The Effectiveness of a Trauma Sensitive Yoga Intervention with Survivors of Sexual Violence

To effectively and robustly measure the research objectives and questions, a mixed method sequential explanatory design is proposed, consisting of two distinct phases. Firstly, quantitative data collection and analysis followed by qualitative data collection analysis and final interpretation (Creswell et al., 2003). In this study, quantitative methods will be used to measure and track specific variables (PTSD, depression, anxiety, dissociation, mindfulness, interoceptive awareness and self-compassion) to determine whether and how these change over time. The qualitative data collected and analysed in the second sequence can help explain, or elaborate on, the quantitative results obtained in the first phase by exploring participant’s views in more depth (Crewswell et al., 2003). Further, qualitative research methods will give participant’s an opportunity to voice their experiences of being engaged in the intervention (Emerson; 2015; Herman, 2015), and may lead to the discovery of the pathways and contexts in which symptomatic change may have occurred, enabling the unique effects and mechanisms at play to be highlighted. The intervention is 60 minutes of trauma centre trauma sensitive yoga (TCTSY) delivered by the Principal Investigator (PI). The PI is a registered psychologist and 500-hour trained yoga teacher who has been facilitating trauma sensitive yoga groups to survivors of sexual violence for five years. The intervention will be at a yoga studio (face to face) and may be online (particularly if there are lockdown restrictions). The Lead facilitator is also experienced in facilitating these groups online via Zoom technology. The study will include a baseline data collection phase (online or in person), the 8 weeks of the trauma sensitive yoga (60-minutes + 15 minutes approximately of answering questionnaires), and a two-month follow-up time point phase (online or in person). Trauma sensitive yoga is yoga as exercise, adapted from 2002 onwards for work with individuals with complex trauma. Its goal is to help trauma survivors to develop a greater sense of mind-body connection, to ease their physiological experiences of trauma, to gain a greater sense of ownership over their bodies, and to augment their overall well-being. The main differences include: environment (welcoming, safe, no potentially triggering props such as straps), physical exercise (trauma sensitive yoga supports clients to notice what is going on in their body and to make choices based on this noticing as opposed to trying to achieve a particular atheistic or shape), assists (strictly no hands on assists as may be present in a regular yoga class), teacher qualities (gentle and stays on their mat), language (every cue is preceded with an invitation as opposed to a normal yoga class where the language may be much more directive). The qualitative phase is an individual interview that will take place either online or in-person at the office of the PI. The qualitative interview will take place once the intervention is complete.