About
Trauma Sensitive Yoga Instructor
My journey into yoga ...
Hi, I’m Gail. I had been practising yoga and attending classes for several years before attending my first yoga retreat in 2017 in Spain. I felt I had come home in a way I had never experienced in my whole life and by the end of the week I knew I had to become a teacher.
Exactly one year later I was in Rishikesh in India completing my first yoga training. I chose to take my training in the foothills of the Himalayas because I wanted to totally immerse myself in the culture and the training with no distractions of my everyday life back home.
My journey to TCTSY (Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga) began in 2020 with a 40 hour Trauma Sensitive Yoga Foundational Training with the Yoga Therapy Insititute, Amsterdam.
Then in 2022 I completed a further 300 hours TCTSY training with the Center for Trauma and Embodiment. I have been working with different charities over the past few years facilitating Trauma Sensitive Yoga but now want to make this beautiful embodiment practice more accessible and available to everyone.
Services
What is Trauma Sensitive Yoga?
Trauma Sensitive Yoga (or TCTSY – Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga) is a body based (somatic) therapeutic intervention for PTSD and CPTSD. It is based on Hatha Yoga with foundations in trauma theory, attachment theory and neuroscience. In 2017 TCTSY became the first dedicated yoga practice for the treatment of psychological trauma. It is not a talking therapy.
What to Expect in a Class
* There are no hands on assists – no one will place hands on you to adjust you for any reason
* There is no right or wrong way to practice a form – instead, we explore shapes/forms and movement as an opportunity to practice noticing sensations in the body
* Every stage of the practice is an invitation and you can choose to accept or decline without judgment – therefore everyone could be moving in a different way or practising a different form
* Emphasis is based on the internal felt experience of each individual
How Can it Help?
* To find a sense of grounding and to restore connection of the mind and body and to nurture a sense of agency over your body
* To feel empowered and to make choices for your body in the present moment
* To increase interoception - the process by which the nervous system senses, interprets, and integrates signals originating from within the body
* Maintain well-being: It plays a role in physical and mental health, including self-regulation, mental health, social connection and embodiment
In the latest studies increased interoception shows a decrease in PTSD symptoms
Who is Trauma Sensitive Yoga For?
As well as a therapeutic intervention for trauma, Trauma Sensitive Yoga is for anyone that is looking for a deeper connection to their body; for anyone that would like to move at their own pace; to reduce stress, tension and anxiety; helps to regulate your nervous system, build self-awareness and acceptance, which can lead to a greater sense of well-being and improved mood.
Suitable for all levels – no previous yoga experience needed.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions – no obligation or commitment to attend classes.
For those of you wishing to attend these classes as a specific therapeutic intervention for PTSD or CPTSD I would advise that we have an initial chat to go over any concerns, anything you would like me to be aware of or questions you may have. With no commitment to attend classes.
No special ‘yoga clothes’ needed – wear whatever you feel comfortable in.
£10 per class