What does it mean to be Trauma Informed?

Our bodies are the encyclopedia of our lives. When we cultivate a mindfulness practice, we are opening up an encyclopedia that stores everything that has happened to us, through us, for us, in front of us, behind our back, in our heads… It is important to step into this endeavor knowing that an estimated 90% of the population has been exposed to a traumatic event and 8-20% will develop PTSD. The vast majority of the yoga industry is NOT equipped to deal with this.

We need to critically examine the frameworks we have been offered, and be increasingly informed about our role as community leaders and advocates of contemplative practices. A more nuanced conversation that includes BOTH the benefits and limitations of these practices is desperately needed. This is not to discourage people from meditating, on the contrary, this is to make the practices more powerful and applicable to a contemporary audience.

We have all heard of and possibly experienced the benefits of yoga and meditation (more aware of my body, less identified with turbulent thoughts, shifts in perspectives, etc. ). I also know and have been one of those people who do not share in that experience fully and felt deeply ashamed when I couldn’t sit with what was coming up for me. Often I would feel like I failed at meditation, was doing something wrong, and was irrevocably broken.

For people who’ve experienced trauma, mindfulness can exacerbate symptoms of traumatic stress. This includes (and is not limited to) flashbacks, heightened emotional arousal, dissociation, disorientation, distress, and humiliation for somehow making things worse. For those who are experiencing or have experienced meditation- related difficulties associated with trauma, all I can do is reassure you that you are not alone; what you are experiencing is not your fault.

As a community leader, it is important to provide grounded teachers that support a safe and trauma integrated practice and avoid re-traumatization.

How can we minimize the potential dangers while leveraging potential benefits at the same time?

(To be continued)