Abstract
This study used a hermeneutic phenomenological approach to explore the effects of yoga on healing from trauma through amplifying the narratives of trauma survivors with yoga practices consisting of asana, pranayama, and meditation. Interviews indicated multilayered effects of trauma across virtually all occupations, of which yoga was seen to promote well-being and embodied healing. This suggests a powerful opportunity for OT to integrate yoga to address trauma in a holistic way.
Primary Author and Speaker: Abigail Rose Chirokas
Contributing Authors: Carole Dennis, Michelle Bradshaw
The purpose of this study was to bring attention to the effects of trauma and how yoga may affect well-being and occupational participation for trauma survivors. The following research questions guided the study: What are the perceptions of the effects of a yoga practice on well-being according to trauma survivors; Does a yoga practice enhance participation within occupations for trauma survivors? If so, how? Trauma is a chronic condition that lives in the body and brain, sometimes referred to as a hidden epidemic due to its prevalence and detrimental effects on emotional and physiological health (Van der Kolk, 2014). Nearly three quarters of individuals have been exposed to trauma with disparities seen in sexual minority populations and people of color (Benjet al., 2016). With the collective traumas faced and amplified in 2020 with the COVID-19 outbreak and uprising of the Black Lives Matter movement, the demand for healing from trauma continues to grow. Trauma is defined by SAMHSA (2014) as ‘an event, series of events, or set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or life threatening and that has lasting adverse effects on the individual’s functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being’ (p. 7). This shows major areas of overlap with goals of occupational therapy (OT) to enhance well-being in all these areas. OT may address barriers to satisfaction in engagement in meaningful life activities and introduce ways to cope with adverse emotional and physical symptoms that accompany trauma (Torchalla et al., 2018). Yoga has been cited as a safe way for individuals to look inward and engage the mind, body, and spirit, which may support recovery for trauma survivors (Van der Kolk, 2014). This study uses a hermeneutic phenomenological approach to gain authentic accounts of the effects of yoga on function, well-being, and healing from trauma through giving voice to the narratives and lived experiences of survivors. Two women in their 50s and 60s and one 20-year-old man were recruited who have experienced trauma and have a regular yoga practice consisting of Asana (physical postures), Pranayama (breath control) and meditation. Each participant was interviewed by the researcher for an initial and follow-up semi-structured interview. The audio was recorded and transcribed. A constant comparative method was used by a multidisciplinary coding team to analyze the data from each transcription before proceeding with the next interview. Recurring codes were placed into categories, creating emerging themes that guided the follow-up interviews. Results revealed multilayered manifestations of trauma affecting nearly all occupations, with emphasis on self-care, sleep, work, and social interactions. Major themes regarding the effects of yoga included embodiment, choices, the power of breath, balance as well-being, and yoga as a microcosm for larger changes seen ‘off the mat’ permeating many aspects of the individual’s occupations. Embodiment was a term agreed upon by all participants to describe how yoga allows them to feel safe and aware of their bodies. Trauma results in feelings of powerlessness and loss of control, thus necessitating the need for survivors to feel empowered to make choices. Yoga can provide choices and encourage practitioners to tune in with their bodies and emotions. Participants’ reflections provided a compelling account of how yoga has helped them manage the evolving effects of trauma and move away from dissociation into embodied states of healing. This study suggests a powerful opportunity for OT practitioners to address trauma in a holistic, effective way through recommending or incorporating yoga into treatment.
Van der Kolk, B. A. (2014) The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma, NY, NY: Penguin Books.
Benjet, C., Bromet, E., Karam, E. G., Kessler, R. C., McLaughlin, K. A., Ruscio, A. M.,Koenen, K. C. (2016). The epidemiology of traumatic event exposure worldwide: results from the World Mental Health Survey Consortium. Psychological Medicine, 46(2), 327–343. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291715001981
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (2014). SAMHSA’s concept of trauma and guidance for a trauma-informed approach. Retrieved from https://ncsacw.samhsa.gov/userfiles/files/SAMHSA_Trauma.pdf
Torchalla, I., Killoran, J., Fisher, D., & Bahen, M. (2018). Trauma-focused treatment for individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder: The role of occupational therapy. Occupational Therapy in Mental Health, 0(0), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/0164212X.2018.1510800