There a large chance you have heard of the amazing benefits of yoga! But did you know it can also be beneficial in treating betrayal trauma? Yes, it is true!

Katy Willis, a Registered Nurse and certified Yoga Instructor, states,
"In a nutshell, Yoga creates a lifestyle shift."
Yoga Helps Bring Peace And Awareness
Anne, founder of Betrayal Trauma Recovery, shares in this philosophy as she emphasizes the importance of meditative practices as an intervention in healing from the trauma of betrayal. She states,
"We want women to process the trauma through their body. Yoga and meditation can do this and so much more."
Katy shares her personal story of facing trauma and finding Yoga,
"My world was shattered when my husband let me know he was relapsing with pornography and sex addiction. The betrayal trauma for me was off set, meaning I did not feel the full impact of the trauma until I got some healing under my belt. I was not a believer in yoga at all. I had no idea what it was either. But I tried it after several people had mentioned it to me during the time I was facing this trauma. After I started doing yoga, I noticed how I always felt so good after I did it."
How Does Yoga Help With Trauma?
Katy quickly became passionate about incorporating yoga into her own healing and now teaches yoga to others. Having a background in science, she also explains what happens in the body physiologically during and after trauma and how yoga can help,
"The biggest effects take place in the brain and nervous system. Emotional stress has a bigger impact impact that health or physical stress. The amygdala is the specific part of the brain responsible for sending signals to other parts of the brain to release hormones like cortisol. When there is a perceived threat, the sympathetic nervous system is also activated. For a person who has experienced trauma, these parts are profoundly effected, often times having a hard time with constant triggers and inability to exist in a more relaxed state."
Essentially, resetting the brain to handle perceived triggers, is key, and this is accomplished breath, movement, or touch. Yoga is the science of awareness and what we are studying is ourselves. We focus on what is happening now with us in this moment. Yoga as a practice can help us reset our brain and be in the present, decreasing anxiety and the lasting effects of trauma on our body and mind. Our body benefits greatly from the patterned breathing involved in yoga our brain becomes activated and aware in a new and synchronized way. Another important part of yoga is to find other like-minded people to offer a sense of community for survivors of trauma.
Five Physiological Benefits of Yoga

* Aides in digestion
* Circulation of blood
* Strengthening nervous system
* Detoxifying organs
* Establish mindfulness

Yoga can help address the effects of trauma on the body and mind! We are so excited that Katy will be offering a trial Yoga session of Betrayal Trauma Recovery Club on May 11th at 9am EST; contact Coach Jean to sign up! Along these same lines, we recently added a meditative session with Coach Peggy. Our BTRG sessions are great for women to find connection and talk to a trained professional. Individual sessions are also a great option for one-on-one support. We would like to thank you for your monthly recurring donation. Each donation helps women find safety and achieve peace in their life.

As always, stay safe out there.
Full Transcript:
Anne: Welcome to Betrayal Trauma Recovery, this is Anne.

I have Katy Willis on today’s episode.