Healing Trauma with Yoga

How Survivors of Narcissistic Abuse Benefit from Mindful Movement

Healing from narcissistic abuse requires time, compassion, and powerful coping tools. Yoga is an effective tool for trauma recovery, helping survivors reconnect with themselves, release stored emotions, and regain a sense of peace and control. Here are ten ways yoga supports recovery from narcissistic abuse and trauma, with insights from research and expert sources.

1. Reduces Anxiety and Stress

Yoga’s emphasis on breathing and mindfulness activates the body’s relaxation response, reducing cortisol and alleviating anxiety. Studies have shown that practicing yoga can reduce stress-related symptoms by up to 40% (Harvard Health Publishing, 2020).

2. Builds Self-Compassion

Narcissistic abuse often leaves survivors with low self-worth. Yoga fosters non-judgmental self-awareness, encouraging kindness toward oneself. Research published in The Journal of Clinical Psychology (2013) suggests that self-compassion gained through mindfulness practices like yoga is crucial for healing emotional wounds.

3. Promotes Mindfulness and Presence

Yoga’s focus on staying in the present reduces rumination, a common effect of trauma. Mindfulness allows survivors to observe painful thoughts without getting overwhelmed, facilitating emotional healing (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, 2019).

4. Strengthens Emotional Resilience

Yoga teaches endurance through challenging poses, fostering resilience and patience. Building emotional resilience is essential for overcoming trauma, as survivors learn to stay grounded even when difficult emotions arise (Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 2017).

5. Improves Sleep Quality

Insomnia is a frequent challenge after trauma. Yoga has been shown to improve sleep quality, helping survivors get the rest needed for healing. A 2019 study found that 55% of people practicing yoga for insomnia experienced marked improvements (National Sleep Foundation, 2019).

6. Releases Trauma Stored in the Body

Trauma can manifest as physical tension in areas like the hips and shoulders. Yoga poses that target these areas, such as hip openers, release built-up tension, helping survivors feel freer physically and emotionally (Trauma and Recovery, Herman, 1997).

7. Supports Boundaries and Self-Respect

Yoga encourages practitioners to honor their limits, promoting healthy boundary-setting. Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, author of The Body Keeps the Score, notes that yoga helps trauma survivors reclaim agency over their own bodies, which is essential for setting boundaries.

8. Rebuilds Self-Trust

Survivors often struggle to trust their intuition, as narcissistic abuse can lead to self-doubt. Yoga promotes body awareness, helping individuals reconnect with their needs and rebuild self-trust through mindful movement and introspection.

9. Fosters Community and Connection

Joining a yoga class or group offers survivors a supportive environment, reinforcing the value of positive relationships. Building healthy connections is crucial for re-establishing trust and combatting the isolation often experienced in abusive relationships.

10. Creates Space for Self-Reflection

Yoga encourages self-reflection, helping survivors process emotions and reconnect with their true selves. Studies show that contemplative practices like yoga enable self-discovery and identity reconstruction, which are crucial in recovering from trauma (Psychology Today, 2018).

Incorporating yoga into trauma recovery can offer profound mental, physical, and spiritual benefits, helping survivors of narcissistic abuse move forward with renewed strength, resilience, and self-compassion.

Sources:

• Harvard Health Publishing. (2020). Yoga for Anxiety and Depression.

• National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. (2019). Mind and Body Approaches for Stress Reduction.

• Herman, J. L. (1997). Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence—from Domestic Abuse to Political Terror. New York: Basic Books.

• Van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. New York: Viking.