Pre-Congress Workshop 1 11 October (10:00 – 13:30)

Yoga and Trauma: Creating Resources for Healing Trauma and Trauma related stress

Yoga, is a very ancient system of practices including body postures, breathing techniques, as well as relaxation and meditation techniques, which support our well being and mind/body equilibrium. The effects of Yoga practices in the brain and body functions, in the nervous and endocrine systems, as well as to the rest various body systems and organs, were very well known in the past and recently more and more scientific research provides evidence for its healing effects in treating various chronic diseases, stress, anxiety, depression and trauma.

The aim of this specialised workshop, is to activate and create resources for Trauma healing for ourselves or/and for our clients. Utilising and incorporating the ancient wisdom for the Body and Mind, in conjunction with all the contemporary discoveries about Trauma and how the brain works, it is meant to be a Trauma Healing Yoga class that will support us to cope with our traumas and manage trauma related stress.

The fundamental keys towards this goal is learning how to be aware, focused, present, grounded and safe into our bodies, as well as to treat our bodies with acceptance and respect. Working with specific muscular systems we balance their tonus, change body/mind patterns and increase the body’s capacity to contain and embody higher energies related to post-traumatic stress.

Tools to be taught:

  1. body postures for inner safety, stability, grounding, self esteem, focusing, balancing the nervous and endocrine systems, the two brain hemispheres, changing body posture, releasing body tensions and helping us to embody our feelings and emotions
  2. breathing techniques for changing our brain waves from beta(stress related) to alpha or theta, releasing mental tensions, balancing the two main energy channels, and expanding our energy field, awareness, consciousness
  3. mindful relaxation and meditation techniques for tension release and reconnection with ourselves
  4. Yoga Nidra, an ancient practice for self transformation, as well as for releasing all tensions in the physical, emotional, energy and mental bodies

Requirements: An empty stomach for at least 3 hours, comfortable clothes, socks. Α yoga mat and a small fleece blanket, if possible.

Sofia Tsoumaki

Sophia Tsoumaki is a Family Counsellor, Trauma therapist, Energy and Body Psychotherapist, Systemic Family Constellations Facilitator, Healing Yoga Teacher, Photographer, with a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the Athens University. She has been practising Yoga for 25 years and teaches it since 2000, through specialised workshops or classes incorporating her knowledge and experience from her two main areas of interest: Yoga and Therapy.