Relationships Beyond Words

What if feeling understood didn’t depend on finding the right words?

What if connection could start with simply being in the same space, breathing or moving at your own pace, and knowing the other person is truly with you?

Many of us have had moments where talking didn’t feel like enough—when we wished someone could just get us without us having to explain. This is the heart of attunement through the body—an experience of being met, not with words, but with presence and shared humanity.

Building Well-Being Through Connection

When we’ve been through something stressful or overwhelming, the way others respond matters more than we often realize. If you’ve ever felt unseen, dismissed, or not believed—especially after something painful—you know how isolating that can be. It can make connection feel risky, even in relationships that seem safe. This is even more true when the difficult or harmful experiences happened in relationship—particularly those marked by control, neglect, or disconnection. The wound often leaves the body believing it has to choose between connection and safety. Even when those events are long past, we may find ourselves bracing, holding back, or disconnecting just to protect ourselves.

Attuning through the body offers a different way of relating. It’s not about finding the perfect advice or response, and it’s not about rehashing the past. It’s about being alongside someone in a way that says, without words: I’m here with you, and I’m also here with myself. This kind of connection matters because our bodies and nervous systems are always reading cues from the people around us. When someone can stay steady and present without trying to fix us or pull us into their pace, our system can begin to settle. That settling is where the possibility for trust and change begins.

Attunement in the body creates the chance to be in connection without feeling pressured, to take up space without fear of intrusion, and to feel mutual respect without a hierarchy. Over time, these moments can give the nervous system a new reference point—one that shows it is possible to be connected and still keep hold of yourself.

Connected in Experience

When you’re attuned to yourself, you’re paying attention to your own internal state—your breath, body sensations, emotional cues, and energy. You notice when you’re grounded, when you’re tense, when your breath shifts. This self-awareness isn’t for self-focus alone—it’s the foundation for being truly present with another person.

From there, you can meet someone without needing them to match your pace, mood, or state. Instead, your steady internal presence becomes a cue of safety for them. You’re not just reacting to their signals—you’re in a kind of parallel process where you remain connected to yourself and open to them at the same time.

Builds Mutuality: This isn’t one person “fixing” the other—it’s two people each having their own experience, in the same space, in a way that honors both.Attunement in a body-based setting is not one person giving the other an experience. It’s about each person—whether you’re a participant or a facilitator—having their own personal experience at the same time.

Creates Safety: When you’re grounded, the other person’s nervous system can sense it. This is especially important for people with stress or trauma histories, whose bodies are constantly scanning for cues of danger or safety.

Prevents Overriding: If you lose connection with yourself, you’re more likely to override their needs, push your own agenda, or subtly “pull” them toward your state. Staying with yourself allows you to respect their pace and process.

You might be quietly noticing sensations in your shoulders, the rhythm of your breath, or the impulse to shift position. The other person, at the very same moment, is tuned into their own body’s signals. Neither one is trying to match the other or make the other’s experience happen. Yet, there is connection. It’s a mutual awareness that says: We’re both here, and neither of us has to leave ourselves to be together in this moment.

When both people are tuned into themselves, the connection between them becomes more genuine—rooted in presence rather than performance. It’s a kind of meeting that happens beneath the surface, where each person can feel the other’s authenticity without anything needing to be said. This is not something that can be forced or faked—it’s something that arises naturally when both people are grounded in their own bodies and open to the moment.

In these instances, trust begins to grow—not because of the perfect words or gestures, but because both people can sense that what is being shared is real. The body knows when it’s safe to relax, when it’s being respected, and when the other person is truly there. That mutual awareness creates a quiet, steady foundation for connection, where neither person has to give up themselves to stay in relationship.

Over time, these moments weave together into something lasting—a felt knowing that connection and selfhood can exist together. And once the body learns this, it becomes easier to enter into new relationships, experiences, and conversations with openness rather than fear.

Connection You Can Feel

You don’t have to talk it all through for connection to happen. In fact, sometimes words can pull you out of the very experience you most need to feel. Attunement through movement or presence often happens in subtle ways—moving in a rhythm that feels natural, breathing without trying to sync up, or responding to small shifts in posture and energy. It can also mean being in the same space without the pressure to make eye contact or fill every pause with conversation.

Attunement doesn’t have to happen only in a formal practice space—it can arise in all kinds of shared activities where each person is tuned into themselves while also aware of the other. Hiking side by side on a quiet trail, for example, allows for a shared rhythm of steps and breath, without the need for constant conversation. Walking through a neighborhood together can offer the same sense of connection, where pauses, pace changes, and moments of noticing become shared experiences. In a yoga class, attunement might emerge when two people practice in the same room, each exploring their own movements but held in the energy of the group. Even in other forms of movement—like tai chi, dancing, or paddling a canoe—there’s an opportunity to be in your own body while also subtly syncing with another’s presence. These moments build relational trust non-verbally, creating a quiet but powerful bridge between self-awarenes.

Choosing Connection, One Movement at a Time

When movement is used—not as a performance to get right, but as an open exploration—it becomes a living conversation between two people. The aim isn’t to choreograph an outcome or get somewhere specific, but to be in the moment together. Each of us stays rooted in our own body while also staying aware of the other’s presence. You’re with yourself, I’m with myself—and we are also with each other.

In this space, there’s no pressure to match or mirror perfectly. We each move, pause, and breathe according to our own needs, yet the awareness of one another becomes part of the experience. This isn’t about leading or following—it’s about moving alongside, in a way that says, Your pace is welcome here, and so is mine.

Over time, these shared moments begin to build something that words often can’t: trust. Trust that the connection between us can hold differences without breaking. Trust that you can express yourself without fear of being corrected or hurried. Trust that I can stay with my own sensations and choices while still being attuned to yours.

This kind of trust grows slowly, often quietly, but it’s deeply stabilizing. It’s not only trust in the relationship—it’s also trust in yourself. The more you feel that your own rhythms, signals, and responses are valid and worth listening to, the easier it becomes to stay present in connection. That’s when relationship stops feeling like a risk and starts feeling like a place of possibility.

The Space Where We Meet

Attunement isn’t something one person does to another. It’s something both people engage in, moment by moment. You listen to your body. I listen to mine. We share a space where no one has to match or fix the other.

In that shared, unforced space, something important shifts. The body begins to believe: It’s possible to be connected and still be myself. That realization is more than a fleeting moment—it’s a re-patterning. It tells your nervous system, I don’t have to abandon myself to stay in relationship.

Once that possibility is felt, it becomes a living resource you can return to again and again. It’s there when you navigate a difficult conversation with a friend, when you set a boundary at work, when you choose rest instead of pushing past exhaustion. It reminds you that connection doesn’t have to mean compliance, and that self-trust can exist right alongside relationship.

Over time, this felt experience strengthens like a muscle. You start to notice earlier when you’re leaving yourself to please, perform, or protect. You begin to recognize the cues—tight shoulders, shallow breath, a pull to disconnect—and instead of overriding them, you respond with care. The more often you practice staying with yourself while staying with another, the more natural it becomes.

And in that, relationships shift too. They feel less like a negotiation for safety and more like a space where two whole people can meet—each grounded in their own center, each offering presence without losing themselves. This is the heart of attunement: not matching perfectly, not fixing, but being together in a way that makes room for both people to belong fully.

If you’ve ever longed for connection that feels natural, safe, and without pressure—or if you want to learn how to create that space for others—body based attunement through relationship is a profound place to begin.

Wishing You Wellness,

Keri Sawyer

P.S. Stay tuned: The next blog will explore how turning inward can deepen the connections we build outward.

Holding Space, Not Shaping It: Bringing a Non-Directive Approach to Yoga Classes

As yoga teachers and facilitators, it’s easy to believe that we are responsible for giving our students an experience—a moment of calm, a sense of peace, a meaningful release. This belief often comes from a sincere place of wanting to help. But what if we paused and asked: Am I creating space for an experience, or am I trying to give one?

There is a profound difference between the two.

Giving someone an experience can unintentionally become a kind of imposition—a subtle message that we know what should be happening for them. Allowing someone to have an experience, on the other hand, honors their internal wisdom. It shifts the role of the teacher from director to compassionate companion.

Many of us have been trained—explicitly or implicitly—to give an experience. We’ve been taught to lead from the front, to cue with certainty, and to keep the room flowing. There’s nothing inherently wrong with this approach, but it’s important to name it. When we stay in that mode too long, we can unintentionally bypass a deeper opportunity: the chance to help others access their own, real-time experience of self-awareness and choice.

And often, we teach from what we’ve been taught. We repeat language, patterns, and cues because they were given to us—sometimes without pausing to ask whether they are truly aligned with our own felt sense of teaching. This isn’t a failure; it’s a starting point. But over time, the invitation is to turn inward. To ask: Am I guiding from my own embodied knowing, or from someone else’s map? Am I creating space for others to connect with their own journey of breath and movement—or am I unknowingly scripting it for them?

When we as facilitators practice introspection, we begin to notice when our guidance is rooted in someone else’s facilitation versus when it emerges from a relational, responsive moment. We stop trying to control or perform, and instead begin to co-create space that is alive and real.

Creating Conditions for Introspection, Not Outcomes

Yoga, at its heart, is an introspective practice. When we try to create a specific experience for others, we risk overlaying our own needs or assumptions onto their process. We might be subtly responding to our own desire to feel useful, meaningful, or liked—and that’s human. But it’s not what creates the deepest healing space.

In many Western yoga spaces, the emphasis has shifted toward following the teacher, floating away on music, and turning off rather than tuning in. That’s not necessarily wrong—it can be restful and enjoyable. But when practiced exclusively, it may disconnect us from the very source of yoga: a living relationship with body, breath, and awareness.

Learning to explore movement as meditation—choosing from the inside out rather than performing—can be a profound experience. And it’s one that only you can have. In that truth, no experience is wrong. Meeting yourself where you are in the moment is the most honest and healing practice there is. And if following along with a class feels right in a given moment, then that is your truth in that moment—and it’s absolutely valid.

Instead of putting something onto our students, we can ask:

Am I giving or guiding based on what I think they need?
Am I allowing space for something organic to arise?
Can I trust the process enough not to control it?

The Role of the Facilitator: Trust, Not Control

The facilitator’s role isn’t to create a perfect experience. It’s to create a safer container where experiences can emerge, shift, and be explored without judgment. It’s to offer tools, not prescriptions; presence, not pressure.

When we drop the need to control outcomes, we make space for something more profound: the reawakening of internal trust. And that trust—in one’s own body, sensations, and timing—is the foundation of lasting, embodied healing.

In the end, being non-directive isn’t about doing less. It’s about doing differently. It’s about honoring our students’ ability to feel, to know, and to heal in their own time.

How We Show Up: Our Energy, Tone, and Intention

Being a facilitator in a non-directive space also means looking at how we show up energetically. Are we arriving with an agenda, even unconsciously? Are we hoping to do something to the room? Or are we willing to be in the experience with our students?

Your tone of voice, pace, and presence communicate just as much as your words. A tone that doesn’t rush, a grounded presence that doesn’t seek to fix or guide too quickly—these cues help co-regulate the space. They say: “You’re safer here. I’m not here to shape your experience, only to support it.”

It’s okay—beautiful, even—to have your own experience while facilitating. You’re not outside the container; you’re part of it. The more relational the space feels, the more students tend to feel that they can be in their own truth.

How to Support an Experience

Supporting others in having an experience means shifting our role from instructor to space-holder—one who opens the door, but doesn’t dictate the path. It means trusting that each person’s process is meaningful, even when it’s quiet, non-linear, or looks different than what we might expect.

Inviting body awareness
This begins with gentle language that draws attention inward. For example, saying “You might notice where your body makes contact with the ground” invites someone into a felt experience without judgment or demand. It reconnects them to the here and now and builds the foundation for embodied presence.

Welcoming all experiences
This involves affirming that all experiences are valid, not just the calm or centered ones. Saying something like “You’re welcome however it is that you are showing up today” helps remove the pressure to feel a certain way. It tells students: you don’t need to be fixed or improved—you just get to be.

Creating room for self-directed movement
True support includes options. Instead of one way, we can say, “You could stay in this shape, come out, or move into something else if you would like.” This honors autonomy and nervous system safety. Choice creates space for curiosity, self-trust, and real-time inner listening.

Allowing the moment to be what it is
Perhaps the hardest and most vital piece. Trusting that the experience someone is having is valid—even if it doesn’t look the way you imagined—is the heart of non-directive work. This practice means releasing your own agenda and standing in the belief that each person’s body knows the way, even if it unfolds differently than your own.

This way of teaching is less about choreography and more about collaboration. It says: “I trust you to know what you need—and I’m here with you”

Opening vs. Directing

One of the most practical and impactful ways to embrace a non-directive approach is through the language we use. Instead of short, directive commands like “inhale,” “exhale,” “stand tall,” we can begin to speak in full sentences that offer invitation and possibility:

“You might notice the sensation of your breath as it moves in and out or perhaps you notice a sensation in your mid back.”
“You’re welcome to explore standing and extending through your spine or you might notice your feel against the ground.”
“You might stay here or adjust in any way that that works for your body in this moment.”

This language leaves room for the person to stay in choice, to listen to their body, and to respond in a way that feels safe and attuned. It is not passive; it is spacious.

Exploration becomes meaningful when it comes from within. When students feel a posture or movement arising from their own body’s cues—not because we told them to—they’re more likely to connect to that experience as real, as theirs. This kind of internal ownership supports deeper embodiment and trust.

Invite the Shift: Discovery, Not Direction

When the teacher is grounded, centered, and genuinely having their own experience within the practice, it quietly gives others permission to do the same. This inner steadiness isn’t about performance—it’s about presence. When students feel the authenticity of a teacher who is attuned to their own body and breath, it models a way of being that feels safe, honest, and possible. In this way, the teacher’s inner state becomes part of the healing environment, not through control, but through shared humanity and embodied leadership.

Non-directive yoga classes are more than just a teaching style—they represent a fundamental shift in both philosophy and power dynamic. Rather than the facilitator holding all the power, they intentionally create a space where students are empowered to reclaim it for themselves. In this kind of class, the teacher doesn’t offer answers or outcomes—they offer presence.

This shift invites each practitioner to listen inwardly, respond authentically, and trust their own process. It encourages students to be their own guide within the practice, supported—not shaped—by the facilitator. In this shared space, the teacher and the student meet as humans: both exploring, both learning, both growing.

Creating non-directive spaces in yoga is not just a shift in language or style—it’s a shift in philosophy. It’s a commitment to honoring the autonomy, wisdom, and inner timing of each individual. It reminds us that our job is not to deliver transformation, but to make space for it to unfold. In this space, healing becomes more than a possibility—it becomes a personal, empowered, and embodied truth. And that’s what yoga, at its most authentic, is all about.

Wishing You Wellness,

Keri Sawyer

PS – My next blog will explore attunement—how we connect with ourselves and with others in grounded, embodied ways. It’s about more than just presence—it’s about meaningful connection. We’ll look at what it means to truly listen inward and feel seen in relationship.
Stay tuned—this is a conversation that invites reflection, curiosity, and care.

What It Means to Let the Body Lead: A Non-Directive Approach to Somatic Therapy

In many wellness and therapeutic spaces, we’re often told what to feel, how to move, or what healing should look like. But for many people—especially those recovering from trauma or nervous system dysregulation—this kind of direction can feel overwhelming, even re-traumatizing.

That’s where the non-directive approach to somatic therapy comes in.
It’s slower. Deeply respectful.
And it begins with a simple belief:
Your body already knows.

What Does “Non-Directive” Mean?

In traditional or more directive therapy, the practitioner might lead the process by suggesting specific techniques, postures, breathing patterns, or emotional releases. While this can be helpful in certain contexts, it can also unintentionally override the your sense of agency (that you can change the way your body feels) or safety—especially if you feel you “should” go along, even when it doesn’t feel right.

A non-directive somatic approach flips that script. Instead of guiding or pushing, the practitioner creates space for your experience.

This means:

You’re not told how to feel something.
You’re not rushed to “release” or “fix” anything.
You’re never pressured to go deeper than what feels right.

You are always asked, never told. Your body is the guide.

Why Non-Coercion Is Essential in Somatic Work

For many people, trauma involves a loss of choice: being told what to do, being touched without consent, or being stuck in situations that felt unsafe. These experiences don’t just live in memory—they live in the body. The nervous system remembers what it feels like to have no say.

So when therapy—even somatic therapy—is overly directive or structured, it can unintentionally recreate that same dynamic. It might feel subtle, but it can still land as pressure or even threat.

Non-coercive work means:

You can pause, shift, or say no at any time
Nothing is expected or required of you
Your boundaries are honored as they arise

This isn’t about avoiding challenge—it’s about creating the conditions where you can be met with support. When choice and voice are present, the body can begin to feel what safety really is—not as a concept, but as a lived experience.

What If I Just Want to Be Told What to Do?

This is a completely valid feeling. In fact, it’s an incredibly important one. Wanting to be told what to do is often an intelligent survival strategy—especially for those who have lived through trauma, codependency, or environments where autonomy wasn’t safe.

In these situations, giving away choice can feel like:

Relief from internal pressure
A way to avoid judgment or failure
A way to stay safe in relationships or systems that punished dissent

While this strategy may have protected you in the past, it can also keep you from reconnecting with your own wisdom. This approach gently rebuilds your muscle of choice-making — without force.

It helps you move from external authority to internal guidance, without judgment or pressure. Over time, your body learns: It’s safe to choose. It’s safe to listen to myself. I can trust what I feel.

This is what makes this so powerful:
It doesn’t push you to be “independent” or figure it all out.
It helps you rediscover that your choices matter—and always have.

What Changes – When You Stop Trying to Change

With this approach the focus is less on fixing a symptom or reaching a specific outcome—and more on simply being with what’s here, just as it is, in a supportive and relational way. There’s no pushing, no pressure to get somewhere else. The body isn’t treated like a problem to solve, but like a part of us that longs to be heard.

Because healing doesn’t come from force. It doesn’t come from trying harder, or from overriding what we feel. Healing comes from listening. From allowing. From the present moment. When we stop trying to fix and instead offer deep permission to just be, something begins to shift. And the body starts to unwind—not on demand, but in its own time, in its own way.

This gentle approach invites trust. Trust that you don’t have to force change for change to happen. It’s in this spaciousness—in the absence of pressure, in the presence of connection—that real healing begins to take root.

You’re Not Being Led—You’re Being Accompanied

Something powerful happens when the practitioner walks beside you- not an expert who takes the lead.

You can begin to feel a sense of trust in yourself. You can notice what’s happening in your body and realize you have options. You can begin to understand that what you feel matters, and you get to decide what’s right for you in each moment.

Over time, this builds a steady kind of confidence. You can also experience what it’s like to feel safe in relationship—not just because someone says it’s safe, but because it actually feels that way. You are met with patience and respect. There’s room for you to be exactly as you are, without pressure or expectation.

This is the foundation for embodied healing.
Healing that begins from within. Healing that doesn’t rely on someone else having the answers, but grows as you listen to their own body and follows what feels supportive.

And it all begins when the client is given space to take the lead.

Healing in Relationship

This work isn’t something that you do alone. It’s something that unfolds between two people—together. When the practitioner is also attuned to their own body—pausing, noticing, breathing—they’re quietly saying: “I’m here with you. I’m listening to my own body too.”

This shared presence creates a different kind of safety. It’s not about one person fixing another.
It’s about two nervous systems learning how to be with what’s real—side by side, moment by moment. When the practitioner stays connected to their own somatic experience, it opens the door for you to do the same. Without words, it communicates: “You don’t have to do this alone.”

In this kind of relationship, healing becomes less of a task and more of a natural unfolding. A gentle return to connection—within, and between.

Something to Carry With You

A non-directive somatic approach isn’t about doing less. It’s about doing what’s most aligned with how healing really happens: through relationship, choice, and presence.

It’s not about a practitioner “healing” you. It’s about you returning to your own body, your own timing, and your own truth—with someone by your side who truly honors that.

Your body already knows.
Sometimes, it just needs the space to speak.

Wishing you wellness,

Keri Sawyer

PS – The next blog will be about how to bring non-directive approaches specifically into yoga spaces and what that looks like – Stay tuned!

From Holding to Healing: Nervous System Alignment

In a world that often demands more than our nervous systems were ever designed to manage, learning how to balance our internal state is not just helpful—it’s transformational. When our nervous systems are in balance, we experience life with more clarity, resilience, and connection. We feel safe in our bodies, steady in our relationships, and capable of responding rather than reacting.

But nervous system balance isn’t just about managing stress. It’s about creating healing. And that healing doesn’t always happen in the storm—it often happens in the quiet moments we create on purpose.

Not Just Self-Regulation—This is Healing Work

Too often, nervous system work is viewed as something we do only when we’re overwhelmed—a set of tools to de-escalate panic or calm ourselves under pressure. While those strategies are essential and life-saving in many moments, they are just the beginning.

Most nervous system techniques help us hold pain: to stay with difficult sensations or emotions without collapsing or exploding. But the deeper potential lies beyond holding. When we begin to work with our nervous system intentionally—in the present moment—we open the door to true repair and reconnection.

Healing doesn’t happen just by regulating during distress—it happens when we work with the nervous system in a state of safety and openness.

This is when the nervous system can learn, reorganize, and rewire. It’s how we move from survival into a more authentic, empowered way of being.

One of the most important insights from trauma research is this: trauma is not stored in the past—it’s stored in the now of the body. The nervous system does not register time in the way the thinking brain does. If something was too overwhelming to process safely, the body holds onto it and continues to signal danger—even if the threat is long gone.

Trauma Is Timeless. The Body Holds the Key.

This is why talk therapy or logic alone isn’t enough. Trauma creates a disconnection between body and brain, disrupting the circuits that help us feel, interpret, and respond to experience with clarity. Healing requires us to reestablish that connection—not through rehashing the past, but by building safety in the present moment.

The Brain-Body Connection and the Power of Safety

Neuroscience shows us that the brain and nervous system are deeply responsive to experience. Through neuroplasticity, we can create new patterns—but only when the nervous system feels safe enough to learn.

Trying to regulate or “heal” while in a high-stress state often reinforces survival pathways. In contrast, when we gently engage the nervous system in calm, resourced moments—through breath, movement, or co-regulation—we begin to reshape how the brain and body relate to threat, identity, and emotion.

This is more than self-regulation. This is repair.

Why Non-Coercive, Non-Directive Practices Matter

True healing cannot be imposed—it must emerge from within. This is why non-coercive, non-directive body-based therapies are so powerful. Rather than guiding someone into an experience, we hold space for their own experience to arise. In this model, the facilitator is not the authority on what healing looks like—the participant is.

When we allow individuals to move at their own pace, with full autonomy over their body and their process, we foster a sense of agency and trust that is foundational for nervous system healing. There is no agenda, no narrative required. Simply noticing what arises in the body—without judgment, interpretation, or story—is enough to begin restoring the brain-body connection.

This approach cultivates empowerment in the here and now. It honors that the keys to healing live within the individual, not in someone else’s insights or instructions. The body knows what it needs. When given space, support, and safety, it begins to lead the way.

Living in Alignment with Your Nervous System

Living in alignment with your nervous system is not about striving for control or perfection—it’s about building a relationship with yourself that is rooted in safety, attunement, and trust.

It means:

Rebuilding the connection from body to brain, nurturing a sense of inner communication and wholeness
Engaging in mindfulness that honors your embodied experience, strengthening patterns of presence and coherence
Staying within your window of tolerance—Noticing when you feel supported, stable, and grounded, without needing to push beyond what feels manageable
Making space for your body’s wisdom to guide you, Allowing yourself to be exactly where you are
Choosing practices that prioritize safety, curiosity, and presence, not just performance or outcome
Allowing your healing to unfold in the present, not just in response to the past

When we live in alignment with our nervous systems, we move from effort to ease—from surviving to truly belonging in our own skin.

The Invitation

Balancing your nervous system is not about getting it “right.” It’s about coming home to your body, again and again—perhaps with curiosity, compassion, and care.

When you stop trying to fix the past and start building safety in the now, something powerful begins to happen: You stop just holding the pain—and start healing.

Wishing You Wellness,

Keri Sawyer

P.S.

If you would like to learn more about Nervous System Balance, Check out a workshop with Keri in Sept 2025 Here

Next Blog: There’s a deep wisdom within every person—one that can’t be given, only uncovered. Non-directive healing invites practioners to step back, to trust that the answers don’t come from us, but from within the client. It’s not our insight that transforms—it’s their discovery. When we stop directing and start honoring their pace, their story, their knowing—real, lasting healing can finally begin.I t’s not about leading the way. It’s about walking beside someone as they find their own. Learn more about non directive healing with my next post!

From Scarcity to Sufficiency: Rewiring Fear-Based Thinking in Work and Life

Have you ever made a decision—not because it was what you truly wanted—but because you were afraid something better wouldn’t come? Maybe you said yes to a job, a client, or a relationship out of fear that it was your only shot. Or you stayed silent in a meeting, afraid to rock the boat, believing your ideas wouldn’t matter anyway.

These are the hallmarks of a scarcity mindset—a mental and emotional framework rooted in the belief that there is not enough: not enough time, money, support, love, worth, or opportunity. This way of thinking affects how we show up at work, in relationships, and even in how we view ourselves.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

Scarcity thinking is often more than just a mindset—it’s a reflection of what’s happening in our bodies, too. When we live in a state of nervous system dysregulation, it becomes harder to trust, to pause, or to believe in possibility. Dysregulation can feel like constant urgency, shutting down, overcommitting, spiraling thoughts, or the inability to rest. It’s the body doing its best to protect us—often based on past experiences of instability, rejection, or not having enough.

And yet, when we begin to notice those patterns with gentleness instead of judgment, everything starts to shift. From this place of awareness, we can begin to regulate, reconnect, and make choices that reflect what we truly need—not just what we fear we’ll lose.

How Scarcity Shapes Our Brain and Energy

When we live in a state of scarcity, the brain shifts into survival mode. The amygdala—our brain’s built-in alarm system—becomes hyperactive, constantly scanning for threats, both real and perceived. At the same time, the prefrontal cortex—the part of the brain responsible for long-term thinking, planning, and problem-solving—goes offline. This creates a kind of tunnel vision where everything feels urgent, pressured, or all-or-nothing. We stop thinking expansively and start grasping for short-term certainty. Creativity and purpose shrink beneath the weight of fear.

In this state, our nervous system remains dysregulated, often hovering in a chronic low-grade fight, flight, or freeze response. Even if we’re going through the motions, our inner world is on edge. We may say yes too quickly, not from alignment, but from anxiety. We may hoard time, money, or energy, fearing we won’t get another chance. We may overwork to prove our worth—or procrastinate entirely because we feel frozen or overwhelmed. Our energy becomes scattered, reactive, and unsustainable. And slowly, almost imperceptibly, we begin to shape our choices, our boundaries, even our dreams, around the story of “not enough.”

But here’s what’s also true: this pattern is not who you are—it’s a response. And responses can be softened, rewired, and gently transformed.

Through nervous system awareness, grounded support, and compassionate self-inquiry, we can begin to interrupt the cycle. We can learn to recognize when urgency is leading the way—and choose instead to pause and reconnect to our deeper values and vision. This is how we begin to shift from fear into trust, from contraction into possibility. Not all at once, but moment by moment.

You deserve to live from a place that honors your worth—not just your survival.

Reclaiming Balance: The Shift to Sufficiency

Shifting out of scarcity doesn’t require denying real challenges or pretending everything is fine. It means learning to meet what’s hard from a place of regulation, presence, and self-trust. It’s the difference between reacting from fear and responding from clarity. A regulated nervous system doesn’t erase life’s complexities, but it gives us more space to navigate them. It helps us move from constriction to expansion—from tunnel vision to wider perspective.

When we shift from panic to presence, something remarkable happens: we begin to recognize that there is enough. Enough time to figure it out. Enough support—both within us and around us. Enough capacity to meet the moment one small choice at a time.

From this steadier place, we stop reaching for urgency-driven solutions and start choosing from alignment. We don’t say yes because we’re afraid of missing out—we say yes because it feels true. We don’t overextend ourselves to feel worthy—we honor our energy and lead from wholeness. Competition gives way to collaboration. We start to trust that there is room for all of us. And as we slow down, we begin to notice resources, relationships, and opportunities we’d been blind to before—not because they just appeared, but because our nervous system finally felt safe enough to see them.

This is the gift of shifting from scarcity to sufficiency. Not in theory—but in how we show up in our lives and work. And this shift is possible—for you, for me, for all of us.

5 Ways to Shift From Scarcity to Sufficiency

Explore five accessible practices designed to guide your nervous system out of fear-based patterns and back into a sense of enoughness. Begin reconnecting with clarity, calm, and deeper trust in yourself:

1. Pause Before You Say Yes

When a new opportunity arises—whether it’s a work request, a social commitment, or even a collaboration—pause. Ask yourself: “Am I saying yes because I genuinely want to? Or because I’m afraid of missing out, falling behind, or disappointing someone?” These moments of honest reflection help us untangle what’s truly aligned from what’s fear-driven.

Scarcity often whispers that this is your only chance, that you’ll be forgotten if you say no, or that your worth is tied to constant availability. But when you pause, even briefly, you create space to respond instead of react. You begin to notice what your body is telling you, what your boundaries are asking for, and whether your “yes” is coming from trust or from tension.

Awareness doesn’t mean you’ll always choose perfectly—but it shifts the energy. It invites clarity and self-respect into the conversation. Every pause is a powerful moment of self-connection—and that’s where aligned choice begins.

2. Practice Somatic Grounding

Movement and sensory awareness can help bring you back to yourself. You could try putting your feet on the floor noticing the support beneath you. Perhaps taking a few intentional breaths and noticing the rhythm of your inhale and exhale. You might gently sway side to side, stretching your arms—small, rhythmic actions that can offer a sense of steadiness and ease. What feels grounding or helpful can be different for everyone. There’s no one right way to come back to yourself. Exploration matters—give yourself permission to try different things, notice how they feel, and move at your own pace. The goal isn’t to do it perfectly—it’s simply to notice what brings you a little more space and a little more presence.

3. Name the Scarcity Story

Notice the fear that might be guiding your choices—not to judge it, but to understand it. Instead of pushing discomfort away, try approaching it with curiosity. Ask yourself, “What am I believing right now?” Often, beneath urgency or overthinking, there’s a familiar story running in the background. It might sound like, “There’s not enough time,” “I’m not good enough,” “If I don’t say yes, I’ll fall behind,” or “This is my only chance.” These stories can become so ingrained and automatic that they feel like truth—when really, they’re just practiced patterns.

To begin naming the story, pause and notice the repeating phrase or feeling that tends to surface in moments of stress, urgency, or self-doubt. You might ask:

What do I assume will happen if I don’t act right now?
What belief is driving this choice?
Is this thought coming from fear, or from alignment?

Once you identify the story, say it out loud or write it down. Simply naming it—“Ah, this is the ‘I’ll fall behind’ story again”—can help create space between you and the belief. From that space, you gain perspective. And from that perspective, you can begin to ask: Is this story true? Is it helpful? What else could be possible?

This practice isn’t about rejecting fear—it’s about softening around it, and choosing to lead from awareness instead. Naming the story opens the door to write a new one.

4. Celebrate What’s Already Here

Gratitude isn’t just a feel-good practice—it’s neurologically powerful. When we take time each day to recognize what’s already present—supportive relationships, hard-earned skills, small moments of peace or beauty—we strengthen the brain’s pathways for noticing sufficiency, rather than lack. Over time, this gentle practice helps shift our baseline from fear and urgency to appreciation and enoughness.

Gratitude isn’t just about thinking grateful thoughts—it deepens when we live it. Showing gratitude through our actions is what gives it real weight: pausing to genuinely thank someone, tending to what we value, offering kindness, or simply slowing down enough to savor what’s good. It’s in these embodied expressions that gratitude becomes not just a mindset, but a way of being.

5. Take Small, Aligned Action

Scarcity often leads to a deep sense of stuckness. It can feel like spinning your wheels without traction, or freezing in indecision because every option feels like the wrong one. One of the most effective antidotes to this state is action—but not the kind rooted in urgency, perfectionism, or panic. Instead, consider a small, intentional step that’s aligned with your values and what matters to you in this season of life. That might look like reaching out to a trusted friend or mentor, updating your resume to reflect how far you’ve come, saying no to something that drains you, or simply stepping outside for a 10-minute walk to reconnect with yourself.

These steps don’t have to be big or dramatic. What matters is that they come from a place of self-respect rather than self-pressure. Gentle, values-aligned action creates movement where there once was stuckness. It helps you reconnect with a sense of choice and possibility—a reminder that you can take steps forward, even when things feel hard. You’re not powerless. You’re capable, creative, and allowed to move at your own pace. Sometimes the most meaningful shift begins with the smallest decision to choose presence over paralysis.

Breaking Free from Learned Helplessness

Many of us learned—often without realizing it—that our efforts didn’t make a difference. Maybe we spoke up and weren’t heard, worked hard and still felt overlooked, or tried to make change and were met with resistance or punishment. Over time, these patterns can lead to what’s known as learned helplessness—a state where people begin to feel stuck, passive, or unsure whether taking action is worth it. Even when real options or choices are available, it can feel safer or easier to stay still, especially if trying has felt risky or disappointing in the past.

Understanding this can help us see our own hesitation in a new light—not as laziness or failure, but as something that once made sense. When we notice this pattern, we might begin to experiment with small actions that reflect what matters to us. Simple choices—like setting a boundary, asking for help, or saying yes to something we care about—can be ways of gently exploring what’s possible. Over time, these small moments can shift how we relate to decisions, effort, and what we believe we’re capable of.

Live Like You Are Already Enough

Scarcity mindset isn’t only about money or opportunity—it often runs deeper. It’s about how we see ourselves. When we carry the belief that we are not enough, it can quietly shape how we move through the world. We might overextend ourselves to prove our worth, or hold back to avoid the risk of being seen and possibly judged. Neither path feels like freedom.

But what if you started from a gentle assumption—that you are already enough? Not because you’ve done everything right or earned someone’s approval, but simply because your worth isn’t something that has to be earned at all.

Letting go of scarcity isn’t a quick shift; it’s something we return to, again and again. A practice of remembering that life often holds more softness, more possibility, and more generosity than fear allows us to see.

You don’t have to wait to deserve a sense of ease. Root yourself in what’s already true: you have what you need to take the next step. Let your choices reflect confidence, clarity, and care—not pressure or self-doubt. Growth isn’t about fixing yourself—it’s about expanding into your full expression. So take one meaningful step today that aligns with who you are becoming. Let it be a reminder of your strength, your vision, and your enoughness.

Wishing you wellness,

Keri Sawyer

P.S.

Whether you’ve felt stuck in cycles of stress or simply yearn to feel more at peace, learning to tune into your nervous system is a powerful gateway. It opens up a path toward living with greater authenticity, vitality, and purpose. My next blog will explore why nervous system balance matters—and offer accessible ways to begin reconnecting with your natural rhythm, step by step. Stay Tuned.

Did you have a chance to read Rooted Marketing: Centering Trauma Sensitivity?

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Rooted Marketing: Centering Trauma Sensitivity

In a world where so many carry invisible wounds, how we communicate—especially in our businesses—carries more weight than we often realize. Marketing isn’t just about visibility or conversion; it’s about how we choose to show up in relationship with others. And the truth is, many of us have been taught to speak from fear—urgency, scarcity, pressure—because that’s what we believed we had to do to survive or succeed.

If you’ve ever felt the pull of “not enough,” or worried that your voice, your work, or your worth would be overlooked unless you shouted louder or pushed harder—you’re not alone. That fear is real, and it’s deeply human. But here’s the powerful part: when we slow down and get curious about the energy behind our words, we begin to reclaim our voice. We realize we don’t have to build connection by triggering urgency or guilt. We can build it through honesty, care, and choice.

Trauma-sensitive marketing invites us to be more intentional—not just in what we say, but how and why we say it. It asks us to consider how our messaging might land with someone who’s navigating their own survival, their own healing. It reminds us that clarity and consent can be powerful forms of kindness. And that when we speak from a grounded, compassionate place within ourselves, we send out a ripple that allows others to feel safe, respected, and truly seen.

This is more than a strategy—it’s a practice of integrity. It’s an opportunity to align how we market with the kind of world we want to help create.

A trauma-informed voice doesn’t just support others—it supports you, too. It invites your nervous system to settle, your values to guide you, and your work to reflect not just what you’re offering, but who you truly are. The ripple effect of that care—within you and beyond you—is powerful. This is how we lead with presence, not pressure. With respect, not reaction. With wholeness, not fear.

Connection is the Foundation of Impact

I’ve come to believe that trauma-sensitive marketing isn’t just effective—it’s deeply humane. When we speak from a place of care and integrity, people feel it. They feel safer. They feel respected. And when someone feels safe in your presence—whether through a post, an email, or a quiet offering—they’re more likely to stay, to listen, to engage in a way that’s meaningful and lasting. True connection doesn’t have to be forced. It grows naturally in spaces built on trust.

Loyalty doesn’t come from flashy funnels or clever tactics—it comes when people sense that you genuinely care. Not just about the sale, but about them—as whole human beings. That kind of care lives in the little things: in how you respond to feedback, how you show up even when you’re not launching something, and how you speak with honesty and compassion. Over time, these small choices become the foundation of something strong: a brand, a community, a legacy rooted in relationship.

And here’s the truth—this isn’t about getting it perfect. It’s about being present. It’s about checking in with ourselves before we hit “send” or “post” and asking: Is this aligned? Is this kind? Is this clear? Because people don’t want to be pressured or persuaded. They want to feel seen, heard, and like they matter. And when we show up with that kind of energy, we invite others to do the same.

At its core, trauma-sensitive marketing is a form of ethical leadership. It asks us to shift from exploiting pain to honoring dignity. It invites us to consider not just what works, but what feels right—for us, and for those we hope to reach. That level of care may take more thought and presence, but it has a way of spreading—touching others in ways you may not immediately see, creating trust and connection that go far beyond a single click or conversion.

When we root our voices in compassion, everyone benefits. That’s the kind of marketing the world is ready for—and the kind I believe we’re capable of creating, together.

Lead with a Trauma-Informed Voice: 10 Empowered Practices for Conscious Communication

These ten simple, heart-centered practices are designed to help you bring more compassion, clarity, and care into your marketing and communication. They’re not rules—they’re invitations. And they start from within.

1. Use Empowering Language

Words matter. The tone and language we choose can either open doors or close them.
Rather than using messaging that relies on urgency, shame, or guilt to drive action—like “You’re doing it wrong” or “Don’t miss out”—shift toward language that honors autonomy and supports self-trust.

Try phrases like:
“Here’s something that might support you,” or “Take your time—we’ll be here when you’re ready.”

This kind of language not only builds safety—it invites your audience to engage in a way that feels right for them. It says: You’re in control of your experience. And that’s a powerful message to send.

2. Take a Heart-Centered Approach

When marketing feels misaligned or draining, it’s often because we’ve disconnected from the deeper purpose behind our work.
Before you post, launch, or plan, pause and ask yourself:

Why am I sharing this?
Is this rooted in my values?
Does this reflect what I truly believe in?

When your marketing is connected to your mission—not just your metrics—it becomes more than strategy. It becomes an expression of your integrity, care, and leadership. It allows your audience to feel your intention, not just your message. And when you feel aligned on the inside, your work flows with more ease and impact on the outside.

3. Create Predictable, Clear Messaging

Clarity builds safety—and trust. When people don’t know what to expect, it can feel disorienting or even unsafe, especially for those navigating overwhelm or trauma.
Structure your content clearly with headers, bullet points, and plain language. Offer previews and honest context before people click, sign up, or commit. Let them know:

What it is
Who it’s for
How long it takes
What kind of emotional tone or depth to expect

Even small details—like “This takes 5 minutes to read” or “We’ll touch on sensitive topics”—can help people feel more grounded and empowered in their decision to engage.

4. Communicate with Calm and Clarity

Urgency and scarcity messaging is everywhere, and while it might convert quickly, it can also create stress.
Instead of “Only 2 spots left—act fast!”, try:“Space is limited, and we’d love to welcome you if this feels like a fit.”

This shift invites, rather than pressures. It respects your audience’s nervous system and capacity to choose with intention—not from fear. When you communicate timelines, availability, or pricing, be honest and calm. Let people breathe. Let them decide.

And trust that those who are meant to come, will.

5. Provide Multiple Ways to Engage

We all learn, process, and feel safe in different ways. Some people prefer listening. Others prefer reading. Some want to show up live; others need the space of asynchronous engagement.
To honor this, offer a variety of formats and access points:

Videos with captions
Audio with transcripts
Blogs or written summaries
Live events with replays
Low-sensory or screen-reader friendly formats

This isn’t just about accessibility—it’s about inclusion. It tells your audience: You matter. Your needs are valid. And you get to choose how you engage. That choice builds trust.

6. Be Mindful with Visuals

Images speak to the nervous system in ways that words often can’t. They set the tone, convey emotion, and carry meaning—sometimes unconsciously.
Choose images that are:

Grounding, not intense
Diverse in race, size, gender, and ability
Emotionally spacious and inclusive

Avoid photos that rely on suffering, drama, or stereotypes to “tell the story.” And always design with accessibility in mind: use alt text, readable fonts, and clear contrast.
Visual care sends a powerful message: We see you. You belong here.

7. Practice Active Listening and Invite Feedback

True connection is a two-way conversation. But asking for feedback must be done gently, without pressure or expectation of personal disclosure.
Instead of asking for stories, try:
“Was this supportive?”
“What would you like to see more of?”

Then—listen. And if someone shares, do your best to follow through.
Even when feedback is minimal, the invitation itself communicates: Your voice matters. It builds a culture of mutual respect and co-creation, not just content delivery.

8. Lead with Transparency

When people feel like something is being hidden, they instinctively pull back. Transparency builds the opposite: trust, clarity, and ease.
Be upfront about:

Who your offer is for (and who it’s not)
Time, cost, and expectations
Any emotional or energetic depth involved

Let your audience make fully informed choices. Transparency says, I respect your right to decide what’s right for you. In a world of fine print and vague promises, being clear is a radical act of care.

9. Train Your Team on Trauma Awareness

If you have a team, your values need to live not just in your content—but in your culture.
Even light training can go a long way in helping your team:

Recognize signs of distress or disengagement
Respond with patience, not pressure
Use tone and language that reflects your values

This not only improves your audience’s experience, but creates a more connected, resilient team dynamic. How we speak to each other behind the scenes echoes outward. Care is contagious.

10. Focus on Relationship Building

Marketing isn’t just about the moment of sale—it’s about the space between the offers.
Show up even when you’re not launching. Offer thoughtful content, genuine encouragement, and support just because it feels meaningful to do so. Relationships are built in the in-between. When you prioritize connection over conversion, people feel it.

They don’t stick around just because they’re buying.
They stay because they trust you. Because they feel seen.

A Gentle Reminder

We’re not here to be perfect—we’re here to be present. Practicing trauma-sensitive marketing isn’t about getting everything right all the time; it’s about staying open, curious, and committed to learning as we go. There will be moments when something doesn’t land, when fear shows up in our messaging, or when we find ourselves second-guessing. That’s okay. What matters most is that we continue to show up—with curiosity instead of control, compassion instead of perfectionism, and intention instead of urgency. When our voice is rooted in care—for our audience and for ourselves—it becomes a source of connection, safety, and trust. That kind of marketing is not only possible, it’s deeply needed. And if you’re reading this, you’re already walking that path. Keep going.

Wishing You Wellness,

Keri Sawyer

P.S. In the next blog, we’ll explore the scarcity mindset more deeply—where it comes from, how it shows up in our businesses, and how we can begin to shift toward trust, abundance, and spaciousness in our messaging and work. Stay tuned.

Facilitating With Harm Reduction: Reclaiming Ahimsa in Modern Yoga

A Path Toward Harm Reduction, Compassion, and Sustainable Practice

In the world of yoga, Ahimsa is one of the most beautiful — and essential — concepts to embody. For those of us offering yoga in trauma-sensitive spaces, understanding Ahimsa as a living practice can profoundly shape the way we work — with others, and with ourselves.

What Is Ahimsa? Where Does It Come From?

Ahimsa is a Sanskrit word often translated as non-harming or non-violence, but its meaning extends far beyond the absence of physical aggression. It is the first of the five Yamas, or ethical precepts, outlined in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali—a foundational text in classical yoga philosophy. The Yamas serve as moral and relational guidelines, offering a framework for how we engage with the world, with others, and ultimately, with ourselves. As the cornerstone of this ethical path, Ahimsa is not just a rule to follow—it is a way of being.

While Ahimsa certainly includes refraining from violence or harm, it also asks us to examine subtler forms of harm: harsh language, judgmental thoughts, emotional neglect, or the ways we may override our own needs or those of others in the name of productivity, perfection, or control. It invites us to become more aware of the impact we have—not just through what we do, but how we do it. Our tone of voice, our body language, our assumptions, and even our inner dialogue can all become expressions of either harm or healing.

To live Ahimsa is to choose presence over reactivity, compassion over control, and kindness over critique. It’s about cultivating safety, empathy, and care—not only for others, but for ourselves. When practiced with sincerity, Ahimsa becomes a powerful tool for transformation. It encourages us to slow down, to listen deeply, and to approach every interaction with the intention of doing no harm and, ideally, fostering peace.

Ahimsa means more than avoiding overt harm—it means intentionally creating environments where people feel seen, respected, and free from coercion or judgment. It challenges us to step out of power-over dynamics and into relationships that center dignity, choice, and mutual respect. Whether we are leading a yoga class, holding a conversation, or simply moving through the world, Ahimsa invites us to become conscious stewards of safety—living our values not just on the mat, but in every breath, interaction, and intention.

In practice, Ahimsa invites us to cultivate:

Compassion for ourselves and others — recognizing that all beings are doing their best within the conditions of their lives, and that kindness is not a weakness, but a strength that sustains connection and healing.
Empathy for lived experiences different from our own — allowing us to listen with humility, bear witness without judgment, and stay open to perspectives that may challenge our assumptions or broaden our understanding.
A spirit of inclusion and respect toward all people — regardless of background, ability, identity, or circumstance. Ahimsa asks us not only to make space, but to honor the unique presence each person brings, creating environments where everyone feels a true sense of belonging.
A commitment to reducing harm — not only in obvious or physical ways, but also in the quiet, often-unseen ways that shape how people feel in our presence. This includes our tone, pace, language, body language, and even the energy we carry.

Ahimsa, when embodied fully, becomes more than a practice—it becomes a way of relating. It asks us to move through the world as gentle disruptors of harm and steady builders of trust, inviting others into spaces where they can breathe, soften, and be. It calls us to be intentional, not perfect; attuned, not performative. And above all, it reminds us that safety and care begin not just in our words, but in how we show up.

Ahimsa is the heart of healing. Bring it to the mat.

When we bring Ahimsa into trauma-sensitive yoga, it becomes more than a guiding principle—it becomes the very foundation for every decision we make. It informs how we structure our sessions, the language we use, the pace at which we move, whether or not we offer physical touch, how we sequence practices, and even the tone and energy we bring into the room. Ahimsa becomes the invisible thread that weaves through every aspect of facilitation—not as a rigid rulebook, but as a living inquiry: “Does this support safety? Does this honor the person in front of me? Does this reduce harm?”

Many clients arriving to trauma-sensitive yoga are navigating the ongoing impact of trauma, adversity, systemic oppression, and marginalization. For some, the body may not feel like a safe place to inhabit. Trust in others—or even in themselves—may have been profoundly disrupted. In these circumstances, the traditional yoga classroom may unintentionally replicate patterns of disempowerment if not approached with care. That’s why Ahimsa in trauma-sensitive practice is not just philosophical—it is an active, embodied form of harm reduction.

And I use the term harm reduction very intentionally. Because the truth is: we cannot singlehandedly undo the violence, neglect, or injustice many people continue to face outside our spaces. We live in a world where harm is not just historical—it is present and ongoing. We cannot control the systems or people that marginalize, oppress, and re-traumatize. But what we can do is take full responsibility for the space we hold. We can ensure that the spaces we facilitate do not add to the burden of harm—and that they actively support healing, agency, and dignity.

This means honoring each person’s autonomy—offering choice in every aspect of the practice, and resisting the urge to fix, force, or direct someone’s process. It means pacing our sessions in ways that honor nervous system rhythms, and using invitational language that empowers rather than instructs. It means recognizing that silence can feel soothing for some and threatening for others, and adjusting accordingly. It means being aware of how our own energy—whether anxious, distracted, or controlling—can shape the room, and grounding ourselves before we ask others to ground.

Ahimsa in trauma-sensitive spaces also means acknowledging our own positionality, privileges, and blind spots. It asks us to be in a continual practice of reflection, education, and humility—so that we do not unintentionally center ourselves, speak over others’ truths, or ignore the larger context in which healing is or is not possible. It means being open to feedback, willing to repair when harm does occur, and committed to evolving—not from a place of guilt, but from a place of deep care and accountability.

Ultimately, when we center Ahimsa in trauma-sensitive yoga, we are saying: “I see you. I will not rush you. I will not override you. I will not pathologize your pace or your silence. I will meet you where you are, and I will walk beside you—not ahead of you.” This is how we transform yoga from a set of techniques into a sanctuary. This is how we resist systems of harm—by offering a counter-experience of care, of agency, of possibility.

We may not be able to change the world outside our rooms overnight—but in the spaces we do hold, we can plant seeds of safety and connection. And those seeds matter.

How Does Ahimsa Show Up in Trauma-Sensitive Practice?

Predictability and Safety
Creating clear structure, offering choices, using consistent invitational language — so clients know what to expect and feel empowered.
Warmth and Empathy
Meeting each person with compassion for where they are in their healing journey — and avoiding assumptions about their experience.
Consent and Respect
Offering true choice around participation, postures, and breath — honoring each person’s autonomy.
Non-Judgment and Inclusion
Welcoming all bodies, identities, and histories — understanding that trauma is often tied to systems of oppression and exclusion.

Facilitate from a place of peace—embrace Ahimsa as your foundation.

As yoga teachers, therapists, and caregivers, we are not immune to the weight of the work we hold. The very nature of supporting others—especially in trauma-sensitive spaces—can place us at risk for burnout, secondary trauma, and compassion fatigue. That’s why Ahimsa must begin with how we treat ourselves. It cannot be reserved only for how we speak to students or structure a class; it must be embedded in how we listen to our own bodies, honor our limits, and care for our nervous systems. When facilitators practice Ahimsa inwardly—choosing rest when needed, extending self-compassion in the face of mistakes, and releasing unrealistic standards of perfection—they bring a different energy into the room. Their presence becomes more grounded, attuned, and trustworthy. A teacher who is nourished, centered, and kind to themselves is far more likely to hold space that feels truly safe and warm for others. On the other hand, when we are depleted, disconnected, or locked in cycles of self-criticism and over-responsibility, that unspoken tension can permeate the space we offer, subtly shaping the experience of students and clients alike. If we want to be vessels of healing, we must first turn that healing toward ourselves—again and again.

A sustainable, life-long practice of harm reduction can include:

Self-compassion & care when we feel depleted
Mindful boundaries to balance our energy
Honoring our own nervous system’s needs
Regular reflection and support to process vicarious trauma (secondary trauma through working with others)

Ahimsa toward self allows us to stay present and effective in this work—not driven by guilt or exhaustion, but by clear-hearted compassion. When we care for ourselves with the same tenderness and respect we offer to others, we begin to sustain—not deplete—our ability to show up fully. This doesn’t mean we won’t feel stretched or challenged; it means we are rooted in something deeper than urgency or self-sacrifice. Practicing self-directed Ahimsa helps us discern when to step forward and when to step back, when to hold space and when to seek support. It allows our energy to be guided by purpose, not pressure, and lets us model what regulated, ethical, and compassionate care can truly look like. In this way, self-Ahimsa isn’t indulgence—it’s a necessary act of integrity that protects our capacity to serve with clarity, presence, and love over the long term.

Choose compassion every step of the way—your practice will follow

For those of us walking the path of yoga long-term, Ahimsa is not a box to check — it’s a lifelong meditation and reflection. It’s not something we master and move on from, but rather a living, breathing commitment that evolves with us. As our bodies age, our roles shift, and our inner landscapes change, so too does our relationship with non-harming. Ahimsa asks us to listen more deeply, soften where we once pushed, and honor the wisdom of rest just as much as effort. It becomes a compass—not only in how we treat others, but in how we speak to ourselves, inhabit our practice, and navigate the world with integrity and care. In this way, Ahimsa isn’t just part of the yoga path—it is the path.

Compassion calls us to:

Keep learning
Practice humility
Listen to those whose experiences differ from our own
Be open to feedback and self study
Be willing to change when harm has occurred, even unintentionally
Teach from a place of inclusion, curiosity, and care

Create spaces that don’t just reduce harm—but awaken safety, dignity, and resilience.

In trauma-sensitive yoga—where old wounds may surface and healing often arrives in fragile, nonlinear ways—Ahimsa is our anchor. It’s more than a philosophical idea; it’s a lived commitment to creating spaces that honor the dignity, agency, and nervous systems of every person who enters. We cannot control the broader forces that continue to shape our students’ lives—past or present—but within the sacred container of our classes, we can choose to become instruments of harm reduction. Through our cues, our silences, our pacing, our presence, and our willingness to truly see each person, we model care, predictability, empathy, and deep respect. And when we offer that same Ahimsa inward—toward our bodies, our teaching, and our growth—we not only avoid replicating harm, we become trustworthy guides. In doing so, we help create the conditions where healing doesn’t have to be rushed, forced, or explained—it can simply unfold, one breath, one moment at a time.

Wishing you Wellness!

Keri Sawyer YACEP

P.S. Would you like to learn more? Trauma Sensitive Yoga Foundations

Healing Developmental Trauma Through Somatics: Why It Works and Why It Matters

Understanding Developmental Trauma

Developmental Trauma is a word we’ve been hearing amore and more in the world of healing, therapy, and wellness. But what exactly does it mean? And why are somatic (body-based) approaches proving so powerful in helping people heal from deep wounds?

Developmental trauma isn’t the same as a single shocking event, like a car accident or sudden loss. It’s something chronic and subtle:

It happens in childhood
It results from ongoing misattuned caregiving, neglect, chronic stress, emotional, physical, sexual abuse, or lack of a felt sense of safety in some way.
It affects not only the child’s emotions but also the developing brain, body, and nervous system.

Because it happens during critical periods of brain development — when the nervous system, stress response, and sense of self are still forming — this kind of trauma gets “wired in” at a deep level. The body and brain adapt to the early environment by learning survival strategies: hypervigilance, shutdown, avoidance, tension, or numbing to name a few. These patterns are not conscious choices — they are automatic, protective responses that helped the child cope at the time.

The challenge is that these survival responses often continue long after the original danger is gone. The nervous system doesn’t easily “update” on its own, and without support, it may keep reacting as if the world is still unsafe. This can affect everything from relationships to stress tolerance to physical health. Somatic approaches help the body and brain begin to recognize present-day safety, so new patterns can emerge — creating more flexibility, resilience, and capacity for connection.

Healing Needs More Than Words

Many people with developmental trauma find that traditional talk therapy alone only goes so far.

Developmental Trauma is Often Preverbal and Implicit

Developmental trauma occurs in early childhood when the brain and body are still forming. Many of these experiences happen before a child has developed language:

The memories of these traumas are stored in implicit memory—felt in the body and nervous system—rather than as clear, verbal stories.
Talk therapy relies heavily on conscious verbal processing, but the root of developmental trauma lies beneath what the client can easily put into words.

As a result, survivors may intellectually understand their experiences but continue to feel dysregulated or triggered.

Cognitive Processing Doesn’t Reach Survival Responses

Developmental trauma deeply impacts the autonomic nervous system, shaping chronic survival states (fight, flight, freeze, collapse, fawn):

These patterns are automatic and somatic—they happen faster than conscious thought.
Talk therapy focuses on insight and cognitive reframing, but it cannot directly access or shift these deep nervous system states.

Without addressing these embodied responses, clients may struggle to feel safe or stable even after years of therapy.

Relational Wounds Require Relational Repair

Much of developmental trauma stems from disrupted attachment and early relational experiences:

Trust, safety, and the capacity to co-regulate with others often need to be rebuilt through embodied, attuned relationships.
Traditional talk therapy can sometimes feel too cognitive or distant to foster the kind of deep relational healing that’s needed.

Approaches that emphasize the facilitator’s embodied presence are often more effective.

The Body Holds the Story

Trauma isn’t just in the mind. It lives in the body. In fact, Developmental trauma shapes:

Breath and muscle tension patterns
Nervous system responses (fight, flight, freeze, fawn)
Movement patterns
Emotional regulation
The sense of self that’s felt in the body

Trauma is not just a psychological experience—it is also a deeply physiological one. The body “remembers” trauma through patterns of posture, muscle tension, visceral sensations, and even chronic health issues. These embodied expressions often persist beneath conscious awareness. When therapy focuses solely on talking, it may bypass these somatic layers, leaving significant aspects of the trauma unresolved and unintegrated.

Body-oriented therapies engage the nervous system and somatic processes that are central to how trauma is stored and expressed, facilitating more comprehensive integration and resolution than cognitive approaches alone.

The Limits of Insight

Finally, while talk therapy fosters insight, knowing why one feels or behaves a certain way does not always translate into feeling differently:

Developmental trauma can leave emotional imprints that persist despite rational understanding.
Healing often requires experiential processes that foster new felt experiences of safety, agency (I can change the way my body feels), and connection.

Talking helps us understand our story — but it doesn’t always help integrate the implicit (non – consious) body and nervous system patterns shaped by early trauma, so they can adapt to present-day experience. That’s where somatic work comes in.

Somatic Work Unlocks Deeper Healing

The body and brain are in constant conversation. Here’s what we now know from neuroscience:

The Body Is the Brain’s First Language

Before a child can speak, the body — breath, heart rate, muscle tone, sensations — is already shaping emotional experience. Trauma is stored in these non-verbal, bodily pathways. Somatic work helps us reconnect with these channels through:

Breath awareness
Movement
Sensation tracking (interoception)
Relational presence

Neuroplasticity: Rewiring the Nervous System

The brain’s ability to change (neuroplasticity) is enhanced when experiences happen in the body, not just in thought. The nervous system learns patterns from early experiences — and sometimes these automatic reactions can show up in ways that don’t really match the present moment. Because these patterns are wired into both body and brain, somatic work helps by creating new pathways. Over time, this helps you feel more aware and in charge of how you respond, instead of feeling stuck in old reactions. Many somatic approaches pair mindful awareness with body-based experiences that can help:

Build new patterns of personal safety in the present moment
Expand the nervous system’s capacity for balance
Integrate early survival patterns so they align with present-day safety and connection

Trauma often leaves the nervous system stuck in:

Hyperarousal (anxiety, panic, reactivity)

Hypoarousal (numbness, collapse, dissociation)

Somatic work helps restore balance — allowing clients to live more fully in the “window of tolerance” where growth and connection are possible.

Why Somatic Work Is a Key Part of Lasting Healing

Developmental trauma shapes both brain and nervous system patterns, somatic approaches are essential for supporting the kind of deep, lasting change that leads to real healing.

It enables whole-person healing

We are not just our thoughts — we are body, mind, emotions, and nervous system, all deeply connected. Early experiences shape not only how we think and feel, but also how our bodies hold tension, how our nervous system reacts to stress, and even how safe or connected we feel in the world. True healing happens when we work with both body and mind, we create the possibility for deeper, more lasting change.

It builds resilience and freedom

By resolving the trauma stored in the body, clients often experience:

More emotional resilience
Greater capacity for relationships
Increases agency (I can change the way my body feels)
Expands capacity for choice in everyday life
Builds a more positive relationship with self and others

It reflects what science now confirms

Modern neuroscience affirms that healing is an integrated process—body and brain function as one, each shaping and informing the other. Somatic practices support this interconnected system, helping to restore balance, safety, and resilience throughout the whole person. When we engage both the physiological and psychological aspects of experience, we create the conditions for deeper, more lasting transformation.

Reflection

If you’ve ever felt “stuck” in talk therapy, there is hope. Approaches that engage both body and mind can open new pathways for healing—often reaching places that words alone cannot. When the whole system works together, deeper change becomes possible.

Yoga for Every Body: Accessibility Belongs at the Center

In too many yoga spaces today, unspoken expectations can quietly alienate those who don’t “fit the mold.” Whether you’re navigating trauma, disability, chronic illness, body shame, or simply feeling out of place, western yoga spaces may not always feel safe or welcoming.

Trauma-sensitive yoga offers a different path.

It doesn’t just include accessibility—it is rooted in it. This practice is built on the belief that every person deserves a space where they can reconnect with their body, breath, and inner wisdom—without pressure, judgment, or the need to perform.

Making yoga accessible is not about simplifying the practice—it’s about broadening the pathways so that everyone, regardless of ability, size, age, trauma history, neurodivergence, or socioeconomic background, feels welcome, safe, and supported.

Accessible, trauma-sensitive yoga doesn’t dilute the practice—it deepens it. t’s a powerful reminder that yoga is not about what we can do, but how we relate to ourselves and others while doing it. It’s a practice of reconnecting—to breath, body, community, and inner truth.

Whether you’re a facilitator, a student, or someone simply curious about yoga, remember: You don’t need to be fixed, changed, or reshaped. You’re welcome to move into a yoga practice however you are showing up in the moment – physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Accessibility Is Not an Add-On—It’s the Foundation

In trauma-sensitive yoga, accessibility isn’t a separate offering. It’s the very structure that holds the practice. This is not about making yoga “easier.” It’s about making the practice of yoga deeply respectful of the body’s wisdom.

To make yoga accessible to all bodies is to make yoga aligned with its true purpose. The roots of yoga emphasize union, compassion, and self-awareness. Accessibility honors these principles by ensuring yoga is not just a physical activity, but a holistic, inclusive path to well-being. Accessibility is about removing barriers, not lowering standards. It’s about centering people over postures. And it’s about recognizing that every body is a yoga body—and every nervous system, every story, and every lived experience deserves space to breathe.

Facilitation Tips for Accessibility :

Offer invitations, Not Commands

Yoga is not just a personal practice—it’s a relational practice. Whether we’re guiding a class or participating in one, we’re entering into a shared space shaped by trust, vulnerability, and communication.

And in that space, language matters. The words we use as facilitators don’t just guide movement—they establish tone, shape relationships, and define power dynamics. In subtle and not-so-subtle ways, our cues, metaphors, and phrasing can either:

Empower students to listen inward,
Or reinforce a hierarchy where the teacher is the authority and the student is expected to comply.

Instead of commands, offer invitational cues like:

“If it feels useful for you…”
“One option you might explore could be….”
“You’re welcome to move out of this form at any time and for any reason.”

Words carry weight. Even well-intentioned adjectives like “comfortably,” “gently,” or “peacefully” can carry subtle expectations. Instead, use descriptive, not prescriptive cues.

Avoid cues that assume a universal outcome, such as:

“Feel the comfort of this pose”

“Let the body melt softly”

“Relax into the support”

These might sound gentle, but they prescribe an experience that not every student will have—especially those with trauma histories, physical discomfort, or heightened nervous system responses.

This language shifts authority from the teacher to the student, fostering a space that allows the participant to empower themselves.

Let Go of the Idea That There’s One “Real” Yoga Form

One of the most harmful messages embedded in mainstream yoga culture—often subtly and unintentionally—is the idea that there’s a “correct,” “full,” or “real” version of a posture. This belief centers a narrow standard rooted in aesthetics, ableism, and performance, not in the true spirit of yoga.

Whether you’re practicing in a chair, using props, modifying a pose, skipping a movement altogether, or simply sitting in stillness—you are doing yoga. There is no hierarchy of value based on what it looks like from the outside

Make it normal to offer a range of ways to engage with a form, including:

Seated or chair-based options
Wall-supported variations
Supine (lying down) alternatives
Gentle flows or static holds

The purpose of a yoga posture is not to fit your body into a fixed shape—it’s to use the shape as a framework for exploration. All expressions of a yoga form are valid.

Use Props for Exploration

Props are not signs of inadequacy—they’re instruments of exploration. Normalize props by using them yourself and integrating them into every class—not just when “needed.”

Blocks and bolsters to bring the floor closer
Chairs or walls for balance and support
Blankets to cushion knees or assist in seated poses

Create space for participants to engage in the practice

Yoga is not a one-size-fits-all practice. It is a deeply personal, embodied experience that shifts from person to person, and from day to day. When we allow each individual to discover what yoga feels like in their body—on their terms—we are doing more than offering a variation or cue.

We are honoring autonomy, dismantling hierarchy, and inviting healing that is rooted in truth rather than conformity.

Participants could explore:

How a form feels in their body rather than how it looks
The possibility of skipping shapes if that feels useful
Quieter spaces and reducing overwhelming music or scents
Predictability through class structure & transitions
Empowerment through choices
The possibility of participating as much or as little as they would like

Let the Practice Belong to the participant

Creating non-coercive spaces is not about removing structure—it’s about removing assumption. It’s not about removing care—it’s about removing control.

It’s about trusting that when we step back from directing outcomes, we make space for something more powerful to unfold: a genuine, self-directed relationship with breath, body, and presence.

When we focus on giving an experience—something that feels soothing, beautiful, or transformative—we risk centering ourselves as the authority. We risk deciding how someone should feel, move, or heal. And we unintentionally override their nervous system’s signals in favor of our vision for the class.

Our job as facilitators isn’t to make people feel something. It’s to offer exploration points—clear, neutral options that allow each student to decide what supports them in that moment.

Offer Choices, Not Experiences

Every time we offer a choice within a yoga form, we invite students to practice sovereignty. We remind them that:

There is no one right way to do this.
Your body gets to decide.
You don’t need to have a specific experience to be doing it right.

You can support autonomy by:

Providing several entry points into a pose or shape
Giving possible choices of embodiment within the form itself
Letting people know they can skip any movement, stay still, or try something entirely different
Framing postures as invitations, not expectation
Stopping, Pausing or moving out of a yoga form as a normalized experience

Honor Inclusivity

At its core, yoga is about dissolving separation—between breath and body, mind and heart, self and other. If certain people are excluded from the space due to ability, body type, identity, trauma history, or financial status, we’re not practicing yoga—we’re practicing exclusivity under the guise of wellness.

Inclusivity is the living practice of yoga’s intention: belonging for all.

Use language that avoids assumptions
Create spaces where all students feel seen and heard
Respect the roots of yoga by acknowledging its South Asian heritage without appropriation
Highlight voices from diverse backgrounds

Offer rest as legitimate and meaningful

Offer the freedom to choose stillness or movement moment by moment. Avoid linking moving out of a form in a negative light. Why?

Stillness can be productive
Skipping a posture is respected
Students don’t need an “adequate” reason to move out of a form

Accessibility is an evolving commitment.

Accessibility is not a fixed checklist—it’s a living, evolving practice. In yoga, accessibility is not about reaching a final destination where everything is “inclusive enough,” but about continually listening, learning, and adapting in response to the needs, voices, and experiences of those in the space.

Listen, Learn & Adapt –

Be open to Feedback from participants
Continue to learn through training, anti-oppression understanding, and trauma-informed practices
Collaborate with advocates to gain more understanding and awareness

Want to explore trauma-sensitive, accessible yoga? Reach out for resources, class info, or guidance on building inclusive wellness spaces.

#TraumaSensitiveYoga #YogaForAll #HealingInCommunity #EveryBodyIsWelcome #InclusiveWellness #EmpoweredMovement #YogaIsForYou

10 Ways of Being I’ve Learned in the Helping Field

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10 Ways of Being I’ve Learned in the Helping Field

By Keri Sawyer

In the helping professions, we often focus on what we can do to support others—but just as important is how we choose to be. Over time, I’ve realized that our way of being—our presence, alignment, and self-awareness—impacts others far more than we might imagine.

These are 10 ways of being I’ve learned, practiced, and come to trust as cornerstones in my work and life.

1. Your Practice Matters

Are you using the tools you suggest to others? Whether it’s breathwork, journaling, boundaries, or somatic regulation—are they alive in your daily life?

We can’t authentically offer what we haven’t integrated. It’s tempting to teach new material right after a workshop, but wisdom takes root through repetition, reflection, and embodiment. If we want to share something powerful, we must first let it shape us.

We can’t give what we haven’t practiced. It’s one thing to talk about grounding; it’s another to know what helps you ground in real-time, under stress, and to teach from that place of knowing.

2. Self-Study is the Foundation

Introspective teaching starts with us.

Are you aligned with your own values? Or are you unknowingly teaching from inherited beliefs? It’s easy to pass along what we were taught without checking if it still fits who we are now. Self-study helps us stay honest about where we are, where we’re headed, and whether our work is truly serving the people we aim to help.

Are you working from your authentic center, or from values passed down from a mentor, teacher, or family system? Do you feel uncomfortable with how you’re showing up or what you’re teaching? If so, don’t ignore it. Lean in. Self-alignment is a living practice—and when you align with your truth, you begin to teach and support from a place of grounded clarity.

3. Teach from Your Truth

Teaching from someone else’s truth may feel safe—but it’s not sustainable.

Do you know your truth? Are you living it? Are you speaking from it, or quoting a mentor whose voice is louder than your own? Authenticity invites trust. When your words rise from lived experience, people feel it. And they listen differently.

If your guidance doesn’t land, pause and ask: Is this really mine? If it’s not something you’ve embodied, integrated, and tested in your own life—it may still belong to a past teacher. That doesn’t mean it’s wrong, but it does mean it may not be yours to teach yet. Let your truth evolve. Share from the realness of your journey—not perfection, but process.

4. Use Your Voice

If the world stopped to listen for one minute, what would you say?

Your voice is a tool of service. What is your message? What makes your heart beat faster? Get clear on what matters to you, then share it in grounded, courageous, and helpful ways. You don’t need to be loud—but you do need to be real.

Your voice is sacred, and your story holds power. Ask yourself: What do I care so deeply about that I’d want to scream it from the rooftops? Find the grounded version of that message, and speak it in a way that helps others. Your voice may be exactly what someone else needs to hear to come home to themselves.

5. Self-Care is Non-Negotiable

You are not a machine. You are a vessel.

The way you care for yourself directly impacts the care you offer others. Rest, nourishment, boundaries, and play are not indulgences—they are professional necessities. When your cup is full, your presence becomes a healing force.

You matter. Your nervous system, your body, your energy—all of it influences your work. You can’t support others from depletion. Tending to your own well-being is not selfish—it’s the foundation of sustainable, effective, and ethical helping. You can’t pour from an empty vessel, and you don’t need to try.

6. Learn Your Presence

Presence isn’t just being in the room—it’s being fully here.

That means tuning in to your body, your surroundings, and the person in front of you—without drifting into the past or jumping ahead to what’s next.

Start by checking in with yourself. Are you grounded? Holding tension? Breathing? Your body often reveals your state before your mind does. Notice the subtle shifts—tightness in the jaw, shallow breath, restlessness. These are signs, not flaws. They help you recalibrate.

Then, expand your awareness outward. Feel your feet. Listen to the sounds in the room. Soften your gaze. When you’re truly present, you’re able to listen actively, notice subtle cues, and respond with attunement instead of habit.

Stop planning your reply or worrying about outcomes—and instead, witness and connect.

This kind of presence is the root of strong relationships. It builds trust, fosters mutual understanding, and makes others feel deeply seen and heard. In a world full of distractions, your full presence is a rare and powerful gift—and it starts with you being here now.

7. Live Harm Reduction as a Practice

We often think about harm in big, obvious ways. But harm can be subtle—tone, impatience, projection, avoidance.

Do your actions ripple wellness or tension into your relationships? Are you self-regulated enough to respond instead of react? Harm reduction isn’t just a philosophy. It’s a daily, embodied practice. It starts with awareness—and leads to action.

Ask: How might my presence impact someone who’s vulnerable today? Am I rushing, rescuing, or controlling? Or am I spacious, responsive, and grounded?

To reduce harm, we must also acknowledge our scope. Are we staying within it? Are we doing our own healing so we’re not unconsciously seeking to heal others as a proxy for ourselves? Moving from thought into action in non-harming takes time—but it’s the heart of ethical helping.

8. Relationships Are Sacred

People want to feel seen, heard, and understood.

Are you making space for that? Inclusivity, accessibility, and genuine compassion matter. How are you showing that others matter—through your words, your energy, your posture, your availability?

Connection is a healing intervention in itself.

Being relational means slowing down. Making eye contact. Letting someone know they are not alone. It means asking: How am I energetically, verbally, and physically communicating that this person matters? Because the truth is: they do. And how we show that—consistently—is what builds healing relationships over time.

9. Release Attachment to Outcomes

Helping can easily become rescuing.

We want to make things better. We want people to succeed. But crossing the line from witnessing to controlling another’s journey—even with good intentions—can be deeply harmful.

Ask yourself: What part of me needs to manage this outcome? Am I uncomfortable with uncertainty? Am I trying to protect them from discomfort—or myself?

It takes courage to stay with someone on their path without trying to shape it. But when we trust their inner wisdom, even when it’s messy, we honor their autonomy. And we free ourselves from the pressure to fix, save, or carry what was never ours to hold.

10. Focus is a Form of Integrity

You can’t be everything to everyone.

So where is your energy going? Are you scattered, or focused? Let your efforts follow your calling—knowing that your focus may change as you grow. Letting go of distractions isn’t selfish—it’s how we make space for meaningful work.

What are you drawn toward right now? What distractions are pulling you away? Focus doesn’t mean rigidity—it means alignment. As you change, your purpose may evolve. But your capacity to discern what matters—and honor that—will always serve you and those you help.

Reflection

These aren’t commandments—they’re invitations. Invitations to slow down, look inward, and remember that who you are is just as powerful as what you know.

Let these ways of being guide your process. Revisit them when you feel off track. Come back to them when you need grounding. And trust that your presence, your intention, and your alignment are some of the most impactful tools you have.