An 8-week Self-Paced Yoga as Healing Course for Sexual Assault Survivors

The 8-week Yoga as Healing program will explore re-connection to the self through mind, body, and spirit. This program will provide survivors of sexual violence a means of becoming reacquainted with their bodies, help them become grounded in the present moment, and allow them to explore the benefits of mindfulness as they flow breath to movement in guided trauma-informed practice and meditation.

Memories of sexually violent experiences can be intrusive, which can create challenges for survivors. These memories can also make it difficult for survivors who are looking to establish connection in their lives and learn how to trust again. The entire experience of practicing yoga, can help survivors find union between seemingly disconnected and challenging aspects of the self; allowing participants to slowly build the pieces into an integrated whole.

This program provides the opportunity for survivors to:

• Access 8 audio recordings of themed trauma-informed yoga classes
• Find peace and healing through trauma-informed yoga practice
• Develop positive coping skills including strengthening inner resources⁣⁣⁣
• Learn self-care strategies and mindfulness around setting and asserting boundaries⁣⁣⁣
• Exercise the choices they have to move their body in ways that feel comfortable
• Learn to establish connection to self, trust others, and strengthen relationships
• Establish safety and stability in the body
• Tap into inner strength and build resiliency skills
• Build positive coping strategies for managing painful experiences
• Regain power and control through mindful movements and reconnection to the body
• Ease feelings of depression, stress, and anxiety⁣⁣⁣
• Ease symptoms of PTSD⁣⁣⁣
• Increase feelings of self-compassion⁣⁣⁣ and strengthen self-esteem⁣⁣⁣

The course explores the following themes over an 8-week series:

• Class 1: Intention and Orientation
• Class 2: Safety
• Class 3: Self-Care
• Class 4: Boundaries
• Class 5: Assertiveness
• Class 6: Strength
• Class 7: Trust
• Class 8: Acceptance + Self-Love

Yoga provides a safe and accessible way for survivors to explore their healing internally and uncovers layers of pain to get to the core of who they have always been. It offers them a beautiful form of expression that moves beyond trying to find the words to articulate how they feel. These inward experiences of healing on the yoga mat can support survivors in developing positive coping strategies. Past participants have shared that they were empowered to report what had happened to them because they felt strong and stable in their bodies, others were able to be intimate again with a partner because they felt they could assertively communicate their boundaries, and many participants have shared how the program allowed them to experience self-compassion for the very first time.

Survivors have also shared that the yoga as healing program increased their confidence and self-esteem, helped them learn how to trust themselves and others, allowed them to develop a strong sense of community, helped them incorporate self-care strategies, and empowered them to seek other resources.

Please note that this training does not replace formal treatment. If you are in crisis, please consider contacting the free and confidential National Sexual Assault Crisis Hotline for immediate support, local resources and options at 1-800-656-4673, visiting their online chatroom for support, or calling 911.

Students will be asked to complete a waiver before accessing the course materials.