Going off to college is considered by most to be one of the most exciting and liberating times in their lives. It is infused with possibility and potential. What many don’t realize is that it is also a place where there is a large occurrence of sexual trauma. The stats are as high as 26% of women, 23% of transgender or nonbinary folks, and nearly 7% of men.
Even with rates that high, most colleges do not have the services and resources to support survivors, many of whom are not comfortable in talk therapy.
Zahabiyah Nagasaki has made it her mission to change that. Her eight-week program, Transcending Sexual Trauma Through Yoga spans colleges and universities nationwide and is often the first place survivors go to for support on their college campuses. It’s trauma-informed yoga at its best. In her classes emotions are welcome and the space is safe (as possible), empowering, and communal.
Her knowledge and experience are especially important for trauma-informed yoga teachers. She gives great tips for how to hold space, use fantastically heartfelt and original trauma-informed invitational language, and how to invite students into yoga practice which balances energy.
Her ability to break through college campus culture and bureaucracy to get these programs implemented is truly inspiring which you will note especially as you listen to and experience her soft, joyful voice and demeaner. It’s a testament to a trauma-informed way of being.
I hope you will take a listen to her story on the Beyond Trauma Podcast on iTunes or Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts and you will surely benefit from her wisdom.
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