Trauma-Informed Yoga: Creating Safer Spaces for Healing

In September of 2025, I visited Latour-Marliac in the southwest of France. I took many pictures including the default for this blog. Claude Monet was inspired to paint his famous lily pads at this special place. Latour-Marliac is also home to an amazing collection of lotus flowers. Lotuses are often used in yoga because they are the symbol of transformation. A Buddhist proverb states “The lotus flower blooms most beautifully from the deepest and thickest mud.”

If you’ve read my past few blogs, you may understand that I have always wanted to help. My father has called me “his kid with a gentle heart.” I have empathy and compassion for others that were instilled in me at an early age. Like with Caleb’s passing, there have been other traumatic events that have been quite damaging. I am diagnosed with PTSD from these traumatic events. I believe in holistic treatment methods such as yoga, massage, therapy and chiropractic.

At 40, my journey has brought me to this place. Yoga can be such a healing practice. This same support of community I have found in every single yoga retreat I have done. I have found that there is a welcoming safe space for yogis to join. Many yogis have gone through trauma that have led them to the mat. Wellness retreats are extremely healing.

I recently attended Rethreaded’s 15th Birthday Party. Rethreaded is a gem here in Jacksonville, Florida. This nonprofit supports women who have survived human trafficking by providing employment, career development and a community where they can rebuild their lives in a safe space. Listening to the owner Kristin discuss building Rethreaded really confirmed for me that these incredible women are the exact type of people I want to help.

This is why I decided to add certifications and credentials to my current 200-hour registered yoga teacher certification and Life Coach certification. I recently completed the following certifications:

• Trauma-Informed Yoga Certification

• Yoga Therapy for Anxiety

• Trauma-Informed Coaching Certification

I am also pursuing the following (set for completion in fall of 2026):

• Breathwork Certification

• Sound Healing

Creating a safe space for practitioners who could truly find healing through yoga is the goal. By definition: Trauma-informed yoga is an approach to teaching yoga that recognizes the effects of trauma and emphasizes safety, choice, empowerment and body awareness. So what does this practice help? It helps regulate the autonomic nervous system. It Increases awareness of bodily sensations in a safe environment. It supports a sense of agency through choice and autonomy and Reduces physiological stress responses through breath and mindful movement.

Research has found improvements in:

• PTSD symptoms

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Perceived stress

• Emotional regulation

• Body awareness (interception)

• Sleep quality

• Overall well-being and quality of life

• Mindfulness

• Self-compassion

• Heart rate variability (a marker of nervous system regulation) in some studies

Is this for you? The following populations are what the science shows helps the most:

• Veterans with PTSD• Survivors of interpersonal violence• Survivors of sexual assault• People with chronic stress and anxiety

As I am getting these additional certifications, I am realizing how healing it is for myself, so the thought of integrating these practices into helping others makes me so very happy. With the completion of these certifications, the following services will be offered:

• Trauma-Informed Yoga Sessions

• Yoga for Stress & Anxiety Relief

• Guided Breathwork Sessions

• Trauma-Informed Wellness Coaching

This is the direction of Zen Den Yoga. In a very oversaturated market, what do we need? Not another podcast or webinar. I believe we need genuine connection, safe spaces and practices that support people in reconnecting with themselves. Whether you are looking for a yoga session, a wellness experience or a retreat, there is a reason you have found Zen Den Yoga.