Empowered Education

Jai Yoga
Complex Trauma & Therapeutic Yoga
Teacher Trainings

85 Hour
Intro to Complex Trauma and
the 150 hour Trauma Informed Yoga Therapy Training
Fall 2017 - College Park, MD
Winter 2018 - Vienna VA
2020 - San Antonio TX

The holistic healing that comes from a regular yoga practice can be profound. The body of research in the yoga arena continues to grow exponentially; subsequently, the field is now looking at yoga not only as a therapeutic modality, but as way to serve in our communities during times of crisis. Trauma-informed yoga programs are expanding rapidly. However, the proportion of instructors with trauma-informed training in relation to the needs of communities undergoing disaster relief and experiencing complex trauma is disproportionate. Accordingly, the most dedicated yoga teachers and healthcare professionals will need additional trauma-based training, or resilience training, to adequately serve within the diversity of these areas.

Without a doubt, diversity in yoga is still an issue. Inclusion has suddenly become the next buzz word and is now a big topic in our arena, even while not regularly or competently practiced. To be sure, our experiences witnessed within yoga classes, workshops, and trainings on-and-off the yoga mat emulate what we experience in society as a whole. If we cannot respectfully honor and discuss culture, orientation, race, beliefs, biases or privilege, we cannot serve the community, empower people to have a strong sense of agency, or begin to fully use the tools of yoga to address complex trauma.
This collaborative effort will broadly cover aspects of complex trauma with its basic understanding, along with how to work with and approach affected populations through cultural diversity and competence.
This presentation is for yoga and meditation teachers, health and wellness practitioners and healthcare professionals. Participants will need a strong foundation in yoga and mindfulness.
The presentation will cover:

Complex Trauma
PTSD (including combat trauma, secondary, intergenerational PTSD)
sexual trauma (including MST)
understanding moral injury, traumatic event and PTSD
childhood trauma
terrorism/community violence
domestic violence
school violence
socio-economic trauma
cultural diversity and competency
socio-economic beliefs and biases
traumatic loss and grief
natural disaster or catastrophe

*The Trauma Informed and Yoga Therapy components of courses and training programs are based on accreditation and licensure in Health Care and are provided from independent qualifications, not derived from our status as a RYS with Yoga Alliance Registry.
Trauma Informed Certified Facilitator (R)

Ongoing Workshops and Clinics

Yoga as Therapy
for Care Givers and Healthcare Professionals

This 50 hour trauma informed immersive program is catered to licensed health care providers and aims to help bridge the gap between western and eastern medical modalities to further the integration of yoga as therapy in a clinical setting.

The advanced training tracks are based on the yogic principles of breath, meditation, alignment and mindful movement. The course is open to physicians, nurses, bodyworkers, physical therapists, occupational therapists mental and other healthcare professionals (no previous experience with traditional yoga practices required).

The curriculum is based on the fundamental principles of yoga and includes a strong emphasis on reducing pain and suffering as it exists on the physical, mental or psycho-spiritual levels. The primary tools we use as yoga therapists are: breath, awareness, relaxation, simple movement, education and meditation. This course introduces how these techniques are adapted for the individual client according to the conditioning of their mind and body, their outlook toward the world and themselves, and the degree to which they come in feeling ready to take responsibility for their healing or feel victimized by their condition.

(available as an advanced training track for certified yoga instructors looking to fulfill yoga therapy ceu's)

Overcoming Anxiety Clinics

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 40 million American adults (ages 18-54) suffer from anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health problem in the United States.

Anxiety and stress are an increasingly common problem for people in our busy, modern world. These states of mind prevent us from experiencing peace and enjoying life.

This 4 week yoga therapy clinic is intended to provide tools for people suffering from chronic stress, anxiety, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Panic Attack Disorder, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). A step-by-step workshop series is designed to help you help yourself. You will gain the knowledge , tools and skills to successfully master and recover from fears, phobias, and panic attacks, without overwhelming you with a surplus of academic psychological information. In this clinic, special care will be given to insure this is a comfortable, personal experience.

Topics that will be addressed in this clinic:

Panic attacks
Inability to focus or concentrate
Difficulty controlling excess worry that is disproportionate to the situation.
Fear of Death or fear of illness causing death
Excessive sweating, palpitations, shortness of breath, and gastrointestinal issues
Fatigue
Irritability
Muscle tension,shakiness, headaches
Restlessness or sensations of feeling "on edge"
Sleep disturbance (difficulty falling or staying asleep; or restless, unsatisfying sleep) waking up fatigued

To accommodate for those who are uncomfortable in social situations, there will be no group work or public speaking involved. Arrangements can be made to allow a support member to attend the clinic with you if needed. Please contact me prior to registering to make arrangements.

Managing Menopause Workshops

Menopause is more often than not a challenging stage in a woman’s life. The milestone that is commonly called the “change of life” often carries a negative connotation, which is constantly reinforced in our mass-media culture. The fluctuation of hormones may create disharmony in the body, mind and spirit. Physical symptoms seem to appear out of nowhere and the emotional upheaval that ensues may leave us anxious, depressed, angry, or feeling helpless. Our spirit may deplete and a sense of disconnect leaves us with the perception of being alone and lost.

This Yoga Therapy workshop shows participants the path of self-healing, an innate quality we all possess. Whether your challenges are physical, emotional and/or spiritual, we teach you techniques that draw from the beautiful, ancient tradition of Yoga, as well as modern medical and scientific knowledge. The program will bring you back into balance, reduce anxiety, increase stress resistance and improve sleep quality and mood. The practices we teach address the following common symptoms that accompany the menopausal transition and post-menopause:

SATYA
Spirit of the Heart
Yoga Teacher Training

200 Hour Yoga TeacherTraining is full and will run again Fall of 2020 at SAYC

Schedule & Weekend Format 2020 Training Weekends

Weekend Schedule

Fridays: 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Saturdays: 7:45 am – 5:15 pm
Sundays: 7:45 am – 4:30 pm

Weekend Schedule

May 3 – 5, 2019
June 7 – 9, 2019
July 12 – 14, 2019
Aug 9 – 11, 2019
Sept 6 – 8, 2019
Oct 4 – 6, 2019
Nov 1-3, 2019
Feb 21-23, 2020
Winter Break: Home-study, Final Project Development & Teaching, Webinars, Mentoring
April 24 – 26, 2020
May 15 – 17, 2020

Sample Weekend FormatFriday

5:30 – 8:30p Lecture – Techniques – Experiential Activities

Saturday

7:45a – 9:15p Integration Practice & Discussion
9:30a – 12:30p Lecture & Practice
1:15p – 5:15p Lecture – Techniques – Experiential Activities

Sunday

7:45a – 9:15a Integration Practice & Discussion
9:30a – 12:30p Lecture & Practice
1:00p – 4:30p Lecture – Techniques – Experiential Activities

Teacher Trainings & Special Programs

Jai Yoga Complex Trauma & Therapeutic Yoga Teacher Trainings