Trauma Center Trauma-Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY)
A Body-Based, Trauma-Informed Approach to Nervous System Healing
Trauma Center Trauma-Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY) is an evidence-based, trauma-informed somatic therapy that supports healing through the body rather than through talking about traumatic experiences.
This approach was developed specifically for trauma survivors and is grounded in neuroscience, attachment theory, and nervous system regulation. TCTSY is not a traditional yoga class. There are no hands-on adjustments, no performance expectations, and no requirement to push through discomfort.
Instead, the focus is on choice, agency, and present-moment awareness.
What Is Trauma Center Trauma-Sensitive Yoga?
Trauma Center Trauma-Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY) was developed by yoga teacher David Emerson and researched by Bessel van der Kolk, MD, whose work is cited in The Body Keeps the Score.
Research has shown that TCTSY can:
- Reduce PTSD symptoms to sub-clinical levels
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Increase a sense of agency and personal control
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Decrease dissociation
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Strengthen connection to the body
Because trauma is often stored in the nervous system and body, TCTSY offers a bottom-up approach to trauma healing that does not require reliving or retelling traumatic events.
How Trauma-Sensitive Yoga Supports Trauma Healing
Rather than trying to change sensations or emotions, Trauma-Sensitive Yoga invites gentle awareness of the body in the present moment.
Throughout a TCTSY practice, clients are invited to:
Notice sensations without judgment
Choose whether or not to engage in movement
Practice listening to internal cues at their own pace
Over time, this supports nervous system regulation, emotional tolerance, and a growing sense of self-trust.
This modality can be especially supportive for people who feel:
- Shut down or disconnected from their bodies
- Chronically overwhelmed or hypervigilant
- Unsure where to begin with trauma therapy
- Curious about somatic or body-based trauma treatment
What Makes Trauma Center Trauma-Sensitive Yoga Different from Regular Yoga
Trauma-Sensitive Yoga is not about flexibility, fitness, or achieving poses.
Unlike traditional yoga classes:
- All movements are optional
- Language is invitational rather than directive
- There is no physical adjustment or correction
- You may choose to sit, watch, or rest at any time
The goal is not to “do it right,” but to rebuild a sense of choice and agency — something trauma often disrupts.
Choice, Consent, and Non-Coercion in TCTSY
At the core of Trauma Center Trauma-Sensitive Yoga is the principle of non-coercion.
You have choice about:
Whether or not to participate
How much or how little to move
Whether you notice sensations or simply rest
One optional aspect of practice is interoception — noticing internal sensations in the body — but this is always offered as an invitation, never a requirement.
How Trauma-Sensitive Yoga Is Used in Therapy Sessions
Trauma Center Trauma-Sensitive Yoga can be incorporated into 1:1 therapy sessions when clinically appropriate and with client consent.
Because sessions may take place in a therapy office or on Zoom, most movements are seated. Short practices (up to 15 minutes) can be integrated into therapy sessions, while longer practices are possible when space and readiness allow.
TCTSY may also be woven into therapy alongside other modalities such as Internal Family Systems (IFS) or EMDR, depending on your goals and preferences.
Training, Experience, and Clinical Integration
I bring extensive training and experience in trauma-informed care, nervous system regulation, and somatic therapies.
My work integrates:
- Trauma Center Trauma-Sensitive Yoga
- Internal Family Systems (IFS)
- EMDR therapy
- Polyvagal-informed approaches
- Somatic and mindfulness-based practices
This allows for a flexible, client-centered approach that honors both your nervous system and your autonomy.
Availability in Minnesota and Colorado
Trauma Center Trauma-Sensitive Yoga is available as part of individual therapy for clients in Minnesota and Colorado, depending on licensure and clinical appropriateness.
At times, Jen has offered live 10-week TCTSY series via Zoom. These groups are currently paused.
ALL ARE WELCOME HERE
I value and serve women+ of all ages and sizes, races, cultures, and ethnicities, faiths and beliefs (including none), gender identity, sexual orientations, abilities, neuro-diversities, and socio-economic statuses.
+ women identified female at birth, women identified male or some other gender at birth, gender non-conforming, non-binary
Pathways to Wellness Minnesota, Ltd.
1409 Willow Street Suite 109
Minneapolis, MN 55403
Text only: 612-474-1700
©️ 2024-2026 Pathways to Wellness Minnesota Ltd and Jen Barnes