Neuro-informed yoga is inherently trauma-informed because it is grounded in an understanding of how the nervous system processes stress, safety, and healing—which are central to trauma recovery. Here's why the two are deeply interconnected:

Trauma isn’t just about what happened—it’s about how the body and brain responded. Trauma overwhelms the nervous system, leading to:

• Hyperarousal (anxiety, panic, irritability)

• Hypoarousal (numbness, dissociation, shutdown)

• Disrupted self-regulation

• Trauma lives in the subcortical brain and body—the parts not reached through talk alone. Neuro-informed yoga supports bottom-up healing, targeting:

  • The vagus nerve (rest-and-digest)

  • The amygdala (threat detection)

  • The insula (body awareness)

  These are the same systems that are affected by trauma—and where healing begins.

• Both neuro- and trauma-informed approaches value empowerment and choice over performance, an essential part of healing for individuals who’ve experienced trauma—where choice and control were often taken away.

• Neuro-informed yoga cultivates interoception (awareness of internal states), which is often impaired in trauma survivors. Reconnecting with sensations in a safe, supported way helps:

  • Rebuild trust in the body

  • Reduce dissociation

  • Strengthen self-regulation