Transcending Trauma With Yoga - Zabie Yamasaki [Podcast 037]

In Episode 37 of the Accessible Yoga Podcast, Jivana Heyman sits down with Zabie Yamasaki, M.Ed., RYT. Zabie is the director of Trauma Informed Programs at UCLA and is the Founder of Transcending Sexual Trauma through Yoga. Zabie has trained thousands of yoga instructors and mental health professionals on trauma-informed teaching and her new book Trauma-Informed Yoga for Survivors of Sexual Assault which is coming out this year. Jivana and Zabie discuss trauma-sensitive teaching practices that benefit every student that comes to our classes. They also discuss the role of the teacher, power dynamics, and walking the line between authenticity and healthy boundaries. This conversation invites us to consider ways we can shift our community spaces to create more safety and opportunities for rest.

Download Episode 37 Download Transcript

This week on the podcast:

Zabie introduces herself and talks about how she got involved in trauma-informed teaching work
How yoga and trauma-informed work are connected, especially for Zabie as a survivor of sexual assault
The middle-of-the-night moment that started a curriculum that is now taught at over 30 campuses and connecting this work to her personal experiences
Why it's important to treat trauma with the same care we treat physical injuries
The difference between trauma-sensitive teaching and actually treating someone with PTSD
The role of the teacher, power dynamics, and hierarchy
Leaning on your training vs. trusting your instincts - working with our students to co-create experiences
Walking the line between authenticity and embodied boundaries
The intersection of race and trauma
The role of relationship in trauma-informed teaching

This week's question to ponder: If you can imagine that in every space you enter, there are a number of survivors in those spaces, how might it invite you to integrate more empathy, kindness, and compassion into the way that you show up?

About Zabie Yamasaki

Zabie Yamasaki, M.Ed., RYT is currently the Program Director of Trauma Informed Programs at UCLA and is the Founder of Transcending Sexual Trauma through Yoga. Zabie has trained thousands of yoga instructors and mental health professionals and her trauma-informed yoga program and curriculum for survivors is now being implemented at over 25 colleges campuses and agencies including the University of California (UC) system, Stanford, USC, University of Notre Dame, and Johns Hopkins University.

Zabie received her undergraduate in Psychology and Social Behavior and Education at the UC Irvine and completed her graduate degree in Higher Education Administration and Student Affairs at The George Washington University. Her work has been highlighted on CNN, NBC, and The Huffington Post. She is currently writing the book: Trauma-Informed Yoga for Survivors of Sexual Assault which will be published by W. W. Norton & Company and is expected to be released in 2021.

Connect With Us

Zabie Yamasaki: Website| Instagram | Facebook
Preorder Zabie's book Trauma-Informed Yoga for Survivors of Sexual Assault
Jivana Heyman: Website | Instagram | Facebook
Amber Karnes: Website | Instagram | Facebook
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