In many yoga classes, students are expected to follow instructions quickly, copy shapes demonstrated by the teacher, and sometimes accept physical adjustments. For some, especially those affected by trauma, this can feel exposing or take away a sense of control. Trauma-informed yoga offers a different experience. Teachers use invitational language such as “if you’d like” or “you might explore”, making it clear that every option is truly a choice for the student to make and there is no hierarchy in the options people chose.  There is less attention on how a posture looks from the outside and more focus on how it feels for the student from the inside. The pace is often slower, transitions are clearer, and the structure of the class feels steadier and easier to trust. The classes are also more likely to offer choices around where to look, whether or not students close their eyes, and how to rest, if they want to.

Trauma informed teachers usually avoid hands-on assists unless there is explicit consent.  This may be verbal, but personally I use consent tokens (they say yes on one side and no on the other) that allow my students to let me know whether or not it is ok to touch them without having to tell me.  All they have to do is place the tokens at the top of their yoga mat at the start of the class.  That said, I still always ask permission before I touch a student as I ama aware that sometimes breath and movement can bring things up unexpectedly during a class and trauma informed teachers acknowledge that it is always ok for a student to change their mind.

The overall aim of a trauma informed yoga class is to support autonomy, comfort and confidence. For many students, that shift can make yoga feel more spacious, reassuring and accessible.  It is very unlikely that any trauma-informed yoga class will take place in a studio with mirrors because teachers realise how triggering that can be for students choosing to practice in a trauma-informed way and will instead seek to create a safe, welcoming, warm space for students of all levels.

There are five key principles that sit at the centre of trauma-informed yoga, the aim of them being  to create a more inclusive and caring practice for all students. They are:

1. Safety. Teachers aim to create a space that feels physically and emotionally steady for their student not just physically but through clear boundaries, consistent structure and respectful communication.

2. Choice. Teaching in a trauma informed way means encouraging each student to decide how, when and whether they engage with a movement. This can gently support a renewed sense of agency. I’ve attended many yoga classes over the years, some with amazing teachers and some who have said or done things which have been very triggering.  What I’ve learned from my experiences is that if a teacher makes me feel uncomfortable in any way, I have a choice to leave the class.  There is no pressure on me to stay.

3. Interoception.  Trauma informed teachers aim to help their students notice internal sensations such as pressure, temperature, tension or ease. Rather than striving for an ideal or “perfect'“ posture, students are invited to stay curious about their own experience and respond with kindness to what they notice. One of my favourite teachers always describes our classes as “playing at yoga” removing any pressure and encouraging us to be curious about what is happening in our bodies and in our thoughts in a child-like way.

4. Non-coercion.  In Trauma informed yoga no student is pushed, pressured or corrected into an experience they do not want. In one of the very first yoga classes I ever attended I had teacher shout at me because I couldn’t get my heels to touch the ground while in squat.  As a perfectionist and someone with a history of trauma, that was a very upsetting experience for me and one which almost put me off wanting to practice yoga again.  Luckily, teachers like this seem to be few and far between nowadays, thankfully! 

5. Empowerment and connection.  Trauma informed yoga practice aims to help students build trust in their own responses while feeling supported in the space around them.

Trauma-informed yoga can nurture a greater sense of grounding, regulation and self-trust than a “standard” yoga class. Gentle movement and breath awareness can help students notice the early signs of stress and explore ways to respond before things begin to feel overwhelming. For some students, they feel more connected to their bodies (which is wonderful when in recovery from an eating disorder), more able to rest, and more confident in honouring their boundaries.

Although trauma-informed yoga (or any yogic practice) is not a replacement for medical or psychological care, it can be a complementary practice when taught with care, sensitivity and appropriate pacing.  Progress is often subtle and personal rather than dramatic. The intention is not to force calm or create a breakthrough, but to offer repeated moments of choice, awareness and steadiness in a supportive setting. Over time, those small moments can begin to build a deeper sense of trust, both in the body and in one’s own responses. 

Trauma-informed yoga can be helpful for students who are looking for a more compassionate and flexible way to practise movement, including those affected by trauma, chronic stress, anxiety, burnout, eating disorders, body image issues or a sense of disconnection from the body. It can also feel like a more accessible starting point for beginners who may not feel at ease in performance-focused classes.

At its heart, trauma-informed yoga is an invitation to move with care. By prioritising safety, choice and present-moment awareness, it can offer a gentler doorway into practice for students who may not feel comfortable in more conventional yoga spaces. Whether used on its own or alongside other forms of support, it creates space to explore movement and breath without pressure, judgement or force which can greatly aid recovery from an eating disorder.  There isn’t a day that goes by when I don’t feel gratitude to my therapist for introducing me to yoga.