Hour 111 Yoga Therapy – Survivors of Abuse

Yoga Therapy for Survivors of Abuse

Introduction

Survivors of abuse—whether emotional, physical, sexual, or psychological—carry wounds that often transcend the body and permeate their thoughts, emotions, and sense of safety. Conventional therapy can address some aspects of healing, but many survivors feel disassociated from their bodies or overwhelmed by somatic memories. Yoga therapy offers a profoundly empowering tool to aid in the process of reclaiming agency, rebuilding trust in the self, and healing through mindful, compassionate movement.

This chapter explores how yoga therapy supports abuse survivors with trauma-informed practices, choice-based frameworks, grounding techniques, and breath-centered approaches. Through asanas, breathwork, and presence-building exercises, survivors can begin to feel safe in their own skin again.

Understanding the Impact of Abuse

Abuse leaves a profound imprint on the nervous system. Survivors often live in a state of hypervigilance, dissociation, or emotional numbness. The body may hold trauma in the form of chronic tension, tight muscles, shallow breathing, and digestive or sleep issues.

Common themes among survivors include:

• Disconnection from the body
• Lack of safety and self-trust
• Flashbacks, anxiety, or depression
• Shame or guilt
• Avoidance of touch or physical sensation

Yoga therapy, when offered through a trauma-sensitive lens, helps survivors feel present, reconnected, and safe to explore their inner landscape without judgment or pressure.

Case Study: Meera’s Healing Journey

Meera, a 27-year-old woman, had experienced childhood abuse and was later in an emotionally abusive relationship. She struggled with self-worth, panic attacks, and avoided physical closeness. Conventional counseling helped her articulate her trauma, but she still felt disconnected from her body.

In her first yoga therapy session, Meera was given complete choice—whether to move or rest, close her eyes or keep them open. No one adjusted her physically. Over weeks, she explored slow movements like Cat-Cow and Child’s Pose, gradually reconnecting with her breath. By her tenth session, Meera shared that she felt “back home” in her body—a place that once felt unsafe.

Principles of Trauma-Informed Yoga Therapy

1. Choice over compliance: Always offer options and empower the survivor to decide what feels right.
2. Safety before sensation: Sensory experiences must be paced and predictable. Avoid overwhelming intensity.
3. No physical adjustments: Respect boundaries. Instead, use verbal cues and demonstrations.
4. Grounding and presence: Build awareness of the here-and-now, not past trauma or future fear.
5. Inclusive, neutral language: Avoid triggering terms or spiritual bypassing.

Key Asanas for Abuse Survivors

1. Tadasana (Mountain Pose)

• Significance: Promotes grounding, stillness, and self-awareness.
• Modification: Practice with feet hip-width apart and eyes softly open. Hands can rest by the sides or palms touching the heart.
• Why It Helps: Encourages presence and helps survivors notice physical sensations in a safe stance.

2. Balasana (Child’s Pose)

• Significance: A calming, inward-facing posture that fosters security.
• Modification: Use a bolster under the torso or place a blanket under the hips.
• Why It Helps: Offers a protected space to rest, without overstimulation. Useful for moments of overwhelm.

3. Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclining Bound Angle Pose)

• Significance: Opens the heart area gently while resting.
• Modification: Support the knees with blocks or cushions. Add an eye pillow for grounding.
• Why It Helps: Encourages gentle vulnerability with full bodily support, aiding in emotional release.

4. Marjaryasana–Bitilasana (Cat-Cow Stretch)

• Significance: Synchronizes breath with movement.
• Modification: Can be done seated in a chair or on all fours.
• Why It Helps: Builds rhythm, flow, and breath-body connection—especially helpful for those with disassociation.

5. Savasana (Corpse Pose)

• Significance: Integration and deep rest.
• Modification: Offer the option to keep knees bent, eyes open, or lie on one side. Place a blanket on the body for containment.
• Why It Helps: Reintroduces the concept of relaxation in a safe, supported way—very healing for hyperaroused nervous systems.

Breathwork and Mindfulness Tools

• Ujjayi Breath (Victorious Breath): Slow, audible breath that brings attention to the present.
• Box Breathing (4x4x4x4): Creates predictable rhythm and reduces anxiety.
• Counting Breath: Inhale for 4, exhale for 6—extending exhalation helps calm the vagus nerve.
• Body Scan Meditation: Move attention gently through the body with neutrality and compassion.
• Affirmation Practice: “I am safe in this moment,” “My body belongs to me.”

Therapist Guidelines for Practice

• Begin with grounding: Use touchstones like breath, mat, or feet on the floor.
• Always give choices: Empowerment begins when the client feels in control.
• Let silence be okay: Avoid pushing reflections or spiritual interpretations.
• Watch for dissociation: Guide clients to open their eyes or move if they seem disconnected.
• End with integration: A few moments of journaling or reflection can help process the experience.

Conclusion

Yoga therapy can be a deeply transformative ally for survivors of abuse. It allows survivors to re-inhabit their bodies with choice, dignity, and awareness. It reminds them that healing is not about perfection or forgetting the past—but about reclaiming their right to feel whole and safe again.

In a world that often silences the wounds of abuse, yoga offers a whisper of hope—a path of embodied empowerment, one breath and one pose at a time.