By Christine Saari, MA, C-IAYT
In recent years, there has been a growing interest in holistic approaches to mental health, reflecting a broader understanding of the mind-body connection and the need for specialized mental health training in trauma-specific modalities. This shift has paved the way for innovative combinations of traditional therapies with complementary practices, offering more nuanced and effective treatments. One such promising integration is that of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy with yoga therapy. As more individuals seek ways to address trauma and emotional distress, this synergy is gaining traction for its potential to enhance the comfort of the healing process.
The popularity of Bessel van der Kolk’s book The Body Keeps the Score has brought somatic therapies into the spotlight, emphasizing the essential connection between the body and mind in trauma recovery. Coupled with the increased openness to seeking mental health support in the wake of the pandemic, people are more willing than ever to explore holistic and integrative approaches to healing.
This article explores how yoga therapy can complement and enhance the EMDR process, providing a more integrated approach to trauma recovery. From offering an alternative to the intensity of EMDR to serving as a supportive practice throughout the therapy, yoga therapy presents unique benefits to support clients in their journey towards healing and resilience and enrich the therapeutic experience.
Common Reasons for Choosing EMDR and Associated Challenges
Overview of EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a structured therapy consisting of seven phases designed to help individuals process and recover from traumatic experiences. Developed by Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s, EMDR involves the use of bilateral stimulation, typically through guided eye movements, to help the brain reprocess traumatic memories. This process aims to reduce the emotional charge associated with these memories, allowing individuals to integrate their experiences in a healthier, more adaptive way.
EMDR has gained significant recognition for its effectiveness in treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It is also used to address other trauma-related conditions, such as anxiety, depression, phobias, and complex grief. The therapy’s structured approach and focus on reprocessing traumatic memories make it a valuable tool for individuals seeking relief from the lingering effects of trauma.
Challenges in EMDR
While EMDR is a powerful therapeutic modality, it is not without its challenges. One of the primary difficulties is that the therapy can be triggering and emotionally intense for some individuals. The process of recounting and re-experiencing traumatic events can evoke strong emotional responses, which can be overwhelming and distressing.
For many clients, the necessity of confronting and revisiting their traumatic memories is a significant barrier to engaging in EMDR. This re-experiencing of trauma, while crucial for processing and healing, can be particularly daunting for those who are not yet ready to face their past experiences head-on. Consequently, some individuals may struggle to fully engage with the therapy, leading to potential setbacks or a reluctance to continue with the treatment.
Additionally, the intensity of EMDR sessions can sometimes lead to heightened anxiety and emotional dysregulation between sessions. Clients may find it challenging to return to their daily routines and maintain emotional stability, which can impact their overall progress in therapy and adversely affect their daily lives.
Understanding these challenges is essential for both clients and clinicians. It highlights the need for complementary practices, such as yoga therapy, which can offer additional support and coping strategies throughout the EMDR process. By addressing these challenges, we can create a more supportive and effective therapeutic environment for those on their journey to recovery.
What is Yoga Therapy?
Yoga therapy is a clinical approach to managing symptoms of chronic disease and mental health conditions, tailored specifically to the individual. Unlike general yoga classes that tend to focus on physical fitness, yoga therapy prescribes personalized practices for therapeutic use outside of sessions. These may include movement, breathwork, meditation, philosophy study, or lifestyle health coaching.
Practices are selected collaboratively, adapted to the client’s preferences and learning style, and monitored for effectiveness based on the symptoms most troubling to them. Yoga therapy is uniquely applied to manage a wide range of chronic health issues.
This approach is client-centered, non-pathologizing, and respects each person’s beliefs. It prioritizes the client’s concerns without labeling or defining them by their symptoms or diagnoses. The therapy is holistic and trauma-informed, ensuring personalized care that avoids triggering past traumas.
Certified Yoga Therapists (C-IAYT) are trained to prevent re-traumatization and to treat trauma using evidence-based methods. Beyond physical exercises, yoga therapy plays a significant role in regulating the nervous system and fostering the mind-body connection. It promotes neuroplasticity, aiding in trauma recovery and emotional regulation.
Benefits of Yoga Therapy During The EMDR Process
Physical Benefits:
Yoga therapy provides evidence-based techniques and personalized practices to address common symptoms of chronic stress and anxiety, including aches and pains, headaches, gastrointestinal discomfort (such as nervous stomach, stress vomiting and constipation/diarrhea), heart palpitations or chest tightness, dizziness, neuropathy, panic attacks or “butterflies”, muscle tension, and insomnia. Metrics are used throughout the course of care to evaluate the efficacy of the techniques in relieving these symptoms, and to calibrate the frequency and length of practice time needed to maintain the desired effects over time.
Mental Benefits:
Yoga therapy has been shown to significantly reduce anxiety through the calming effects of movement coupled with breath, dedicated therapeutic breathwork, and selected meditation techniques. It can help manage thought-based symptoms such as catastrophic thinking, worry, and negative thoughts by employing techniques like mindfulness, chanting, and yoga philosophy study.
Emotional Benefits During EMDR:
In the context of the EMDR process, thought-witnessing skills can be particularly beneficial prior to engaging in phase 4, where individuals are asked to revisit traumatic memories. Additionally, yoga therapy equips EMDR clinicians with the ability to offer more personalized self-regulation skills for clients. Self-regulation skills are critical throughout the EMDR process to restore and sustain proper functioning of the autonomic nervous system, leading to improved comfort and resilience.
In essence, yoga therapy offers a comprehensive and integrative approach to health that not only addresses physical discomfort, but also supports mental and emotional well-being. This makes it an invaluable complement to traditional therapies like EMDR, particularly in the context of trauma recovery.
Three Methods That Integrate Yoga Therapy with EMDR
Method #1: Alternative to EMDR
For Clinicians
For individuals who find EMDR too triggering or overwhelming, yoga therapy offers a viable alternative. Unlike EMDR, which requires recounting and re-experiencing traumatic events, yoga therapy does not necessitate sharing or revisiting trauma stories. Instead, it focuses on gentle, trauma-informed practices that empower clients through choice-making at a pace that feels safe for them.
This approach allows clients to address trauma without direct confrontation, providing a less intense pathway to healing while facilitating their desire to reconnect with a sense of safety and integration within themselves and their lives.
For Clients
If you don’t feel ready to revisit past traumas and have ruled out EMDR with your therapist, yoga therapy could be a viable alternative. It offers you a way to address the physical symptoms associated with trauma, often referred to as “the issues in the tissues.” One of the key benefits is that you won’t need to talk about your experiences with your yoga therapist at all.
Method #2: Follow-up to EMDR
For Clinicians
Yoga therapy can be a valuable follow-up practice for clients who are concurrently engaged in EMDR sessions. By incorporating yoga therapy techniques following EMDR sessions, clients can effectively regulate their nervous systems, manage post-session stress, and facilitate a smoother transition back to daily life.
Developing home practice regimens that include yoga and mindfulness can support ongoing self-care and recovery, helping clients maintain stability and resilience as they engage with the EMDR process.
For Clients
The most common method is to use yoga therapy as follow-up care, where you’d work with a yoga therapist between EMDR sessions. This method is popular if you are currently doing EMDR, but struggle with how you feel between sessions—such as experiencing nightmares, or feeling generally nervous, unsettled, or unable to focus.
In 6-12 sessions on average, you’ll learn nervous system regulation techniques and coping skills along with a plan to apply them in your daily life to help you recover more effectively after EMDR. You can expect to receive audiovisual or written aids to support your practice at home, and guidance on using these tools to manage your symptoms long-term. This follow-up method is a popular investment in your mental health and overall comfort.
Method #3: Adjunct Care Throughout EMDR
For Clinicians
Integrating yoga therapy throughout the EMDR process can significantly enhance the overall therapeutic experience. For EMDR clinicians with specialized training in yoga therapy techniques, yoga therapy can be employed as an adjunct care approach both during and between EMDR sessions.
This integration may involve somatic practices, breathwork, and meditation to support clients in managing their responses and reinforcing the therapeutic work done in EMDR. By combining these methods, clients benefit from a more comprehensive and supportive treatment plan, making the process more comfortable and facilitating the brain’s ability to install new beliefs.
For Clients
For a more progressive approach, you can also combine yoga therapy with EMDR as adjunct care. This method integrates the strengths of both therapies, supporting your healing journey in a comprehensive way.
However, finding an EMDR clinician with yoga therapy skills can be challenging, as general yoga skills are not the same as those of trained yoga therapists. It’s worth asking about or reaching out to organizations like Yoga Therapy Associates, which offer continuing education for mental health clinicians on using yoga therapy techniques within the EMDR process. They can provide a list of qualified clinicians with this highly specialized skill set.
A Tailored Approach to Trauma Recovery
In summary, integrating yoga therapy with EMDR offers three tailored approaches to support your unique needs and desire for a comprehensive trauma recovery journey. Whether you opt for yoga therapy as an alternative, follow-up care, or adjunct care with EMDR, each method is designed to help you reconnect with your innate wholeness and return to a natural state of connectedness. This integration aims to make your healing journey more comfortable and personalized, empowering you to take charge of your symptoms and your life.
Conclusion
Integrating yoga therapy with EMDR highlights the evolving role of yoga therapy and somatics in mental health care and trauma recovery. For clients, this combination offers a holistic approach that provides a means of managing both physical and emotional symptoms related to trauma recovery, fostering a deeper sense of agency and resilience. For clinicians, embracing yoga therapy represents an exciting opportunity to enhance your therapeutic practice and meet the growing demand for somatic therapies. As yoga therapy and somatics gain prominence, they provide valuable tools for comprehensive, client-centered care.
We encourage clients to explore how integrating yoga therapy can complement their EMDR process and support a more thorough and comfortable recovery experience. For clinicians, drawing upon the field of yoga therapy is a promising way to advance your skills and offer innovative treatment options. As these practices become more mainstream, staying at the forefront of this evolving field can significantly enhance your ability to provide effective, holistic care.
Learn More
To explore alternative or follow-up care for trauma recovery, visit Yoga Therapy Associates to get a list of qualified yoga therapists. We can provide specialized support tailored to your needs. Additionally, you can request referrals to EMDR clinicians who are trained in integrating yoga therapy within the EMDR process for a more comprehensive approach.
For clinicians interested in expanding their expertise, consider our continuing education courses in yoga therapy. Click here for more information about our workshops and trainings.
