Lesson 6: Trauma-Informed Principles: Collaboration

gabrielle 17 June 2024

The fifth and final principle focuses on the power of sharing and the maximisation of collaboration to promote human connection and togetherness.

“This Program has inspired me to start Yoga Teacher Training”. – DV Survivor

“I like that the teacher is in a regular body and is strong and fit and healthy. It makes me think I can also be like that in my body”. – DV Survivor

Way to promote collaboration include:

Being aware of any power imbalance: actively work to minimize hierarchy and maximise collaboration and sharing.
Highlighting commonality rather than differences amongst participants and teacher: no power differential. It helps to adopt a relaxed style: there are no ‘perfect poses’.
A sensitivity to the level of disclosure everyone is comfortable with – some are open to discussing with the teacher the specifics of their life, whereas others prefer to keep their personal life private.
Keeping any group shares simple and present-focused and inviting participants to share more detailed disclosures before and after class in more private settings.
Checking in with people during class – open discussion, chats, laughs, Q&A throughout.
Creating connection through sharing (for example, invitation for morning/afternoon tea after the practice).
Checking the tone: no judgment, all bodies are yoga bodies, harness curiosity – encourage curious sensing rather than projecting your own experience in a pose.
Considering offering a choice of class themes, perhaps suggested by participants, for example, self-compassion, resilience, self-soothing.
Exploring through the check-ins how the lessons from the practice can be integrated in their human experience off the mat.

Goal: Foster an understanding community that supports those in recovery.

Acknowledgements

All the participants of The Yoga Foundation programs: domestic violence victim-survivors, people experiencing homelessness, people recovering from complex trauma, addiction, and mental ill health. We acknowledge your courage and have learnt so much from you all.
Yoga teachers and yoga therapists: Samantha Bijok, Moira Medcalf and Mischa Telford.
Yoga teachers Natalie Haider and Melissa Shadforth who kindly contributed to the Safety sections of this course.