For trauma survivors, the journey to feeling confident, safe, and empowered in the body requires patience and compassion.
Sexual trauma refers to the emotional, psychological, and physical impact caused by experiences of sexual abuse, assault, or any form of unwanted sexual activity.
Trauma can affect mental, emotional, and physical health. It often leads to long-term effects such as anxiety, depression, guilt, shame, and difficulties in intimate relationships.
If you’ve experienced sexual trauma, you might be feeling:
Unsafe in your body.
Disconnected from your sexuality & pleasure.
Your body no longer feels like it's yours.
Overwhelmed with feelings of shame, guilt, and fear.
Struggling with stress and anxiety.
With this sort of trauma, boundaries and safety are violated therefore feeling balanced and safe in the body again requires time and patience.
For trauma survivors, the nervous system may be hyper-sensitive and easily agitated.
When the nervous system is hyper-sensitive, daily life can be full of unexpected triggers that further a feeling of disconnect from the body.
I’m Joss, Yoga Therapist C-IAYT and trauma survivor. If you’re reading this, you’re not alone. I support women from around the world to start their healing journey and reconnect to their bodies.
Women’s abuse and trauma stories remain hidden and shamed far too often. For a trauma survivor, even considering the healing process can feel confusing and daunting.
When I began healing, I chose to explore trauma-informed yoga therapy and somatic exercises which slowly helped me begin to feel better.
I can affirm - from my personal healing journey - that I was living in a state of fight or flight. Everything felt triggering and my body was always on edge.
For example: Unpredictable sounds or movements triggered body tension and increased my heart rate. Any emotional interactions that triggered feelings of betrayal made me re-live my trauma because sexual trauma is betrayal, violation, and a loss of safety in one’s own body.
Sexual trauma is a betrayal, violation, and loss of safety in one’s own body.
I lived in this state for over a decade. Unconsciously re-living my trauma on an endless loop. I never connected the dots. Even more conflicting was how I felt in healing spaces such as yoga studios and reiki sessions.
I realized I was feeling triggered and unsafe in spaces meant to feel peaceful because they were not trauma-informed spaces.
During my healing journey, I discovered that I needed trauma-informed wellness spaces.
Here are some examples of non-trauma informed actions in yoga studios that felt uncomfortable to me as a trauma survivor:
Having the lights turned off in savasana (pitch black room with no windows).
Teachers pushing me to the edge in certain asanas.
Teachers touching my body without consent (furthering my disconnect from my body).
Poses where my legs were wide open.
Here’s what felt safe for me during my healing journey:
Gentle trauma-informed somatic exercises (allowing me to face feelings of guilt, shame, and fear in a gentle way).
Gathering with like-minded women (community is a major aspect to healing).
Trauma-informed yoga (this gave me a chance to gently reconnect to the parts of my body that had been violated).
These combined modalities had one thing in common:
They allowed me to slowly reconnect to my body in a way that I decided felt safe.
No matter what you’ve been through, it’s never too late to slowly begin your healing so you can rebuild your confidence and strength.
It just takes patience and compassion.
There’s plenty of promising research behind yoga as a powerful tool to release trauma.
Yoga can enhance your recovery because it provides a safe space to explore self-regulation of the nervous system and body connection.
But the yoga should be trauma-informed and woman-friendly with practices that foster connection to feminine anatomy and experiences.
What yoga is best for trauma release and rebuilding confidence?
Trauma-informed 1:1 yoga therapy is a strong choice for any women ready to begin healing. These private sessions will provide specific practices that are researched to help with trauma release, reducing anxiety, building self-compassion, and more.
Next Steps
If you're ready to break-free from guilt, shame, & stress, my self-care audio routines can help. This 10-minute daily routine guides you through simple exercises to:
Manage anxiety and stress holistically at-home
Reduce fear, self-doubt, and worry
Establish safety, calm, and balance the nervous system
The self-care audio routines are customized to help women feel less stress and more balance in just 10-minutes per day.
Start your healing journey today: https://wildwomb.space/selfcareroutine-stressandanxiety
Joss Frank, Yoga Therapist C-IAYT
I’m Joss, founder of Wild Womb, and I specialize in empowering people to heal, reclaim their power, and build lasting self-confidence.
After years of struggling with depression, anxiety, and trauma, I discovered that true healing comes from within. Through my personal journey of self-healing, I learned that the key to overcoming physical and emotional challenges lies in reconnecting with the body, cultivating inner awareness, and embracing holistic practices.
As a certified Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT), I now guide people through transformative healing processes that address both the physical and emotional aspects of their well-being. My work combines somatic therapy, yoga therapy, and emotional healing practices to help people cultivate self-love and lasting inner peace.
Whether you're struggling with mental health, trauma recovery, or building a positive relationship with your body, I’m here to support you on your healing journey.