About the writer: My name is Teeya Mercer, an intern for Yoga 4 Change. Trauma informed yoga is a new subject for me and I wanted to learn more about the topic. Since expressing my curiosity, my supervisors introduced me to Judy Smith, Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Yoga Teacher. I sat down with her to ask her a few questions. This was transcribed from a recorded version of our interview. Some words or phrases may have been omitted or edited to provide clarity to the reader. It is my hope that this interview can be informative to others about Judy’s perspective and knowledge about trauma informed yoga. Judy Smith currently has her own mind-body coaching practice. You can find her here .
Me: Could you tell me a little bit about yourself?
Judy: Sure! Uh…where to begin. At this point in life that’s a long story… I’ll tell you about myself and what I’m doing currently and then see if we can expand from there.
I have a mind-body coaching practice which is evolved out of training as a Psychotherapist. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and I’ve shifted to a more eastern practice of offering healing with regard to people’s mental health. A lot of that came about when I started immersing myself in my yoga practice which goes back about 25 years now. I did not go through any formal training until let’s see…11 years ago.
I’ve been teaching yoga for a little over 10 years. At that time when I began to pursue the yoga teacher training, my track seemed to keep going to this therapeutic style of yoga. A lot of that came from having worked in my clinical counseling career with folks that suffered from trauma and PTSD. I also worked with a lot with folks who had been managing a cancer diagnosis. This movement piece just seemed to be a natural way to help along their healing.
I love what I do; I love my yoga community. I love my students and I love working with my clients who seek my help to find a way to heal. I’m living my truth and doing things everyday that bring me joy.
Me: When did you start practicing yoga?
Judy: That’s a great question too! For me, I was very active in my young life to the point where I beat up my body pretty bad, so I was having injuries at a very early stage of life. I was in my late 30’s when I came to yoga and for that reason, for it to be a way of healing some of my injuries.
In my competitive nature in the beginning, my first yoga teacher had to tell me there was no competition. Even still, I didn’t relate to what she was saying. Over the process of the next year or so when I started to shift into the spiritual connection that was happening with me, not religious but spiritual, I began to understand what she was talking about and let go of my ego. That was greatest piece to my healing and that’s how I managed all my stuff over the years. It’s been great.
Me: That’s awesome! How exactly did you find Yoga 4 Change and start working with them?
Judy: Great question! The very first year Yoga 4 Change came into existence; I think I came on with them sometime within their first year. I came in shortly after they had created the organization and was actively teaching for several years.
I’ve just stepped back and I’m sort of like a… I don’t know what you call it these days, a consultant maybe? Sometimes they’ll ask me to do a class for an event or ask me to talk to so and so— I’m just very invested in the organization and will do whatever I can for as long as I can! I’m so dedicated to the cause and feel very strongly for the importance Yoga 4 Change plays in our community. I’m thrilled to be a part of it.
Me: With your background and knowledge, how would you say yoga in general can benefit or help someone who has experienced trauma?
Judy: Perfect! Now that I can do. So, for folks that have gone through what I call either big T trauma or little t trauma; they’ve been through big T trauma meaning they’ve been abused over and over again as opposed to a trauma where its one and done- like you’ve been at war and had experienced a horrific thing once. There are so many levels of trauma.
What happens is we suppress those experiences and sort of stuff them deep, deep down inside of us and our bodies sort of store that trauma. So, when we practice yoga, we have the ability— when we’re in a safe and nurturing environment and were being guided in such a way where we aren’t triggered—we can move that trauma out of our body. It’s an experience that happens naturally and organically with the way we’re being trained to breathe, or sometimes just meditation or yoga detail.
That’s what I love about my clinical practice is that I use a lot of yoga and meditation to help my folks process their trauma in a very safe environment. Does that help?
Me: Yes, that does help and that’s wonderful! What do you think are some misconceptions about yoga or even the use of yoga in a clinical setting to help those who have experienced trauma and what would you say to debunk these?
Judy: Yea that’s another great question. So much of that depends on where you are in the country, and I think sometimes here in the south, people have these weird ideas of yoga being spiritually strange; there is a fear around it because they don’t understand what it is.
Just letting go of that stigma of what some peoples’ idea of yoga is can be done by presenting it in a very simple and basic way as well as understanding how yoga helps our mind and our body. There is a strange stigma still out there surrounding it…Hopefully I answered that question.
Me: You definitely did! And I agree, there is still a sigma around yoga. Next question! What are some things you would say to individuals who may be hesitant to try yoga?
Judy: That’s also another great question! People who say stuff like “I could never do yoga because I’m so inflexible”, I say “Well you’re the person who will benefit the most from it.” If you trust and give it a try, you’ll find that when you start to learn and understand how we can breathe into our body, you will be able to become more flexible; you’ll start to breathe into places you didn’t think you could breathe into, and your body will naturally relax.
And even if you don’t become super flexible, you’re just going to feel so much better in your body. I just encourage people to give it a chance and be open to it. If its not for them, then it simply isn’t for them!
Me: Definitely! I know you mentioned you use yoga in your current clinical setting, correct?
Judy: Yes!
Me: What are some key points you make sure you touch on when you’re working with your clients to ensure they’re receiving the greatest benefit from each session?
Judy: Yea! I want to help people to become more aware of how they show up in the world and aware of how they feel in their body. I usually go into great length and time teaching people how to breathe properly. That’s a great basis for understanding that when we make our breathe big and deeper, we can see how calming our nervous system can be. That’s usually the first thing I do.
When people get down into the physical part of it, I’ll get them into a child’s pose or I’ll go through the process of explaining how to let go of the muscles in the body. Those are my go to’s.
And if people aren’t flexible, I’ll just have them sit quietly and have them connect with their breath. Be still and observe—that’s one of the more meditative pieces of yoga. Another big thing is that we all have these abilities inside of us and I usually help in aiding people to reach the point of being able to connect with their mind and bodies.
Me: Very nice and very interesting as well! Would you say there are any drawbacks to using yoga in a clinical setting?
Judy: My clinical setting is that I work out of my home. I’ve always practiced outside of whatever home I was in because I feel like for people to be vulnerable and feel like they can be at ease, a homelike setting helps to encourage that behavior.
No, I don’t think there is anything negative about offering yoga in a clinical setting. Even if I was in an office setting, I would find a way to get someone comfortable in a chair. Even in a hospital setting— that’s always been my dream. Being at bedside with people, especially those that are terminal, and being able to breathe with them and be in a space where they can switch off that flight or fight of the fear of the unknown.
Me: That sounds nice. I could see how that could help out a lot of people. How do you incorporate yoga into your everyday life?
Judy: Yoga is a part of my daily routine. Every day, I practice some type of yoga. Sometimes before I even get out of bed in the morning and at the end of a long day. Yoga is a very important part of my everyday life as is meditation.
Me: That’s awesome. I’m trying to work towards incorporating into my lifestyle as well. It’s definitely something I can see as being really helpful and being an influential part of a daily routine.
Judy: For sure! It’s something my mind and my body crave and if I don’t get it, I just don’t feel quite right
Me: That’s great! Well, you’ve answered all the questions I have, and I appreciate all of your detailed responses. I’ve gotten a lot out of our meeting today so thank you!
Judy: So glad that I could help. This brings me great pleasure to, what I like to call, pay it forward. There’s something very healing about that process and being able to help others in this way.
