Stay Tuned for Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga Group in MN

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It has been an honor to offer donation-based Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY) for the past six weeks through The Center for Trauma and Embodiment.  I am grateful for the opportunity to make TCTSY more accessible as an immediate response to the coronavirus pandemic.

At this time, I will be offering TCTSY in individual psychotherapy sessions for those interested.  I plan to offer group TCTSY again at my office in Loring Park as stay-at-home orders are lifted.  As the yoga studio in my office is small, I will be monitoring the situation (coronavirus) closely to determine when it is safe for clients, me, and my business to offer TCTSY in a group format.

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What is Trauma Sensitive Yoga?

If you have ever felt empty, disconnectedness, or a sense of hopelessness in relationship to your body, you are not alone and it doesn't mean anything is wrong with you.  These feelings may be due to the impact past trauma has had on your body.

​As a result of traumatic life events, the parts that connect your brain and your body may have become disrupted.  Because of this, your body may tend to numb or shut down sometimes making it scary or challenging to feel.  You may feel worthless or that your life is a shell of what you hoped it would be.  You may feel overwhelmed with a variety of issues including anxiety, depression, numbing, or seemingly unexplainable body aches and pains (to name a few).

There is a way to shift this!

The way through these trauma related issues is through the body.  Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga is an opportunity for you to be in complete control of your body in the present moment.  You are welcome to make choices and notice feelings in your body in a way that feels useful to you.

​You will have an opportunity to practice movement in your body on your own terms.

By noticing your body and beginning to feel sensations in your body you can actually rewire the neural networks in your brain that communicate your right to be in this world, that is, your essential worthiness.

You may decide to notice feelings or sensations in your body during this practice.

You will be invited to experience movement, making choices about that movement (or non-movement), noticing sensations in your body, and taking effective action.  From this place, you may begin to grow towards greater love and self-acceptance.

To help create a safe environment for this practice, Jen will not move around the room and there will be no physical assists or adjustments.  You will get to be in your own space on the mat, choosing how you would like to move (or not move), with verbal invitations to experiment with some yoga forms.  Additionally, class size will be capped at twelve participants.

Click here to learn more about Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga, brought to you by the Center for Trauma and Embodiment at JRI.

Is this a clinical treatment?

Yes! Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY) is a SAMHSA approved, evidenced-based protocol for treating PTSD and Complex Trauma developed by leading researchers in the field of trauma and psychology. TCTSY is based on clinical trials performed at the Trauma Center at JRI in Brookline, Massachusetts by psychiatrist and leading trauma researcher Dr. Bessel van der Kolk and yoga teacher David Emerson.

Jen Baumgardner, E-RYT (200) and TCTSY-F, holds an advanced certification in Trauma Sensitive Yoga from the Trauma Center in Brookline, Massachusetts. She is one of only three people in the state of Colorado certified in this method and one of only 160 people worldwide.

TCTSY is a somatic modality that has been proven as an effective adjunctive treatment for psychological trauma. The intent of it is to engage the neural networks in the brain impacted by trauma. Through the process of ​interoception, feeling and moving the body, we can reconnect the damaged neural networks. Interoception is a learn-able skill we can practice together!

Additional potential benefits include:

• Enhanced ability to make healthy choices in your life
• Feeling more at ease in your body
• Integration of physical and mental health
• Greater acceptance of yourself and your body
• Increased self-worth
• Connection to self and others

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TCTSY Research & Resources

To read research on this specific protocol, click here.

For further reading, check out David Emerson's books:

Trauma-Sensitive Yoga in Therapy:  Bringing the Body into Treatment

Overcoming Trauma Through Yoga: Reclaiming Your Body

You may also find Bessel van der Kolk's book useful:

The Body Keeps the Score:  Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma

"No intervention that takes power away form the survivor can possibly foster her recovery, no matter how much it appears to be in her own best interests"
-Judith Herman: Trauma & Recovery

Is this class a fit for me?

The Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga is meant for anyone who self-identifies as a woman having experienced trauma. Whether you have experienced physical, verbal, or sexual abuse or neglect, TCTSY can help you integrate the fragmented parts of yourself to help you feel more whole and at ease in your body. These small group sessions are designed to help foster a sense of safety creating space for healing.

Frequently Asked Questions

​Q: How does TCTSY differ from other forms of yoga?

TCTSY is not focused on the yoga forms themselves, but rather utilizes yoga forms as opportunities for choosing to move (or not move) our bodies on our own terms as well as potentially notice our bodies' sensations (interoception). It is an evidenced-based protocol to help rewire neural connections that have become disrupted from trauma.

Q: How do I know I have the "right" type of trauma for this protocol?

TCTSY was developed for people with a history of complex trauma and/or with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). However, you do not need to have a diagnosis of PTSD to participate. If you are uncertain about whether or not this protocol would work for you, contact us to schedule your complimentary consultation.

Q: Is TCTSY a form of psychotherapy?

No. TCTSY is an adjunctive treatment for psychotherapy and works well as a complement to psychotherapy. In TCTSY there is no talking or verbal processing of the trauma and no need to go into the story of what happened. Instead the focus is on the present moment experience. That is, we strive to not engage the cognitive part of the brain at all during this practice.

Q: Do I need to be in psychotherapy to participate?

Yes. There is no talking involved in TCTSY. Since TCTSY is an adjunctive treatment, it is important that you have access to a mental health professional for your safety, to have space to verbally process anything that comes up, and to assist with integrating the practice. TCTSY has been shown to enhance progress in traditional psychotherapy.

Q: What if I am not in psychotherapy, can I still participate?

TCTSY is an adjunctive treatment best experienced as a complement to traditional psychotherapy. If you would like assistance finding a therapist, Jen can try to help you with this in the initial consultation.

Q: What if I become triggered in class?
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Emotions may come up in class as they do in the rest of life. Jen will offer grounding techniques to help re-center if you become dysregulated. Also, you will be invited to participate in a way that is useful for you from moment to moment. If you need special attention, Jen will be available during class and if anything arises afterwards you can connect with your psychotherapist.

Q: What about confidentiality?
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All participants and the facilitator (Jen) agree to keeping participants in the series confidential including any and all information revealed throughout the series. Additionally, other studio teachers will be requested to keep their knowledge of participants confidential as well. If you have additional concerns about confidentiality, ask Jen at your initial consultation.

Q: How should I dress for this class?

Since there are opportunities for movement in class, comfortable clothes are recommended.

​Q: Do I need to bring anything for class?

Mats will be provided, but you are welcome to bring your own if you prefer. Blankets are also available for use. You are welcome to bring water if you like.

Q: What kind of feedback will you be requesting?

You are always welcome to provide direct feedback to Jen about your experience of the class following each practice. Part of what has made TCTSY so effective is that participants of it have provided feedback on their experience which has been utilized to shift the protocol and improve efficacy.

Q: How many other people will be in class?

Classes are limited to five women.