David Emerson is the director of yoga services at the Trauma Center (traumacenter.org). In 2003 he codesigned the Trauma Center Yoga Program that includes classes and teacher training programs. He lives in Cambridge, MA. Elizabeth Hopper, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in traumatic stress and works as the associate director of training at the Trauma Center. She lives in Somerville, MA.
"In this landmark book the authors offer survivors a gentle,
step-by-step mindful yoga that is tailored for their specific
needs.… This well conceived book is a tremendous resource for
therapists and yoga teachers. By engaging the wisdom of their
bodies, it is a great companion and guide to those taking the
journey of recovery from trauma to wholeness. Overcoming Trauma
through Yoga is a gift for those taking the hero’s journey of
recovery and vibrancy."
—From the foreword by Peter A. Levine, PhD, author of the
best-selling Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma
"This book sets out to facilitate the creation of healing
environments. Clinicians will learn basic yoga skills that can be
implemented within individual therapy sessions. Yoga teachers will
find thoughtful advice on how to make assists that won’t trigger
internal defenses. And trauma survivors will receive edict-free
encouragement for using yoga as a tool for self-discovery.
Thoughtful and thorough, Overcoming Trauma through Yoga brings a
spirit of optimism to the process of healing past wounds and
reclaiming body and mind."
—Rolf Sovik, PsyD, Yoga International Magazine
"Trauma-related conditions are complex disorders involving
dysregulation of the mind, body, and the mind/body interface.
Although yoga is a mind/body practice known to have significant
therapeutic benefits, yoga for healthy individuals is not the same
as yoga therapy for patients, which must take patient limitations
into account. The trauma-sensitive yoga developed by the authors
through practical and clinical experience, and described carefully,
practically, and systematically in this book, incorporates the best
that yoga has to offer with what will benefit trauma patients
safely and comfortably."
—Sat Bir Khalsa, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard
Medical School, Director of Research for the Kundalini Research
Institute
“At last, an engaging, accessible, theoretically grounded guide for
the safe and effective use of yoga to heal from trauma! With a rich
understanding of both the practice of yoga and the legacy of
trauma, the authors skillfully weave together theory, research,
mindfulness, case vignettes, yoga instruction, and more into a
clear and compelling argument for reclaiming the body through their
trauma-sensitive modified yoga. Innovative and practical, this book
is an indispensable resource for traumatized individuals, yoga
teachers, clinicians, and anyone else who is looking to rediscover
the natural intelligence of the body.”
—Pat Ogden, PhD, founder of the Sensorimotor Psychotherapy
Institute and author of Trauma and the Body: A Sensorimotor
Approach to Psychotherapy
“There is a real need to extend yoga to those affected by traumatic
experience and this book is a guide toward that action serving yoga
practitioners, yoga teachers, and clinicians who are interested in
working somatically. This guide fills the gap in the yoga student’s
training with a solid knowledge base of trauma and offers ideas
about creating a trauma-sensitive yoga class. Furthermore,
clinicians can give insight into working with the body in the
therapy session.… The yoga skills presented here are designed to
center, to ground, to increase mindful awareness, to encourage
curiosity about experiencing the present, to help regain the sense
of empowerment, enhance affect-regulation, and to befriend the
body, all in a trauma-informed way. From a yoga perspective, this
guide presents how to work with an individual suffering from
symptoms associated with traumatic experience as a fine balance
between knowledge and sensitivity.”
—Somatic Psychotherapy Today
“If you have suffered trauma or are a yoga teacher looking for ways
to expand your class offerings, Overcoming Trauma through Yoga
stands alone in providing a complete program developed by clinical
experience especially designed to address the needs of trauma
survivors.… [The book] offers survivors a mindful approach to
healing through calm, step-by-step yoga tailored to their specific
requirements in order to engage and awaken the wisdom of their own
bodies.… a superb book.… This gem deserves a place on the
bookshelf.”
—Yoga Flavored Life
“Authors Emerson and Hopper demonstrate how to deliberately and
systematically intervene in the body’s alarm systems, and the
yoga-based approaches they present in Overcoming Trauma through
Yoga use a series of postures and breathing techniques to rebuild a
sense of connection to the self.… Overcoming Trauma through Yoga is
highly recommended for trauma clients, therapists, and yoga
teachers who want to work together toward complete recovery.”
—New York Journal of Books
“In his book Overcoming Trauma through Yoga, coauthor David Emerson
(with Elizabeth Hopper, PhD) discusses the importance of treating
not only patients’ minds, but also their bodies, where memories of
traumatic events are stored. They write, ‘While talk-based therapy
serves a critical role in the healing process, many are finding
that it is insufficient by itself.’ Yoga and other forms of
therapeutic physical activity may be the missing link.”
—Whole Life Times
“Though the reason for buying this book will vary greatly, I think
the message is the same for everyone.… I expected some ‘tips and
tricks,’ but instead I got a great discussion on understanding my
body and that my healing must come from within myself as well as
physically. I am not a yogi; I have watched a few videos and
stumbled around my living room, but this book was a great read even
for a beginner like me. It was easy to follow the instruction and
simple exercises. I am certain that this book has been a great
addition to my recovery.”
—Alexandria Vail, Chicklit Club
“Very useful book… The essential wisdom imparted here is that a
simple hatha yoga practice can support the treatment of trauma by
a) reintroducing the PTSD client to having and making meaningful
choices when it seems like all choices have been taken away; b)
cultivating a sense of living in the present in a way that feels
safe; c) taking effective physical action, in direct opposition to
what happens in a trauma situation where great effort is made, and
often unsuccessfully, toward simply getting away from the threat;
and d) establishing personal and interpersonal rhythms when the
client may feel out-of-step with his or her own biorhythms,
emotions, other people, etc.… I liked the straightforward tone, and
the material is streamlined enough that you can pretty much absorb
the whole thing in one or two sittings, and start applying it
immediately.”
—PCarino, Intellectual House o' Pancakes
“Overcoming Trauma through Yoga tells how trauma survivors can use
yoga to reconnect to one's body and introduces the concept of
trauma-sensitive yoga, a modified yoga program developed at
the Trauma Center at Justice Resource Institute. It focuses on
reinforcing positive relationships between body and mind
through breathing and gentle yoga exercises, and provides an
in-depth description of post-traumatic stress disorder. Yoga
teachers and therapists alike will find this a fine, specific
guide to integrating yoga-based interventions into therapy.”
—Midwest Book Review
“The authors, David Emerson and Elizabeth Hopper, PhD, have done an
excellent job connecting the dots for readers.… Overcoming Trauma
through Yoga eloquently describes and clearly illustrates how
trauma-sensitive yoga has been and continues to be an effective
tool for trauma survivors, healing them from the inside out.
Generally, I would encourage anyone who experiences stress or
disconnect from their bodies to give this book a chance.”
—Angela Andiorio, Space & Time
“For yoga teachers, [Overcoming Trauma through Yoga] is invaluable
for showing that all students are not the same, and that adapting
your class just takes compassion, special care and knowledge, which
this book provides. Clinicians will benefit by learning that yoga
unlocks traumatized bodies.… Although trauma survivors may have
moments of discomfort and strong emotions may surface as they read,
Overcoming Trauma through Yoga offers something critical to their
healing: hope.”
—Dawn Hamilton, Life Force Yoga Healing Institute
“The information in this book can help anyone engaged in the
practice of yoga and the process of healing the effects of
traumatic experiences.… Reading this book helped me understand
intellectually what I knew experientially. Namely, that the
greatest benefit practitioners of yoga receive is the positive
shift in outlook. In the context of trauma, this becomes
empowerment.”
—Temani Aldine, LifeParticle.com
Ask a Question About this Product More... |