Tantra, not Trauma
Trauma-Informed Therapy and Teaching
We can only let go and open into ecstasy, sexual or otherwise, to the extent that we feel safe in our body and resourced within ourselves. To fully open into divine rapture, alone or with another, we need to gently befriend all the scared, protected, and hidden parts of us. This journey need not be daunting, but rather can be a delightful opening into carefree heart-open trust. I have seen first-hand the positive impact Tantra principles can have on balancing and regulating the nervous system and resolving and recovering from trauma.
Many trauma survivors have experienced a lack of healthy boundaries as an integral part of their trauma. As such, it’s crucial for therapeutic and workshop settings to offer choice and ask for permission at each step. Enough wounding has already happened and accidentally re-traumatizing a student or client needs to be avoided at all costs.
With C-PTSD (Complex PTSD), also sometimes called developmental trauma, where the trauma always includes a relational aspect, building the capacity for trust and healthy relationships is a crucially important step. Therefore, creating safety – physical and emotional – is the first step for any healing or spiritual setting.
The fact that a lot of humanity is dealing with trauma issues, large and small, is increasingly recognized and validated in the media nowadays. This is wonderful. Many teachers have been of incredible service to humankind by speaking about trauma and offering modalities to work with it:
- Judith Lewis Herman
- Peter Levine
- Diane Heller
- Babette Rothchild
- Bessel van der Kolk
- Gabor Mate
- Brad Kammer
- Pete Walker
- and many others
Unfortunately, many practitioners often claim their coaching, yoga, breath work, Tantra workshop or event is “trauma-informed”. In reality, they may have had very little actual training. In my experience using the term “trauma-informed” in the area of self-help means about as much as “all-natural” on a food packet, potentially not much. It’s good to know trauma exists and is much more prevalent than previously acknowledged. But knowing how to work with it safely and effectively is another thing altogether.
Getting the Right Help
Getting the right help can be a challenge. I know that from personal experience as well as professionally.
So my advice to a person who knows or suspects she/he is dealing with trauma is to choose your therapist, practitioner or teacher very carefully. You must give yourself permission to ask lots of questions, as many questions as it takes, then listen to your body and heart as well as your mind and make sure you feel comfortable before committing to any course of action.
Niyaso has extensive training, decades of experience, and a deep personal understanding of how to heal from trauma.
She applies this expertise in her one-on-one work, in her couples coaching as well as in her group workshops and teacher trainings.
Niyaso’s approach to helping people resolve trauma addresses healing from several angles. She educates her students and clients so that they can understand their own and their clients’ processes from a physiological as well as psychological viewpoint. She helps people look at the mental, emotional, biochemical/nutritional, as well as spiritual perspectives of trauma. This way trauma gets dissolved as fast, effective, and gentle as possible opening the way to expansion, love and carefree joy.