wellness programs to individuals and communities impacted by physical, and mental health crisis plaguing our communities around the world. Since 2012 as fitness, health & wellness professionals we’ve pioneered programs in corporate and hospital systems, schools, treatment centers, and homeless centers, community outreach and crisis centers.
In 2021 Grace Tree added our Trauma Specialized Yoga Therapy™ model to address and integrate whole person care, biopsychosocial and spiritual human layers for holistic trauma support.
NOTE: We are presently unable to accept new clients. Please connect with us to be placed on our waitlist.
““When my therapist recommended your services, I didn’t know anything about somatics, yoga therapy or how this intervention would work for me. The moment I stepped into your office I felt welcomed, and knew your space was special. I’m so glad I took the steps and applied my new tools, I’ve learned so much why my body was reacting to the stress of my past and present experiences. The work you do is working, I am starting to trust myself and my chronic headaches are lessening. Thank you for everything, I can sit through office politics, and family gatherings again.””
Note: We do not see clients who are actively suicidal unless under the care of a licensed mental health therapist who has approved adjunct somatic therapy support services.
Disclaimer: The above methodologies & services are not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, rather are adjunct modalities used to modulate physiological responses from within the whole body, and work towards experiencing integrative and ease to suffering.