Yoga Counselling or Self-Paced Online Course?

This post is to help you decide which Yoga is best for you. I offer both Yoga Counselling and a Self-Paced online Yoga Course. Yoga Counselling is not a well known offering at this stage so I would like to explain what it is and how it works. In both we do the same 7 sessions - that make up my Signature Course - Yoga - Healing Trauma. The 7 sessions are; Yoga to ease symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue, Yoga to Improve Sleep, Yoga to Reduce Anxiety, Yoga to Reduce Stress, Yoga to Increase Self-Compassion, Yoga to Increase Self-Determination, Yoga to Improve Balance.

I studied Yoga after I became a Counsellor  (I have an Advanced Diploma of BioMedical Yoga, Meditation and Lifestyle Medicine). I made this decision as I could see the link to the body and our capcity to heal. I could see that these two modalities/approaches could work together, and Western science is building scientific evidence every day to prove this. For me, as someone who has a Trauma History, I recognised how important Yoga was in my healing journey. I have reintroduced myself to myself through connecting with my body and the felt sense it provides me. I only offer Yoga in the Counselling space as a healing practice.

Yoga helps trauma healing by regulating the nervous system through techniques like slow movement, deep breathing, and mindfulness, which shifts the body from "fight-or-flight" to "rest-and-digest". It rebuilds a safe connection with the body for trauma survivors who may feel disconnected, fosters a sense of empowerment, and helps manage trauma-related symptoms like anxiety and stress. Trauma-informed yoga emphasises choice, agency, and personal experience over perfect poses, making it a supportive practice for healing.

So how does yoga help us heal from trauma?

Through practices that are slow and gentle we are guided to safely reconnect with our body and the information it is gathering and communicating with us. As we move, connecting our breath to our movement we are activating our Parasympathetic Nervous System - which promotes rest and relaxation, counteracting the stress response often triggered by trauma. 

• Mindfulness and self-compassion:

  Practices cultivate a compassionate awareness of your body and mind in the present moment. 

• We are Rebuilding body awareness:

  Trauma can lead to a sense of disconnect from the body. Yoga offers a safe way to gently reconnect with physical sensations, which can help individuals feel more grounded and present. 

• Empowering Ourselves:

  Trauma-informed yoga focuses on giving us choices and agency over our movements, allowing us to regain a sense of control and power over our own bodies and experiences. - My Course is not presented as a 45 minute set of poses in a sequence but rather a list of individual poses so that you can learn as you do each one on its own - how it feels, what symptoms it relieves or heightens. The focus is on your internal experience of movement, rather than on achieving perfect external alignment. 

• Reducing trauma-related symptoms:

  Studies and participant experiences show that yoga can lead to reduced anxiety, stress, and depression, and may improve sleep and concentration. 

• Facilitating emotional release:

  Certain poses and movements can help release stored emotional tension, which may lead to feelings of sadness, anger, or relief as the body lets go. It is not uncommon to release these emotions during practice, in a trauma informed practice such as mine we would sit with what came up and learn to feel safe - recognise and attend to these emotions.

• Improving breath control:

  Yogic breathing techniques help open the lungs and calm the mind, which is beneficial for those who experience shallow breathing due to trauma. 

  
  

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Now to decide which is best for you - Yoga Counselling or the Online Self-Paced Yoga Healing Trauma Course.

Its a personal choice - Yoga Counselling or Self-paced Online Course, From reading above you may feel that you have the capacity to do this on your own, or you may feel that the information above has you feeling some feelings that make approaching this alone a little (or more) uncomfortable. If you are feeling uncomfortable - if it feels like you may find it overwhelming to do the Yoga on your own but it really feels like something you want to do, I would invite you to book a 15 minute Free Connection call with me and we could explore your options together. I had a Private Yoga Teacher when I started Yoga many years ago, and again a few years ago before I decided to do the Yoga Teacher Training. There was not an option (that I found) to have a Yoga Counsellor though. the second time I was a counsellor and had a counsellor I noticed that the combination would be very helpful.