Has anyone had success with yoga?

[StellaBlue]

If she means she doesn't want you doing yoga classes AT ALL, even before you've started EMDR that just sounds a bit barmy.

I think, with trauma, it pays to research different yoga styles and teachers before taking a class. Not only can the yoga itself trigger emotions, but having a lot of people close by or a teacher touching you to show you a position can be disconcerting to say the least. There are also yoga "schools" that might not be suitable for someone who could be triggered and is looking to use it primarily for grounding and relaxation - for example, Bikram (hot yoga), where the room is kept very hot and participants are sweaty and males might be shirtless.

Bessel van der Kolk's group at the Trauma Center in Boston has some information (and classes if you're lucky enough to live there) on yoga for trauma. Their teachers specifically do not touch participants and are very careful with the words they use when teaching yoga. I believe they have a video they've compiled...and a book as well. Check out their website (google Bessel van der Kolk Trauma Center).

 

[Anthy]

I want to try yoga, but at this point, I am not ready for it. When I exercise, I tend to get panic attacks or simply a deep, heavy, bad feeling in my stomach. I think having a physical stress on my body exacerbates the whole "stress disorder" thing. :confused: I hear from a lot of people yoga can be intense, even basic yoga, for people who are out of it / physically unfit.

I get anxiety when I hear music / ambient noise that's supposed to be "calming." Breathing exercises give me total freak-outs, they are a big no-no. I read on here that people who were choked / had a heavy weight on their chest as related to their trauma, often become triggered by breathing exercises. So, be mindful of that with yoga. I know it's not something I can handle.

I am transgender, so I am already pretty distanced from my body on the regular. I'm not even sure how to get to know my body on a more intimate level because of how unattached I feel from it normally. I don't even know if that would be a good thing.

To prepare myself for (someday) entering a yoga class, I've started basic stretching, with a loose goal of "Learn How To Do A Split" (more realistically: stretch the muscles associated with doing splits). Some of them are difficult to do because they leave the area between my legs exposed. My posture is pretty stiff, so it becomes way too obvious to me that it's exposed and gives me the starting twinkle of a trigger.

I hope you find yoga useful and perhaps trying basic stretches by yourself or in your therapist's office will help you gauge how you'll react to yoga? Good luck! :)

 

[Chava]

Attention to breathing makes me very anxious. I start feeling like I'm not doing it right and I'm dying (probably related to lung collapse and various intubations). So I ignore those instructions for now! (works okay in Pilates because my attention is neatly divided between breathe and movement, but more focused on movement). Even in Zen meditation, where the focus is on the breath and there is nothing to do but sit and breathe (#%!"), a good teacher will tell you to focus on whatever keeps you present...sounds, the feeling of your posture, etc. A priest told me sound can be very helpful, since it's always present. I choose my own beautiful yoga music for home...feels very peaceful. Just leave out what is unhelpful...few yogis or meditators are hell-bent on rules. The point is to stay present. I bring my attention right to my body, my posture...sometimes the wind or traffic...all in the here-and-now (vs the everywhere and nowhere and all-time feelings I have from trauma).

 

[Springer80]

It also helps that she lives on a beautiful New England road through farms and open land. It is a very peaceful experience.

She is such a fantastic teacher and has a wonderful studio with all the blankets and bolsters we need. Most of the women fall asleep!!

Dreamy. Does she cook?! I'll move in. :wideeyed:

 

[KwanYingirl]

Sorry she hasn't offered that as an option! There a many times there I am so freaking relaxed, I don't want to go home.

 

[KwanYingirl]

@StellaBlue I called Bessel Van see Kolks office to try to get an appt to have him as my psychiatrist and he answered his own phone!!!! We had a long chat and he was very kind, but I lived in NH at the time 1 hour away and from what I told him on the phone, he asked me to find someone close to home. He's the real deal.

 

[StellaBlue]

A book I love is "Yoga for Pain Relief"...applicable for tension too because the author writes about how yoga can help us heal the relationship to our body and gain awareness...and descriptions of gentle sequences.

I got this book out of the library a couple of days ago! It has a lot of the poses I've been learning with my yoga teacher, which is really helpful when I get home and can't quite remember what she's taught me.

@StellaBlue I called Bessel Van see Kolks office to try to get an appt to have him as my psychiatrist and he answered his own phone!!!! We had a long chat and he was very kind, but I lived in NH at the time 1 hour away and from what I told him on the phone, he asked me to find someone close to home. He's the real deal.

I half seriously considered moving to Boston to be in his program. When I was still struggling with "I don't have PTSD, I'm just crazy" (round 456), my therapist leant me a couple of DVDs where he (and a couple of other thought leaders in the field) discusses PTSD, treatment, etc. It was the final "aha" moment I needed to accept the trauma as the core of my issues.

 

[Springer80]

I called Bessel Van see Kolks office to try to get an appt to have him as my psychiatrist and he answered his own phone!!!!

Yikes!!! :wtf: I think that would have made my noggin go pop. It's like getting on the blower to Yoda. :wacky:[DOUBLEPOST=1404569339,1404569258][/DOUBLEPOST]

I half seriously considered moving to Boston to be in his program.

Me too, except for me it's The Manor Hall Trauma Centre, in Scotland.

 

[KwanYingirl]

My therapist when I lived in NH tried to help me get my insurance company to pay for treatment at the Trauma Institute but they absolutely would not and as I was on disability there's no way I could pay on my own. My PTSD was seriously exacerbated by the chemical brain injury I had from over exposure at work. I still have the challenge of that, however I have developed enough self awareness that I can accurately determine if a reaction I have is trauma PTSD or Chemical exposure. Same, same, but different.

What do you all think we'll be like in our 80's when our body parts break down?[DOUBLEPOST=1404569833,1404569728][/DOUBLEPOST]Oh, I see that damn auto correct changed Dr. Van de Kolk's last name. Grrrr.....

 

[KwanYingirl]

I also tried to convince a famous shrink at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital to be my psychiatrist. I can't remember his name for the life of me. He researches the mind/body connection and also had done research on a Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. He also wanted me to have someone close to home. Man, the shrinks in my area of NH were lousy.

In Maine, I've had the same doc since 2003. He's does ECT kinda cool. He's the one that got my depression under control. I piss him off when I overuse my meds. Sometimes he just stares at his wall trying to figure out how to help me. I am very proud to report that I have been taking my meds as prescribed for three whole months in a row. I credit this to yoga and Reiki.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

Thank you @Chava. I posted a similar yoga thread a few years ago and everyone told me I needed a class. Well, I can't do yoga classes. I live in the sticks and it would be difficult to find one that has males in it. Groups of all females send me into panic. Hence a yoga class is a no-go.

 

[ellienad]

Just want to jump in here as well. My T suggested yoga to me too, mostly to help reduce anxiety but also to help me feel "in control" of my body. I've stayed away from it for a long time because a lot of yoga positions and aspects of yoga in general would be very triggering, and I feel would cause more panic than relaxation (at least at this time). It's actually been one of my goals to be able to get to the point of being able to do yoga.

However, I'm not sure where you live, but as some others have mentioned above trauma-sensitive yoga seems to be really great. From what I've read the instructors don't use specific words and phrases, are careful and aware of triggering positions, and create a safe space.

Personally, I've found a "happy medium" with Pilates. I absolutely LOVE it. It really helps with feeling in control and aware of my body, and I've also noticed a difference in being more comfortable in certain positions that would usually be triggering. I feel more relaxed and at east too. In addition, it's also a great workout!

I would definitely recommend starting with a few private lessons before jumping into the class atmosphere.