Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY)

TCTSY is the first yoga-based empirically validated, clinical intervention for complex trauma or chronic, treatment-resistant post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The TCTSY methodology is based on central components of the hatha style of yoga, where participants engage in a series of physical forms and movements. Elements of standard hatha yoga are modified to maximize experiences of empowerment and to cultivate a more positive relationship to one's body.

Unlike many public yoga classes, TCTSY does not use physical hands-on adjustments to influence a participant's physical form. Rather, TCTSY presents opportunities for participants to be in charge of themselves based on a felt sense of their own body. 

Although TCTSY employs physical forms and movements, the emphasis is not on the external expression or appearance (i.e. doing it"right"), or receiving the approval of an external authority. Rather, the focus is on the internal experience of the participant.

This shift in orientation, from the external to the internal, is a key attribute of TCTSY as a treatment for complex trauma and PTSD. With our approach, the power resides within the individual, not the TCTSY facilitator (TCTSY-F). Further, by focusing on the felt sense of the body to inform choice-making, TCTSY allows participants to restore their connection of mind and body and cultivate a sense of agency that is often compromised as a result of trauma.

All TCTSY facilitators, staff, trainers, and mentors are required to agree and adhere to our ethical guidelines, or as we call them, Ways of Being.

To learn more about TCTSY, please visit the official TCTSY website, from which this information has been taken.

TCTSY Sessions

TCTSY is an evidence-based treatment for trauma recovery that involves movement through physical shapes and forms in order to provide opportunities for autonomous choice-making, interoception (awareness of one’s body), and shared authentic experience.

Individual TCTSY sessions are 45-50 minutes long and may be billable through insurance (in Massachusetts) or offered at a rate of $175 per session if you are out of state or are choosing to pay privately.

TCTSY may be practiced as part or a traditional talk therapy session or as a stand-alone treatment.

 FAQs

  • TCTSY is an evidence-based treatment for complex trauma and PTSD. It is billable through insurance and is offered as a therapeutic intervention. TCTSY can be practiced on its own or in conjunction with other forms of therapy.

    If you are looking to incorporate TCTSY into therapy, it may look like:

    • Spending a full 50-minute session practicing TCTSY

    • Practicing TCTSY at the beginning or end of a traditional talk therapy session

    • Exploring TCTSY practices throughout a traditional talk therapy session

  • The 5 core elements of TCTSY set it apart from a more traditional yoga practice. These core elements Inform every aspect of a TCTSY practice.

    The 5 elements are:

    1. Invitational language - Invitational language is the intentional use of language that is inviting, is not hierarchical, and allows you, the participant, to make a choice about if and how you would like to engage with the practice.

    2. Choice-making - The experience of trauma is often an experience of choice being taken away. TCTSY may provide an opportunity to practice making choices that is empowering, non-coercive, and authentic.

    3. Interoception - Interoception is the perception of one’s internal world and physical sensations. The experience of trauma is, by definition, an experience that happens within the body, which often leads survivors to disconnect from their bodies. Part of healing from trauma involves reconnecting with and reclaiming your body and physical sensations

    4. Shared authentic experience - Trauma often happens within the context of relationship, and healing also happens within relationship. The practice of TCTSY involves an experience in which no one person’s experience is any more valid or worthy than another’s.

    5. Non-coercion - TCTSY is a practice in which individual choice is prioritized so that all participants can decide for themselves what feels useful in their own body and experience, and no one perspective or way of showing up is deemed more important than another.

  • It is recommended that you have access to a private space where you will not be interrupted. You may want to have access to a chair and/or a yoga mat or rug if you would like to practice on the floor. Please note that standing and chair options will be offered throughout if practicing on the floor is not something you are interested in or able to do. You may want to have props, such as a blanket, bolster, yoga blocks, or pillows, however, props are not required. Because the practice will be held online, you will need access to Zoom and a device such as a computer, tablet, or phone that you can use.

  • No, meditation and breathwork are not part of TCTSY. There will be no guided meditation during the practice. While you may have the option to notice your breath throughout the practice, this will always be a choice that you can choose whether or not you engage in, and there will never be any specific breathwork practices that you might find in a more traditional yoga practice.

  • You can wear whatever you want! I would recommend wearing something that is comfortable in which you can move with ease, however, there are no requirements as to what you should or shouldn’t wear.

  • Absolutely! TCTSY is designed to be accessible for all abilities and bodies. If there is a physical limitation or injury you would like me to know about, there is a space on the intake questionnaire for you to put this information. You can also reach out to me directly via email to inform me of anything that you think is important for me to know.