Free Trauma Informed Yoga & iRest Meditation Classes for RECAMFT Members
RECAMFT is inviting our members to recharge and reset through a free monthly trauma-informed yoga and meditation class series. Classes are led by Hannah Caratti, LMFT an experienced yoga/meditation teacher.
- Monthly Trauma Informed Yoga & iRest classes for members August through November. No previous experience needed. Come for all or part of it.
- Location: Zoom Meetings (you will be able to see everyone in the class)
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- Friday, October 15th @ 11 AM (60 minutes)
- Saturday, November 6th @ 10 AM (90 minutes)
Register for each class separately please!
You are registering for the Fri. Oct. 15th class at 11 am.
Hannah Caratti, LMFT has been working in the field of psychotherapy since 2005, and currently specializes in offering Somatic Practices for clients dealing with anxiety, PTSD and stress. As an Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (E-RYT 500) she has taught yoga for more than 25 years in Sonoma County, and spent most of those years developing her own version of a healing style of yoga that is now called “Trauma-Informed Yoga.”
For many people with anxiety or PTSD, the nervous system may remain primarily in the “fight or flight” (sympathetic nervous system) response, rather than returning to the “rest and digest” (parasympathetic nervous system) mode. In other words, the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system may be out of balance. This can especially affect digestion, elimination, heart function, lung function and the immune system.
To address these issues, Trauma-Informed Yoga Classes focus on calming the nervous system, strengthening the body and soothing the soul. These classes may include some or all of the following practices:
- Gentle yoga postures, sitting, standing and down
- Breathing and relaxation
- Gentle rocking (uroboric/self-soothing) movements to calm the nervous system
- Whole Body Bi-Lateral Stimulation/Cross Brain Integration for trauma release/stress reduction
- Head, neck, shoulder and jaw self-massage
- Massage of the Vagus nerve area on neck (To help move from sympathetic to parasympathetic response)
- Abdominal Massage (Chi Nei Sang)
- iRest (Guided Meditation) for PTSD as taught by psychologist Richard Miller, Ph.D.
- Sighing, yawning, stretching and resting as described by psychologist Julie Henderson, Ph.D.
- References to Positive Energy, drawing from concepts by psychiatrist Judith Orloff, M.D.
In the aftermath of the 2017 wildfires in Sonoma County, Hannah was encouraged by members of RECAMFT and supported by Healthcare Foundation of Sonoma County in offering free trauma-informed yoga classes to wildfire survivors from March 2018 through early 2020. She also trained 60 other local yoga teachers in this style of “Trauma Informed Yoga” so they could offer these healing practices to other wildfire survivors and to students in their regular classes.
Currently Hannah offers this style of healing movement and breathing practice online, 5 days per week. All members are welcome. For details, please see www.counselingyogameditation.com
These online classes usually begin with a brief check-in (just hello and welcome) and a simple song, bringing in the healing, centering power of music. Participants are asked to wear comfortable clothing in which they can easily stretch, and to place a yoga mat or thick towel near their laptop, ipad (or phone).
iRest/Yoga Nidra was developed by psychologist Richard Miller, PhD, and is a proven effective method for the release of trauma based on extensive research.
For more information, contact Hannah Caratti, LMFT, 707-494-7470, therapy@recamft.org.
Hannah Caratti, LMFT is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with 25 years of experience as a yoga and meditation teacher. Visit her website here to learn more.
Click on “Current events” to see all offerings for members, including monthly support groups. Learn more online: http://recamft.org/Current-Events
