The Breathe Network's course, Embodied Healing: Trauma-Informed Yoga and Meditation for Sexual Assault Survivors, is co-taught by a team of 16 instructors, all of whom are seasoned professionals in the realms of trauma, psychology, sexual assault, yoga and meditation. We have designed this course to be an accessible and empowering way for survivors to embark upon or deepen their healing through sustainable and holistic practices.
As the only national nonprofit organization with a single focus on connecting sexual assault survivors with sliding-scale, trauma-informed, holistic healers, The Breathe Network is a pioneer in the anti-sexual violence movement. Therefore, we are uniquely positioned to deliver a course that is sensitive to the unique vulnerabilities of survivors and also holds up the tremendous strengths of this community.
You’ll learn about trauma-informed yoga and meditation from a variety of lenses and instructors, and that learning will be bookended with an accessible introduction to cutting-edge insights on stress and resilience physiology, managing triggers and flashbacks, self-care, and more.
Beginning to work with somatic/body-based practices like yoga and meditation can feel vulnerable, and this course allows you to participate from the comfort of your own home and at your own pace. You can move along with us each week, or you can take your time to digest and integrate the materials over a period of months.
This course will support you in nurturing the nonlinear journey of sexual assault recovery by inviting your body and mind as partners in that process.
Please note, as all of the material is recorded, you are able to take the course at your own pace. It is up to you when you begin to review the content and the rhythm at which you move through it. You have time to take your time.
What's included within the course:
- Accessible teachings on nervous system functioning, integrating body-mind practices for healing, understanding the nuances of trauma-informed yoga and meditation, navigating triggers and flashbacks, and sustainable self-care theory and practice
- 7 experiential yoga and meditation classes of varying lengths to support the building of a home practice
- 16 video interviews with experts on the topics of sexual trauma, stress and resilience physiology, holistic healing, yoga and meditation
- Transcripts for all video interviews
- Supplementary reading materials selected by our teaching team to support the course learning
- Yoga teachers who participate in this course can earn 16 non-contact CEUs through the Yoga Alliance.
Teaching Team
Melissa Appleton Berry, Molly Boeder Harris, Kate Busby, Jane Clapp, Hiroko Demichelis, Lisa Erickson, Mark Gerow, Peter Gold, Laura Khoudari, Ryan Maher, Nkem Ndefo, Jennifer Patterson, Jessica Schaffer, Manisha Tare, Lara Veon, Greg Wieting and Zabie Yamasaki
Course Curriculum
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need prior yoga and/or meditation experience?
No experience is required. The content is accessible to new and seasoned practitioners. We welcome first time yoga and meditation practitioners into this space, as well as those with general interest in studying and engaging in somatic or body-inclusive approaches to healing trauma.
Can I receive CEUs through Yoga Alliance if I am a yoga teacher?
Yes. You can receive 16 non-contact hours from the course. Please contact [email protected] to ensure your hours are tracked.
I am not a survivor of sexual trauma, however, I have endured other forms of trauma - will I still benefit from this course?
Absolutely. The content will address the hallmarks of trauma extensively and how we might work with them through somatic healing approaches. All of the practices and information are readily accessible and translatable to other forms of trauma and overwhelming experience. We also recognize most survivors of sexual trauma are navigating other traumatic experiences and systems, and we attend to those complexities of how individual and collective trauma intersect within our conversations.
Disclaimer
The objective of this course is educational, not psychotherapeutic, in nature. The course is not intended to be a substitute for therapy nor for any other form of professional consultation or accreditation. Participation in this learning may stir unconscious or dormant memories, emotional or physical responses, and/or stress responses. If you have been treated for, or believe you may have suffered from an untreated traumatic experience, injury, or systemic condition, please consider if you are in a position to safely engage with the course at this time. You may choose to enlist the support of a professional who can be a resource to you both during and after the course. The Breathe Network and the course facilitators are not liable for any distress that participation might create.
