Linda H

She is a Yoga Alliance certified trauma-informed yoga psychology teacher. Linda facilitates and guides practitioners through yoga and meditation sessions from a trauma-informed lens. This means that: - respect is held for student autonomy and individual choice - students are supported to cultivate self-empowerment and self-efficacy through personal intentions and actions - spaces are safe, inclusive, and equitable so all can feel at home in their bodies - yoga is practiced in ways such that students can develop and become aware of internal ease in mindful breath-work and synchronized movement Trauma-informed yoga encourages practitioners to nourish the 'rest and digest' state of the human autonomic nervous system. In teaching yoga with trauma-informed principles, Linda acknowledges that practitioners may or may not have been subjected to trauma in a variety of ways (whether chronic or acute), and through different forms (intergenerational, colonial/systemic, childhood, racialized, medical, emotional and interpersonal, etc). Experiencing trauma may also be through coping with the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, especially for those who work in healthcare settings. The pandemic has only exacerbated concerns of compassion fatigue and burnout amongst healthcare professionals. On a global scale, mental health concerns have been on the rise as many have had their daily routines disrupted due to changes in employment status, becoming ill, or caring for loved ones who are ill. Asana and pranayama are therapeutic modalities supported by psychophysiological research that promotes self-care and maintenance of holistic wellbeing. Linda hopes that the yoga and meditation she offers in her communities will remind practitioners to come back home to themselves, to be grounded in their bodies, and to practice mindfulness and self-compassion on and off the mat. When one is guided to get outside of their busy mind and back into the present moment, we begin to see ourselves and others from a place of clarity in heart and mind. Linda expresses gratitude to the Trauma-informed Yoga Psychology School's faculty members - Dr. Melissa Jay, Henri Ferguson, Carolyn Shaw, Simmi Latulippe, Lindsey Williams, Anne Douglas, Michael Yudcovitch, Julie Seibt, and Tobias Wiggins. Through her training, Linda had the opportunity to learn from profound individuals such as Dr. Gabor Mate, Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, Baba Ram Dass, Susanna Barkataki, David Emerson, and Anodea Judith. Linda commits to ‘svadhyaya’ and personal growth through a daily yoga and meditation practice.