FAQs
What are the benefits of yoga?
Working with a qualified yoga instructor offers a wide range of benefits. While this list isn't exhaustive, here are just some of the positive effects you might experience:
Reduction in symptoms of anxiety & depression
Better sleep quality
Enhanced mood & energy levels
Strengthened immune function
Improved emotional regulation
Sharper working memory
Better balance & coordination
Increased range of motion & physical strength
More effective pain management
Do I need to be flexible to start yoga?
You don’t need to be flexible to start yoga. On the contrary, yoga is where one can go to become more flexible, physically and mentally.
What do I need to wear and bring to yoga class?
Wear comfortable clothes that you can move and stretch easily in. Yoga is practiced in bare feet. You may bring your own yoga mat and water, although if you forget your mat, I have an extra for you to use.
Is it safe to practice yoga with injuries or health conditions?
If there is an injury or health condition you are concerned about, ask your doctor if you can practice yoga. Most concerns can be addressed with a teacher who encourages self awareness and communication. There are so many ways to accommodate many different concerns. When needing extra attention, it can also be helpful to request private instruction.
What if I have trouble getting down on the floor?
A yoga practice should always meet a student where they are. It is possible in group classes to practice seated in a chair or standing when you wish. It’s important to honor what you’re feeling in your body. Many things other students do on the floor could be interpreted seated or standing. If you are interested in a class that works around your specific needs, it could be beneficial to look into private instruction.
How is private yoga different from group classes?
In a private setting, a yoga instructor can give you their full, undivided attention, something that’s not always possible in group classes where their attention is being shared among many students. You’ll also have more time for communicating with your teacher and receiving guidance tailored specifically to you. Working privately, your practice can be personalized for you to work steadily towards your long term goals as well as meet you where you are day to day, moment to moment. Whether you’re hoping to deepen your yoga practice, navigate challenges you may be facing, or are new to yoga and could use extra guidance, private lessons are very beneficial.
Group classes offer something special too— a chance to be in community alongside others, feeling the energy of a shared experience. Here you will be encouraged to honor your own pace and needs in the moment.
What is Trauma?
Trauma could be defined simply as an event, emotion or experience not fully processed by the body, it often becomes stuck in our body’s fascia. Your fascia is like a web of tissue throughout your body without a beginning or end. This stored tension creates patterns of discomfort, restriction and imbalance that ripple through every dimension of life. Tension doesn’t just affect the body, it ripples into how we think, feel and connect with others. It shapes our perceptions and potential for transformation. Trauma can result from our interpersonal relationships or the systems of our society.
Who Benefits from Trauma Sensitive Yoga?
Some people know they’ve experienced a “traumatic” event, something overtly traumatizing. Others may have had a negative experience wherein their needs weren’t met; it wasn’t overt, but could be described as covert. These covert experiences can sometimes be harder to recognize in that we aren’t as likely to validate it as something worth addressing. But it’s important to understand, trauma isn’t just about the event itself, it’s about how the body responds when it can’t fully process what happened that leaves it’s imprint. Sometimes it’s that we haven’t had some of our needs met, and had no one to turn to at that time in need. Trauma takes hold in the absence of choice and agency. TCTSY is a model of Trauma Sensitive Yoga that can help someone with those unprocessed emotions by facilitating options for movement and awareness allowing you to decide what feels supportive in your own body, restoring agency.