Therapy Chat · Laura Reagan, LCSW-C

481: Trauma Sensitive Yoga In Therapy - With David Emerson

May 6, 2025·52 min·5 clips

David Emerson reveals why trauma-sensitive yoga never tells clients what to do, based on Judith Herman's power dynamics theory.

This episode features host Laura Reagan interviewing David Emerson, founder of Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY). Emerson is a former social worker and yoga teacher who developed this approach in collaboration with trauma expert Bessel van der Kolk. The conversation explores how TCTSY integrates yoga into therapy for complex trauma. Emerson explains TCTSY is a yoga-based intervention grounded in trauma theory, attachment theory, and neuroscience. He cites Judith Herman's focus on power dynamics and Bessel van der Kolk's emphasis on helping people live in the present. The model specifically addresses interoception, the brain's ability to sense internal bodily states, which research suggests is underactive in people with complex trauma. A National Institutes of Health-funded study examined TCTSY's impact on PTSD symptoms in women with histories of childhood abuse. A smaller cohort within that study used brain scans to investigate whether the practice could increase activity in interoceptive brain regions. A core principle is using invitational language and shared authentic experience, where the facilitator practices the yoga forms alongside the client to avoid a power imbalance. Emerson stresses the facilitator must acknowledge their inherent power in the relationship rather than pretend it doesn't exist. The practice intentionally avoids manipulating outcomes or coercing clients, as manipulation mirrors the dynamics of trauma itself. Sessions focus on present-moment bodily sensations and making choices about movements, not on discussing traumatic narratives. One surprising insight is the paradox that while TCTSY has been studied for clinical outcomes, the practice itself involves letting go of attachment to those outcomes during the session. Emerson suggests therapists might be more effective if they are less attached to controlling results. The approach posits that living with an "unfeelable and unpredictable body" is a central source of suffering in complex trauma. He notes that for many participants, the value lies in attending a session where the facilitator is trauma-informed but talking about trauma is not required. The tone is educational and conversational, blending theoretical explanation with practical application for therapists. The style is collaborative, with the host and guest exploring concepts and their clinical implications together. This episode is ideal for therapists, yoga teachers, or anyone interested in somatic approaches to trauma healing. Listeners seeking a highly structured or solely cognitive-behavioral perspective on trauma treatment might find it less aligned with their interests.

As heard by us

A measured look at how trauma-sensitive yoga puts power, consent, and embodiment into practice.

Therapy Chat treats trauma-sensitive yoga as a practical discussion of how yoga can sit inside therapy, how choice and consent are protected, and why invitational language matters.

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Why you'd press play

If you want trauma-informed yoga explained without soft-focus jargon, press play.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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