How Yoga Works in Trauma Recovery: The Scientific Foundations

Dr. Julie Staples (Guru Parkash Kaur) presents scientific research showing how yoga works to heal trauma symptoms. 

Trauma affects the entire body taking a toll on the immune system, the endocrine system, and the nervous system.  Kundalini Yoga, alongside Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has been shown to impact the root causes of trauma and the complex symptoms.

Dr. Staples, author of Reclaiming Life After Trauma, discusses the latest research studies using yoga, including Kundalini Yoga, and meditations for posttraumatic stress.

Yoga and meditation have direct impact on the body and brain that can counteract these changes.

Dr. Staples will describe the parts of the brain affected by trauma and present neuroimaging studies demonstrating how meditation can bring the brain back to a normal state. She will explain the concept of allostatic load and the stress response and how yoga can reduce allostatic load. Posttraumatic stress can also accelerate cellular aging and research will be presented on how yoga may help slow this process. Inflammation, the underlying cause of many disease states, is increased as a result of posttraumatic stress. Research will be shown demonstrating how yoga can reduce this inflammation. She will also present research on Shabad Kriya for sleep given that a primary trauma symptom is difficulty sleeping.

If you are a yoga teacher, this course will help you understand the emerging field of yoga therapy and how with further study, yoga & meditation play a key role in health care and support for trauma & health recovery. Understand the research and experience meditations that have been studied and help with trauma.