Faculty - Lisa Greenbaum

It is vital that we make time in our life for our own healing, which can only happen when we stop. In this workshop, we are creating this time for ourselves. Creating space so we can let go?let go of the plan, let go of how we think we are supposed to be. Slowing down our movements, connecting to our breath and listening to the subtle whispers of our body, we begin this healing journey together. In simply becoming present we begin to unravel the chronically held tension from our bodies, quiet our fight-or-flight response, and release stress and trauma.This workshop will discuss the latest scientific research on trauma and how we can apply these findings to our yoga practice as both teachers and students. Working through somatic healing (through the body), we will also explore flow sequencing, breathing and meditation techniques to release chronically held tension, and the negative thought patterns that follow a traumatic event.

Using Yoga as a healing modality requires an ebb and flow through our sensory experience. While we know that restorative yoga provides the ultimate rest we crave, for many of us?particularly those healing from trauma or PTSD?this space is inaccessible. Learn how to provide a healing practice for yourself or your clients by gently activating our sympathetic nervous system or sensation-driven poses in an effort toward quieting and restoring mind and body or deep rest. Gently balancing our nervous system, releasing chronically held stress and anxiety, healing from the inside, through the body.

There is an emerging concept in the study of healing from trauma: post-traumatic growth. The idea is that despite and also because of the trauma experienced, there is an opportunity to move beyond healing, to experience a sense of connection, and even joy, that wasn?t available before the trauma. Learn to embrace this empowerment of self that comes from within, where we can honor and accept our whole selves and allow our inner light to shine brightly. Until processed, trauma will linger in our body as chronic tension and stress. In this workshop we will discuss and practice daily self-care techniques for both ourselves and our clients to move out of the shadows and into the light.

We all have our stories, and for some people they involve traumatic chapters of abuse or neglect. Somatically, we store these experiences in our body and tissues, and many of the movements of a typical Yoga practice?such as backbends and hip openers?can unexpectedly trigger these repressed memories and emotions. Join Lisa to learn why, in a trauma-informed practice, we must be cognizant of the space, the poses, our adjustments and, most importantly, our language. Through understanding these concepts, you can work towards creating a safe and open environment for healing and release in your students and clients. This workshop shares the latest scientific research on trauma, including the polyvagal theory and the social nervous system, and combines it with Eastern traditional methods of Yoga to provide a trauma-informed Yoga practice that anyone can do.