There is a way back to ease - and it begins in the body.
Trauma Informed Yoga : Supporting Nervous System Healing
Working with people in Anglesea, Torquay, Geelong and Surf Coast & Australia-wide.
Yoga & Contemplative Practices
Yoga and contemplative practices have been part of my life for over 15 years and have gently shaped the way I understand healing, embodiment, presence, and connection to self.
For me, yoga is more than movement, breath work, or meditation alone. It is a way of being in relationship with ourselves, others, and the world around us.
Sometimes yoga can be found within stillness, mindful walking through nature, moments of pause, or learning to remain present within the body when we may once have needed to disconnect.
Alongside psychotherapy and EMDR training, my own daily sādhanā (spiritual practice) has supported me in finding greater steadiness, grounding, and connection within myself after experiences of complex trauma.
After completing a trauma-informed yoga teacher training in 2024, I began thoughtfully integrating selected embodiment-based practices into aspects of my work where appropriate.
These practices are not about performance or achieving a particular state, but gently supporting the nervous system in softening, reconnecting, and moving through what may have remained held within the body.
Breath, Body & Nervous System Regulation
Our breath is always with us - a quiet anchor that can bring us back into the present moment.
Through the breath, we can begin to soften, to slow down, and to reconnect with a sense of calm from within.
When trauma is held in the body, this sense of calm can feel unfamiliar, or even out of reach. The work here is not about forcing relaxation, but gently remembering that safety is something that can be felt and restored from within.
Returning to the Body
The breath offers a simple and powerful pathway into this work.
Through gentle practices, we begin to support the nervous system to settle - shifting out of states of activation or shutdown, and into a place of greater ease and connection.
This may include:
breath practices
meditation, including Yoga Nidra
mindful movement
mantra and the soothing rhythm of sound
Each of these practices supports the body in its own way - helping you reconnect with yourself.
If this feels like something your body is curious about, you’re welcome to take the next step…
Understanding the Nervous System
A Polyvagal Perspective
Polyvagal Theory offers a way of understanding how your body responds to stress, safety, and connection.
At times, the nervous system may move into states of:
activation (fight or flight)
shutdown or withdrawal (freeze)
or, when safety is felt - connection and regulation
This work gently supports a shift toward what is known as a ventral vagal state - a place where you can feel more present, connected, and at ease.
If you’re noticing that what’s arising feels like it may need more space or support, there are ways of working more deeply through EMDR Intensive Therapy and relational work through Couples Immersive Therapy.
At times, your body can move through different emotional states without you fully understanding why : Navigating your Emotional States a Guide to Polyvagal Theory
When your Body Begins to Settle
As your nervous system begins to settle, you may notice:
a greater sense of calm
more openness to connection
moments of joy, playfulness, or gratitude
an increased sense of presence
a slower, steadier breath
a softening of tension
improved digestion and circulation
a greater sense of ease in being with yourself and others
Within the Body, This Can Feel Like
Integrating Practices
These practices (breath, meditation, movement and mantra) may be offered, as part of your EMDR Intensive, Couples Immersive Therapy or Couples EMDR Intensive. They can be gently woven into the work we do together - to support your system in feeling more resourced, regulated, and able to process what arises.
They are not about doing more, but about learning how to be with yourself in a different way.