Interview with Loredana Di Filippo and Louisa Domhan: Why yoga teachers bear a particularly high level of responsibility
Dear Loredana, dear Louisa, you both specialize in teaching (trauma) sensitive yoga and (trauma) sensitive bodywork. “Trauma” is a big, difficult word that brings up many negative associations. Can you give us a brief introduction to what trauma means and why the topic is important to you?
Loredana: When people think of trauma, they usually think of shock trauma. They think of war, natural disasters, accidents or sexual violence. And it is of course true: these events have the potential to be traumatic. But let's start from the beginning: trauma means "wound". A trauma is something that overwhelms our nervous system and thus exceeds our ability to process it. That is where traumas arise: in the nervous system. A modern definition of trauma is: a trauma arises in the nervous system, not in the event itself. This means that what is traumatic is subjective. Instead of trauma, you could also say: "experiences that overwhelm the nervous system".
To go back to the beginning of my answer: There are events that we as a society consider to be traumatic. These are singular events and we call them shock trauma. In addition to shock trauma, other events such as bullying or racism can also be traumatic. There is intergenerational trauma, birth trauma and developmental trauma. Experiences in early childhood in particular, such as serious changes, the loss of an important caregiver or parents who do not have enough resources for a real bond, can throw our nervous system out of balance.
Knowledge about the different types of trauma, the role of the nervous system and our sensitivity is still relatively new. I know that the topic of trauma can feel difficult at first. On the other hand, all this knowledge enables us to heal as a society. It shows us how widespread trauma is. If you look more closely at the nervous system, you suddenly understand how dysregulated the world we live in is in some ways.
Trauma arises in the nervous system and manifests itself mentally, but above all physically. And this is where we can start: with yoga and other forms of bodywork. I'm speaking for Louisa and me: It took us so long to gather this knowledge and understand why certain forms of mindfulness might not work for us. Demystifying the concept of trauma, educating people, supporting people and showing that change is possible is a matter close to our hearts. A (trauma) sensitive practice is ultimately good for all of us. Because it is well-founded and, above all, nervous system-oriented. And we all have a nervous system!
And how can we imagine trauma-sensitive yoga?
Louisa: For me, teaching yoga in a (trauma) sensitive way means being trauma-informed first and foremost and therefore adopting a stance. People usually come to yoga to relieve their symptoms such as inner restlessness, tension, racing thoughts and poor sleep.
Classic yoga classes can make these symptoms worse because of the way they are taught, the language, the postures and the lack of knowledge about the nervous system. Many people who take part in yoga classes think they are doing it wrong or “can’t get it right” because they cannot feel any relaxation or improvement.
People who teach (trauma) sensitive yoga know about the autonomic nervous system and understand how trauma affects the nervous system. With this attitude, we can support people in a more targeted and effective way.
In many yoga training courses, this type of sensitivity is not addressed at all or is addressed far too little. Was it the same for you and how did you come to delve deeper into trauma sensitivity?
Loredana: My own training was not (trauma) sensitive. And it's true: I hardly know of any training courses that include this aspect in the curriculum. I think that a lot will change here. Because it's like this: many doctors and therapists recommend meditation, yoga, supplementary coaching, etc. to their patients. This means that people who are suffering a certain amount of pain in particular look for relaxation and stability in yoga and mindfulness - which is great. That's a big responsibility that we have.
Mindfulness-based methods are almost socially acceptable. This is also a wonderful development to which we as yoga teachers contribute. The challenge: We are not usually therapists, but we are very likely to be confronted with people who have a trauma background. So it only makes sense that the training courses are set up accordingly. Looking back, I can say that I delved deeper into the subject because of my own trauma history. I have experienced many different traumas that have had a big impact on me as a person. (Trauma) sensitive yoga, mindfulness and body therapy have shown me that I am much more than the sum of my formative experiences and that change is really possible.
Louisa: My training was also not (trauma) sensitive. In 2017, I traveled to India for a long time to complete my first training in a traditional Indian ashram. This time was anything but (trauma) sensitive. Indian ashrams are very dogmatic. Clear rules, little room for individual feelings and approaches to yoga classes.
When I taught my first yoga classes in 2017 and started my first job as a social worker with refugees, I came into contact with the topic of trauma.
What began as two parallel streets converged in 2020 as a large main street with a first advanced training course on the subject of (trauma) sensitive yoga with Eva Weinmann.
Why do you think dream sensitivity is becoming more and more of a topic right now?
Louisa: If we look at what is happening in the world right now, it is more than necessary to address this issue. We live in a capitalist society that is strongly geared towards functioning. People who have experienced trauma often think that there is something wrong with them and why their body "doesn't work" or their mind "doesn't work". They often encounter a lack of understanding in this society. (Trauma) sensitivity provides a kind of gentle counterpoint that makes many people feel supported and understood.
Loredana: I see it in a similar way to you, Louisa. I have noticed, especially since the outbreak of the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, that the demand for (trauma) sensitive offers is increasing. The events of our time create stress on a variety of levels. Individually, socially, within the family, at work. Permanent stress puts our nervous system into survival mode. This leads to unintegrated traumatic experiences coming to the surface. That is why many people are going through intensive processes, especially now. If we acknowledge all of this with compassion, there is also a lot of potential for growth. (Trauma) sensitive yoga can be a wonderful support in challenging times.
Where and how can yoga teachers best find out more about trauma sensitivity?
Loredana: We are particularly inspired by Verena König, Dami Charf, David Treleaven, Stephen Porges and Deb Dana. All of these people work in a (trauma) sensitive and nervous system-informed way. I am also very inspired by the Bodynamic System. This is a form of body psychotherapy. Louisa and I combine all of this knowledge in our offerings. We have also founded a Facebook community in which yoga teachers, meditation teachers, coaches and others can exchange ideas on (trauma) sensitivity.
In Louisa's podcast YOGA HOME you will also find an interview with us on the topic of trauma-sensitive mindfulness. We also write about these topics on our Instagram channels @loredana_pina and @louisadomhan.
Thank you very much for your time and the nice interview.
Louisa Domhan & Loredana Di Filippo
Louisa and Loredana are passionate (trauma) sensitive companions. They are convinced that mindfulness-based methods can be very healing - if they are taught in a (trauma) sensitive and nervous system-friendly manner. In their joint workshops and training courses, Loredana and Louisa teach the basics of (trauma) sensitive mindfulness. They are the founders of the "Trauma Sensitive Mindfulness" community on Facebook - a network for (trauma) sensitive mindfulness practitioners, body workers, yoga teachers and coaches.
Louisa on InstagramLoredana on Instagram
Facebook-Community