Namaste, Reader!

Welcome back to our series on trauma-informed yoga teaching! Each week, we’re exploring why and how a trauma-informed approach is essential for creating safe, accessible, and inclusive yoga spaces—and how you can start integrating these principles into your teaching right away.

Last week, we discussed Invitational Language and how using gentle, non-directive cues creates a more welcoming environment. Many of you shared your thoughts on how small language shifts helped create a sense of ease in your classes. Thank you for sharing those reflections!

This Week’s Focus: Providing Options

Today, let’s look at another foundational principle: Providing Options. Offering choices to students, from variations of poses to the use of props, empowers them to engage with the practice at whatever level feels best for them. Trauma-informed yoga is all about creating a supportive space where each individual has the autonomy to decide what feels comfortable and right in their body.

Why Options Matter: When students are given the freedom to choose, it:

• Increases Accessibility: Options make yoga possible for those with varying abilities and needs, allowing each student to feel successful.
• Empowers Self-Awareness: Students become more attuned to their bodies, cultivating a sense of agency as they decide which movements are right for them.
• Builds Confidence: By choosing their level of engagement, students feel validated and confident, knowing they’re in control of their practice.

As you integrate this principle, consider offering different variations for each pose. For example, if you’re teaching a forward fold, encourage students to use blocks or bend their knees if that feels best. Remind them that yoga isn’t about achieving a specific shape but about finding what feels good in their body.

Creative Exercise: Adapting for Accessibility

To help you begin integrating this principle, here’s a reflective exercise: Think about a simple sequence, such as Cat-Cow or Warrior poses. Imagine teaching this to a student who may not have full range of motion in their knees or wrists, or who may use a wheelchair. How could you adapt the sequence to honor their abilities? Consider options like offering seated variations or using props to support each pose.

Feel free to reply to this email with your ideas or questions. I’d love to hear your creative solutions for making yoga accessible for everyone!

From My Heart 2 Yours,
Taylor Lee Hitaffer, RYT-500, CYMC
Heart2Brain Yoga

P.S. If you haven’t already downloaded the FREE Trauma-Informed Yoga Teaching Checklist, you can grab your REVISED copy HERE! This resource will help guide you in integrating trauma-informed principles into your teaching.

P.P.S. Follow Heart2Brain Yoga on Instagram and Facebook for more mindfulness!

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