Trauma-informed facilitation

Several years ago, I trained as a teacher in trauma-informed yoga and somatics. Alongside learning to encourage somatic awareness through yoga, this training deepened my understanding of how to hold space for individuals who may have experienced trauma.

I draw on this powerful learning daily in my yoga teaching practice—whether delivering sessions to refugees who have fled war and persecution, facilitating for university and corporate groups, or leading group and one-to-one yoga classes in my village. As someone with lived experience of trauma myself, I have a deep interest in creating spaces that are inclusive, empowering, and foster safety and agency.

This ongoing practice of trauma-informed yoga facilitation has also shaped me into a trauma-informed facilitator in other contexts, including facilitating conversations about race equity and leading anti-racism and anti-oppression workshops. The principles of trauma-informed facilitation are not only invaluable but also highly transferable to any form of facilitation, training, or teaching.

Why? Because experiences of trauma are pervasive. They are so widespread that, in any workshop, training, yoga session, or class—whether at a university, school, or elsewhere—it is highly likely that some participants will have lived experiences of trauma. This could include adverse childhood experiences, sexual and domestic abuse, intergenerational trauma, or the trauma of systemic oppression, as for many ableism, racism, heteronormativity, sexism, and strict gender norms (to name just a few) create daily feelings of exclusion and harm.

Leading your sessions in a trauma-informed way can help minimise the risk of triggering past traumas. Moreover, it creates a space that is more inclusive and effective—not just for those with lived experiences of trauma, but for everyone present.

Here are a few practical suggestions to consider integrating into your work:

1. Empowering Choice

For individuals who have experienced trauma, their ability to choose may have been taken away. You can emphasise choice by presenting options throughout your session, inviting participants to decide whether they wish to engage with a particular practice or exercise. Don’t worry—it’s unlikely your entire class will leave the room! However, by offering choice, you create space for those who need it to support their healing and agency.

2. Supporting Agency

Encourage participants to make decisions that work for them in the moment. For instance, invite them to tune into how they’re feeling and make adjustments to increase their comfort. This might be as simple as moving to a different spot in the room to avoid direct sunlight.

3. Using Invitational Language

Empower choice through language by using phrases like:

• “You might want to...”

• “When you’re ready, you may choose to...”

• “If you like, you could...”

• “You can always [stop, take a break, stim, leave the session]...”

• “If it’s helpful, feel free to...”

While these may seem like small changes—or even feel awkward at first—they can make a significant difference to someone in the room.

4. Encouraging Embodied Presence

For those with trauma histories, staying present can be challenging. You might invite participants to notice their breath, their feet on the ground, or the details of the room. However, always offer the option to opt out—connecting with the body or breath might at times feel overwhelming for some folks.

5. Honouring Boundaries

In a yoga setting, this might mean avoiding touch unless you have completed specific training and gained explicit consent. Even then, be aware that some individuals may feel compelled to say “yes” when they feel a “no”.

Encourage participants to set boundaries by verbalising that it’s OK not to work in pairs, to skip speaking in discussions, or to decline breakout rooms.

6. Modelling Healthy Boundaries

People with trauma histories may struggle to set their own boundaries. You can model this by setting clear limits—for example, letting participants know you’re available for a 5–10-minute chat after the session, and sticking to that timeframe.

7. Acknowledging Diverse Experiences

Recognise that your presence and facilitation style—along with factors like the session topic, timing, and participants’ energy levels—affect individual experiences. For instance, as a white facilitator, I’m aware that this fact may shape the experiences of participants from marginalised backgrounds.

8. Increasing Predictability

Reduce surprises by presenting a clear structure or plan for your session. Predictability lowers anxiety and, when paired with encouraging choice and allowing for “no,” gives participants the space to make decisions that support their sense of agency.

Beyond the Session: The Wider Context

Being trauma-informed also means considering the broader context of your practice. How economically inclusive is your session? How inclusive it is for those with caring responsibilities? Who can access it, and who faces structural barriers such as financial constraints, lengthy commutes or work commitments?

These principles are ones I strive to implement across my sessions, whether in yoga or equity and anti-oppression workshops. How do they resonate with you? Are there other ways you’ve found to make your sessions more trauma-informed? I’d love to hear your thoughts!