TCTSY
No intervention that takes power away from the survivor can possibly foster their recovery, no matter how much it appears to be in their immediate best interest.
Judith Herman, Trauma and Recovery
Trauma Centre Trauma Sensitive Yoga
Trauma Centre Trauma Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY) is an evidence-based, adjunctive treatment for complex trauma that focuses on giving people an opportunity to notice body sensation (interoception). It is offered in the context of a safe relationship, based on an invitational approach to yoga forms, with no physical assists.
TCTSY has been studied in several randomized controlled trials and has shown encouraging results, especially for people with early life, relational trauma (chronic physical, sexual emotional abuse and/or neglect).
TCTSY is informed by trauma theory, attachment theory and neuroscience. The key principles interwoven within each session are invitational language, choice-making, interception (body sensation), shared authentic experience and non-coercion. These five principles contrast with the experiences that create trauma. Other themes and elements that influence sessions are predictability, routine, repetition, present moment experience, taking effective action and consistency.
Each one-on-one session will be designed with your needs in mind. To find more details about TCTSY, including research papers, please visit the TCTSY website.
What to expect
TCTSY has been designed to be a part of treatment for complex, inter-relational trauma, although you don't have to be receiving additional psychological care to practice TCTSY.
It can be helpful to talk about your experiences of TCTSY with a supportive person.
You will not be asked or expected to talk about your trauma history as part of TCTSY.
The focus is on noticing what you feel in your body (this is called interoception) and practicing making choices about what to do with your body based on what you feel. You will never be told what to do with the forms but rather invited to engage with the forms, as you like.
Sessions
There are currently no public group sessions. To discuss one-on-one sessions or organise a group session, please contact me.
TCTSY within organisations
TCTSY can be an effective adjunct treatment for complex trauma or chronic, treatment-resistant post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It can be useful to complement other therapeutic modalities. If your organisation would like to discuss introducing TCTSY as an adjunct treatment, please get in touch.
Training
If your organisation would like a training session, an introduction to TCTSY, or more information about TCTSY, please get in touch.
I know it's kind of strange but it's almost as if my mind became more connected to my thoughts and what I did to my body...[Yoga] game me structure, like a place to start building or become more aware. I think it gave me a starting place.
TCTSY research participant
With yoga, I reclaimed my body. This is a gift because I hated my body...I think yoga helped define me. It was a long process to consider myself not an outline...just inhibiting my own skin is a major step forward.
TCTSY research participant
I am a settler-coloniser living and working on the land of the Wurundjeri-willam, Woiwurrung people in the Kulin Nation. I pay my respects to their Elders past and present and any Indigenous people visiting this website. Sovereignty has not been ceded. This always was and always will be Aboriginal land.
Free Palestine, from the river to sea. Free all oppressed lands; land back, liberation, end all colonial occupation.