Yoga for Healing & Regulation

How It Works

Hatha yoga focuses on physical postures (asanas) and breath coordination. Gentle hatha practice builds body awareness, flexibility, and strength while calming the nervous system.

Best For

Building body awareness, grounding in the physical self, anxiety, tension release, improving flexibility and strength.

Simple Practices

• Mountain Pose (Tadasana): Stand with feet hip-width apart, arms at sides. Feel your feet pressing into the earth. Hold for 5-10 breaths.
• Cat-Cow Stretch: On hands and knees, alternate between arching your back (Cow) and rounding your spine (Cat). Move slowly with breath.
• Child's Pose (Balasana): Kneel and fold forward, resting your forehead. Stay for 10-20 breaths. This is a resting pose.
• Gentle Spinal Twist: Sitting or lying down, twist your spine gently. Hold each side for 5-10 breaths.

How It Works

Yin yoga uses longer holds (3-5 minutes) in passive postures. Many people find the slow pace and stillness deeply relaxing.

Best For

Deep relaxation, a sense of releasing tension, calming the body, grounding, and settling after feeling keyed up.

Simple Practices

• Supported Child's Pose: Use a pillow under your belly for comfort. Hold for 3-5 minutes, breathing deeply.
• Reclined Butterfly (Supta Baddha Konasana): Lie on your back with soles of feet together, knees open to sides. Hold for 3-5 minutes.
• Sphinx Pose: Forearms on the ground, elbows under shoulders, chest lifted slightly. Hold for 2-3 minutes.
• Legs Up the Wall: Lie on your back with legs up a wall at 90 degrees. Hold for 5-10 minutes. Many people find this very calming.

How It Works

Vinyasa links breath with movement, creating a flowing sequence. This synchronized practice connects body and mind and can feel energizing.

Best For

Processing and moving through emotions, building confidence and body awareness, grounding in the present moment, moderate nervous system activation followed by calm.

Simple Practices

• Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar): A sequence of 12 poses linked with breath. One round: inhale as you reach up, exhale as you fold forward, move through planks and upward/downward dog, and return to standing. Repeat 3-5 rounds slowly.
• Warrior Flow: Move between Warrior I, Warrior II, and Warrior III, syncing movement with breath. This builds strength and confidence.
• Mountain to Upward Hands: Inhale as you raise your arms overhead, exhale as you fold forward. Repeat 5-10 times, finding your rhythm.

How It Works

Restorative yoga uses props (blocks, bolsters, blankets) to support the body fully. Poses are held for 5-10 minutes, allowing the nervous system to fully relax and reset.

Best For

Deep relaxation, fatigue and burnout, trouble sleeping, support during recovery from stress, cultivating a felt sense of safety in the body.

Simple Practices

• Supported Lying Back Bend: Place a foam roller or pillow lengthwise along your spine. Lie back with your chest open and supported. Hold for 5-10 minutes.
• Supported Reclined Twist: Lie on your back, place a pillow under one knee, let it fall gently to the other side. Hold for 5 minutes each side.
• Supported Forward Fold: Sit with legs extended, place a pillow on your thighs, fold forward gently. Hold for 5-10 minutes. Let the props do the work. Your only job is to breathe and rest.

• Listen to your body: Never force poses. If something hurts (different from stretch sensation), ease off.
• Modify as needed: All poses can be modified. You're not doing yoga 'wrong' if you use props or change a pose.
• Honor your window of tolerance: Some days your nervous system can handle more active practice (Vinyasa), other days you need rest (Yin, Restorative). Both are valid.
• Trauma-sensitive yoga tip: If you feel triggered, stop. You have agency and choice. Close your eyes if you feel too exposed. Turn off your camera if practicing online. Your safety matters more than the pose.
• Breathe: If you notice you're holding your breath, pause and restart with conscious breathing.
• Seek guidance: If you have existing injuries or trauma responses, consider working with a trauma-informed yoga teacher.