This interactive workshop will seek to provide an overview of how to use yoga as a clinical intervention for treatment of trauma experiences of sex trafficking survivors. Research around this issue will be reviewed, including yoga as a clinical intervention and elements of trauma informed care for survivors of sex trafficking (Goodman & Calderon, 2012; Elliot, et al. 2005; Emerson, 2015; Jindani & Khalsa, 2015; Van der Kolk, 2014). The presenter’s lived experience as a sex trafficking survivor and the use of trauma informed yoga as an approach to find her own path to healing will also be discussed. During this workshop, providers and survivors will have the opportunity to learn about how to use trauma-informed yoga as an intervention to treat complex trauma symptoms for themselves and clients. Participants will be able to see how trauma-informed intervention is practiced and step-by-step instructions for effective application of yoga as a clinical tool will be reviewed.
Trigger Warning: This presentation contains information (written, spoken, or visual) that may be triggering or (re)traumatizing to attendees.
M. Elizabeth Bowman is an Assistant Professor at Gallaudet University. She is also a minor domestic sex trafficking survivor and the founder of the Restoring Ivy Collective. In clinical practice, she works with trafficking survivors using expressive therapies including arts and yoga.