A Descriptive Study of Practitioners’ Use of Yoga with Adolescents Who Have Experienced Trauma

Experiencing a traumatic event(s) during adolescence may lead to various short- and/or long-term effects on the adolescent’s emotional, physical, social, cognitive, and/or spiritual health. The impacts of trauma may be addressed through treatment, but many common trauma treatments fail to address all five health domains. As a holistic practice, yoga may be a beneficial treatment for adolescents who have experienced trauma. While research has identified positive impacts of yoga on all five health domains, there are many inconsistencies in the literature regarding the use of yoga with adolescents who have experienced trauma. Using a descriptive quantitative research design, the purpose of this study was to describe how, why, and by whom yoga is implemented with adolescents who have experienced trauma. Results provide foundational knowledge regarding the use of yoga with adolescents who have experienced trauma, including session logistics, trauma-related adaptations, targeted client outcomes, and recommended facilitator yoga- and trauma-specific trainings. Study findings support pre-existing literature indicating the importance of establishing therapeutic practitioner-client rapport, promoting clients’ autonomy, and maintaining a safe environment when facilitating yoga with adolescents who have experienced trauma. Future research recommendations focused on yoga with adolescents who have experienced trauma are identified and discussed