Brain development and Trauma Sensitive Yoga

Trauma Sensitive Yoga approaches positively promote healthy self-regulation strategies and decrease hyper-arousal which will lead to an increase confidence, self-esteem and empower students to live connected and embodied lives. Trauma survivors have described feeling as though “their bodies have become booby-trapped” Although trauma is a thing of the past the body keep reacting as if it is in imminent danger. These triggers transform ones inner world in into minefield. Trauma Sensitive Yoga works with the autonomic nervous system and the endocrine system, the reactions not under our conscious control, but instinctive to ensure survival. Trauma sensitive Yoga teaches us, through breath, enquiry, movement, stretching, strengthening, being present and resting. Trauma Sensitive Yoga allows students to learn through experience that your body can be effective again and to reclaim your body as your own.

To contextualise Trauma Sensitive Yoga with brain development there is significant research to indicate that many young people who become involved in young offending have experienced trauma in early childhood and the frontal cortex (where the brain development takes place) is compromised. This can be further exacerbated during puberty which is an essential period of child development and brain changes. During adolescence grey matter is created, neurons develop, a layer of myelin is formed which increases the speed the speed of transmission of electrical impulses from neuron to neuron.  A synaptic pruning occurs which can be described as ‘a use it or lose principle’ where the functions such as response inhibition, emotional regulation, analysing problems need to develop. Therefor the activities young people become involved in are critical to ensure circuits (processing systems) which underpin adaptive behaviours and functioning strengthen and grow.

Research findings suggest a mismatch between emotional and cognitive regulatory modes in adolescence. However the adolescent brain has remarkable neuroplasticity and undergoes specific and significant remodelling at many levels this enables young people, with support and guidance to make positive, constructive and informed changes to their behaviours and wellbeing