Trauma-Informed Lens Yoga believes CONSENT matters, WORDS matter, ACTIONS matter, ATTITUDES matter, KNOWLEDGE matters, POWER DYNAMICS matter, KINDNESS matters, AWARENESS matters, CONSIDERATION matters, PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY matters and TRAUMA-INFORMED PRACTICE in public yoga classrooms matters.

Gwen Soffer and Melissa Lucchesi of Trauma-Informed Lens Yoga recently conducted a survey (distributed online through several local and national yoga outlets) to learn more about the prevalence of trauma among yoga students or individuals who are considering trying yoga. They asked participants to answer several questions about traumatic experiences encountered throughout their lifetime.

The survey results were consistent with their hypothesis– that many yoga students, teachers, and individuals considering trying yoga have experienced or encountered some form of trauma. After reviewing these findings, Gwen and Melissa feel charged and privileged with the responsibility of creating safer classrooms for yoga students.

SEE DETAILED SURVEY RESULTS HERE

There are many practical ways that public yoga classrooms can be more trauma-informed, and the Trauma-Informed Lens Yoga Team believes understanding the prevalence of trauma among current and potential yoga students is the first step to doing this. They would like to emphasize that they believe trauma-informed classrooms are universally safer for all students, not only those who have experienced trauma.

This survey was not held to the same standards as a scientific study nor did an institutional review board oversee it. Its purpose was to help Trauma-Informed Lens Yoga to become better informed and guide their future research in the coming months.

Train with Gwen Soffer in her Trauma-Informed Lens Yoga Teacher Certificate Program at enso Yoga in Pennsylvania. 

TRAUMA-INFORMED LENS RESEARCH TEAM

Gwen Soffer, E-RYT

Gwen is the co-founder of Enso yoga studio in Media, Pa. and teaches all of her classes through a trauma-informed lens. She is currently enrolled in a Masters in Social Work program at Widener University with a focus on trauma. She teaches weekly public yoga classes as well as private group sessions to groups managing trauma. Gwen is co-lead of Trauma-Informed Lens Yoga.

Melissa Lucchesi

Melissa is the Founder and Director of Voices, Inc. in Media, Pa., an organization dedicated to helping survivors of sexual and domestic abuse heal from trauma. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Widener University and is currently enrolled in Chestnut Hill College’s Masters of Clinical and Counseling Psychology and Trauma Studies program. Melissa is co-lead of Trauma-Informed Lens Yoga.

Alyssa Matteucci

Alyssa is a research associate at the Wharton Social Impact Initiative at the University of Pennsylvania and a yoga teacher. Prior to her work at Wharton, Alyssa worked as a manager and research specialist for Dr. Angela Duckworth at the Duckworth and Character Labs, and in Program Operations at the John Templeton Foundation. Alyssa earned her BS at Drexel University in 2013, where she studied psychology.