Trauma-informed yoga for survivors of sexual assault: The book
It is with great excitement that I share that W. W. Norton & Company will be publishing my book Trauma-Informed Yoga for Survivors of Sexual Assault!
CONCEPT AND APPROACH
We are at a critical time in our world where survivors of sexual violence are boldly and courageously speaking their truth. The #MeToo movement has paralleled the trauma informed yoga movement for some time now, and now more than ever there is a powerful convergence of the two. Stories live inside the bodies of trauma survivors, many who are not able to vocalize their experiences for a multitude of reasons including their own safety or because they hold marginalized identities.
Sexual violence impacts all aspects of human functioning: the physical, mental, behavioral, social, and spiritual. For years the sexual violence movement has been limited in resources and services, offering talk therapy as one of the only solutions for seeking help in the healing process. While each survivor’s healing process is unique—due to factors such as cultural barriers and stigma around seeking mental health services—it is essential that sexual violence providers and support agencies offer multiple pathways for survivors to heal.
Trauma-informed yoga in particular is a unique and effective way to help survivors heal. The practice helps survivors safely reconnect to their bodies, allowing them to access resources when they are ready. Additionally, survivors have shared that the practice decreased their symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression, helped them develop positive coping strategies, empowered them to report what happened to them to law enforcement and/or the campus Title IX office, allowed them to be intimate again with a partner, and supported them in practicing self-compassion, amongst many other benefits (University of California Study, 2018).
This book will show how to offer yoga to survivors of sexual assault in a safe, effective, evidence-based, and healing way. Drawing upon the framework of trauma-informed care and expertise in trauma-informed yoga program development and curriculum, this book explores practical considerations for yoga teachers, mental health professionals, educators, activists, healing professionals, and survivors who are interested in integrating trauma-informed yoga into the scope of their work and/or healing. Filling a much needed gap in service delivery for survivors, this book will focus on providing trauma-informed education at its intersection with yoga, providing a comprehensive overview of how to work mindfully and compassionately with the sensitive and intentional needs of survivors of sexual assault.
WRITING JOURNEY
I never imagined I would be writing my book amidst this pandemic. There are so many days I want to hibernate, yet I am finding that there are also moments where I feel so much that I need to move it from my body to pen and paper.
I am leaning into those bursts of inspiration and creativity, even though they may be infrequent, because they sustain me and give me an outlet to process and cope with big feelings.
I just had a beautiful conversation on the For Women Who Roar podcast and we talked about how as little girls we had journal diaries with heart lockets and keys that stored our secrets. Before the age of social media, we had a sacred place for our thoughts. I hope amidst it all, you are honoring your voice and your needs. You deserve to have a safe and unfiltered place to write out all the things you are holding.
I think this book was meant to be birthed amidst a messy and unlinear timeline because it mirrors the healing process and is unearthing resilience in ways I haven't yet had a language for. And as my dear friend Azita Nahai says, "...let's face it, if we were signing up for easy, we wouldn't be here- humaning our way through this life- constantly braving our way through the new, the unfamiliar, and the uncertain."
I have poured my entire being into this book. It is a combination of personal narrative, survivor truths, a supportive guide for those looking to integrate #traumainformedyoga into the scope of their work, a fierce, yet tender lens of advocacy, and a soft place to land for survivors. There’s still a ways to go but I can't wait to see you hold it in your hands and your hearts. Thank you for trusting me. You are welcome to sign up for my newsletter and continue to travel the journey together.