Trauma can be defined as “anything that happens to us that overwhelms our ability to cope (Spence, 2021),” which means that all of us, at some time in our lives, have experienced trauma. Teachers do not always know the history of the students in their classrooms and do not know who has been affected by or is currently experiencing trauma. Sometimes students do not realize they have experienced trauma. Yoga, a practice of dropping into the body and into the present moment, can sometimes make students aware of past trauma in a way that is new to them. It is important to ensure that teachers are always using trauma informed language and are sensitive at all times to student’s needs.
The use of invitational language when leading yoga helps the student feel in control (Emerson, 2015). Directives are replaced with phrases such as “If you would like”, “When you are ready”, and “I invite you to…”. This type of autonomy might not feel natural to students who have experienced certain types of trauma, but can help them take ownership over their own bodies and their own actions (and thus their own emotional regulation).
Trauma in adolescence can have serious and far reaching consequences for overall development and can impact mental and emotional health immediately and later in life (Ovissi & Hagaman, 2020). Learning and memory can be compromised, which can predispose teenagers to mental health problems, including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Substance abuse is often a result of such trauma. Creators of the yoga curriculum The Ultimate Teen Toolkit (UTTK) correlate the link between increased stress and a teenager’s desire to seek pleasure as a coping mechanism, often in the form of substances, to feel better (Ovissi & Hagaman, 2020).
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recently recognized one specific trauma sensitive yoga curriculum, designed by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk and David Emerson, as an evidence-based intervention for trauma (Ovissi & Hagaman, 2020).
It would stand to reason, then, that trauma informed yoga practices introduced in the classroom can be used as an effective tool to help students learn how to cope with stress, making them less likely to turn to substance abuse or other forms of harmful activities. Through intentional mindfulness and regulation of the nervous system, students can learn to sit with uncomfortable feelings, which gives them time to consider alternative, healthier solutions.
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