Intro to Trauma Informed Yoga Practice

Name: Intro to Trauma Informed Yoga Practice
Start: 2025-05-15
End: 2025-05-18
Location: Yogaville

Up to 30 in group

May 15 - 18, 2025

Retreat Highlights

Gaining an understanding of the biology of trauma and its impact on yoga practice
Learning practical tools for adapting yoga to support trauma survivors
Exploring ways to create a safe, supportive, and inclusive yoga environment
Understanding how to foster post-traumatic growth through yoga
Earning continuing education credits for Yoga Alliance, IYTA, and IAYT

About this Retreat

Your Guides

Satya

Rachel

Satya Greenstone, E-RYT 500, C-IAYT

Satya Greenstone has been a student of Sri Swami Satchidananda since 1971. She has shared the teachings of Integral Yoga^® in many diverse settings with students of all ages and backgrounds and combines a natural, practical, down-to-earth approach to Yoga with a gentle humor. Since 1999 she has been a primary teacher for the 200-hour and the Intermediate Integral Yoga Teacher Training programs. While serving as teacher training coordinator, she helped to develop and teach the first Gentle Yoga Teacher Training program. She has also developed and teaches training programs in Restorative Yoga, Adaptive Yoga, and Yoga and Meditation for Children. In 2005, she received certification in Therapeutic Yoga and is currently certified by the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT). She also is certified in Yoga for the Heart and Yoga for Osteoporosis. She gently adapts the Yoga practices to individual needs and always finds a way to encourage and inspire her students who soon recognize that, for her, Yoga is an experience, not a subject for academic study. First and foremost she is a yogini, and her teaching is an extension of the experience gained from her Yoga practice. Satya exudes the joy and exemplifies the benefits that come from living the yogic lifestyle and she shares that joy and those benefits with her students. Always thankful to her Guru Swami Satchidananda, Satya believes that he has created the perfect environment in which to practice Yoga and experience the peace of one’s true nature. It is that personal recognition of one's true Self that she tries to facilitate in every program.

Rachel Raji Jensen, RYT-500

Rachel Jensen is a Licensed Massage Therapist, certified Health Coach through Duke University, 200 and 300 HR certified Integral Hatha Yoga Teacher, and a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner- a body-based approach to dealing with trauma created by Peter Levine. A Licensed Massage Therapist for 18 years, Rachel is passionate about finding the connections between modern science, trauma research and the ancient practices of yoga, touch, and movement. In a practice focusing on trauma-informed bodywork, especially as it applies to chronic conditions of pain, stress, anxiety, and disease, Rachel has seen first hand the way somatic practices like yoga and massage can encourage and support a client’s healing journey. An anatomy nerd at heart, Rachel is constantly inspired by the knowledge she has learned in her trauma trainings as it both supports and inspires her work on and off the massage table. Knowledge is indeed power and Rachel loves sharing her knowledge of trauma informed practices as a path to healing and as an encouragement to clients and practitioners alike. She truly believes that expanding this crucial area of knowledge allows us to better support those people we serve in our communities and practices- and in supporting ourselves. Getting to share this opportunity and knowledge with those in the Yogaville Community is a true pleasure and absolute privilege.

Details of this retreat

Creating Safety and Support within Hatha Yoga
Trauma informed yoga is an approach to teaching and practicing yoga that adapts to the unique needs of trauma survivors, creating an environment that focuses on safety, support, and choice. Trauma informed yoga is not a specific style of yoga, but instead looks to create a space that supports post traumatic growth and healing by bolstering the mind body connection. In this course we will look at how to best adapt, adjust, and accommodate for this population within the Integral Hatha Yoga practice. In exploring this important topic, we hope you will find even more ways to make your teachings inclusive, supportive, and informed.

The class is open to all who are interested, but please keep in mind that material IS geared towards teachers who wish to bring a trauma informed lens to their practice and teaching.
This program includes:

An understanding of the biology of trauma, and how this might show up in our students and in the yoga practice
Offers teachers practical and useful tools to adapt and support students dealing with trauma
How to use yoga to help this population and how we may need to adapt to make the practice more accessible

Continuing Education (CE) Opportunities:

Yoga Alliance (YA): Approximately 20 contact hours.
You can input your contact hours using your YA login information.
Integral Yoga Teachers Association (IYTA) can provide you a CE certificate with your program’s total contact hours for a $10 fee (free for IYTA members.) For more information, email ce@iyta.org.
International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT): Approved Professional Development (APD) course eligible for IAYT continuing education credits. (It is the students’ responsibility to request a certificate of completion and submit all required documents, hours, syllabus, etc. on the IAYT website.)

Tentative Schedule

Thursday

3–5 pm
Registration

5-6:30
Mixed Level Hatha

5-5:45
Yoga Nidra

6-6:30
Meditation

6:30–7:15
Dinner

7:30–9
Welcome and introduction with Satya, Raji and Staff

FRIDAY

6-7 am
Integral Yoga Meditation

7:10-8:40
Integral Yoga Hatha – Level 1
Integral Yoga Hatha – Level 2
OR

6-8 am
Meditation and yoga with Staff

8–9:15
Breakfast

9.30–11:30
Adapt, Adjust, Accommodate: Trauma Informed
Yoga Teaching with Raji Jensen

11:45
Van to LOTUS

12–12:30 pm
Meditation at LOTUS LOTUS

12:45–1:30
Lunch

3–5.30
The Biology of Trauma: Theory and Practical
Exercises with Raji Jensen and
Yoga Nidra with Satya Greenstone

6:00-6:30
Meditation

6:30-7:15
Dinner

7:30-9
The Biology of Trauma: Theory and Practical
Exercises with Raji Jensen

SATURDAY

6-7 am
Integral Yoga Meditation

7:10-8:40
Integral Yoga Hatha – Level 1
Integral Yoga Hatha – Level 2
Joint Freeing Series with Hope Mell
OR

6-8 am
Meditation and yoga with Staff

8–9:30
Breakfast

9:30–11:30
Being Present with Presence with Raji Jensen

11:45
Van to LOTUS

12–12:30 pm
Meditation at LOTUS LOTUS

12:45–1:30
Lunch

3:00–5:15
Restorative Yoga & Reflection With Satya Greenstone

5:30–6:15
Dinner

7:30-9
Satsang (gathering of the seekers of Truth)
Kirtan (Music & Chanting), Video of Swami Satchidananda
Speaker

SUNDAY

6-7 am
Integral Yoga Meditation

7:10–8:40
Integral Yoga Hatha – Level 1
Integral Yoga Hatha – Level 2
OR

6-8 am
Meditation and yoga with Staff

8–9:30
Breakfast

10–11:30
SHARING, QUESTIONS, & CLOSING
with Satya Greenstone, Raji Jensen, and Staff

12-12:30 pm
Meditation

12:45–1:30
Lunch

Getting Here

Yogaville

Directions

Yogaville offers transportation from the airport, train and bus stations in Charlottesville, VA. If you are driving Google Maps has reliable turn-by-turn directions.

Accommodation

Availability of complimentary accommodations is determined by the order of booking.
Dormitory

The most popular accommodations we have are Dormitory Accommodations – shared room and shared bath. We have two dormitories, Vivekananda Vihar and Ramalinga Nilayam, which are centrally heated and air-conditioned and convenient to meals and programs.
Lotus Guest House (Private Room)

Each room in our six unit guest house is equipped with a small refrigerator, queen size bed and full bath. Each room in our nine unit guest house is equipped with a queen sized bed and full bath, and no refrigerator.

Tenting
Set off in a quiet, wooded area adjacent to the Lotus Guest Houses are twelve campsites. Campers have use of the bathroom, shower, and laundry facilities nearby Vivekananda Vihar dormitory. Camping is available from March 15th to December 1st.

Shared Dormitory: Bottom Bunk

Bottom bunk in a shared dorm room. Dorm rooms contain 4-8 beds. Shared bathroom Dorm rooms are not coed Availability is Gender Specific

Private Dormitory

This is a private room with a shared bathroom in our Ramalinga Nilayam Dorm - Females Only

LGH: Full Bed

Private room and Private Bath. A single Full bed and a private bath designed for those seeking peace in solitude.

LGH: 2 Twin beds

Private Room and Private Bath. Two twin Beds and a private bath that is ideal for friends looking to experience the bliss of Yogaville.

LGH: Queen Bed

Private Room and Private Bath. A queen bed or a queen with two day beds and a private bath that is perfect for couples and families searching for a peaceful time together. Please put in the personal comments if you need a room that includes trundles.

Tent-Site

Open from Mar. 16–Nov. 30. Closed from Dec. 1–Mar. 15 Set off in a quiet, wooded area adjacent to the Lotus Guest Houses are Eighteen campsites. Campers have use of the nearby bathhouse as well as laundry facilities at the LGH Building 3. Also, all tent sites have tent platforms for a more comfortable and dry tenting experience. Fires and Stoves are not Permitted. Price is per person per night. Please bring your own tent, tie downs, tarp (weather protection). bedding and towels.

Venue & Amenities

A/C in Rooms

Free Wifi

Spa

Sauna

Pool

Towels

Free Parking

Kitchen

Tour Assistance

Hot Tub

Coffee/Tea

Cafe

Restaurant

Fitness Center

Yoga Studio

Housekeeping

Bicycles For Rent

Yogaville is home to the Light of Truth Universal Shrine (LOTUS). The LOTUS is a unique temple dedicated to interfaith understanding and the Light within all faiths. Individual altars represent and honor the different world faiths and spiritual paths. The vision, design and inspiration of Sri Swami Satchidananda, LOTUS was dedicated in 1986. It demonstrates, “Truth is One, Paths are Many.” In the peaceful countryside of Virginia, the doors of LOTUS are open to welcome people of all backgrounds and beliefs.

Meals

Menu Types

Vegan

Vegetarian

Pescetarian

Ayurvedic

Includes Meat

Organic

Gluten Free

Dairy Free

Nut Free

Organic, vegetarian/vegan food Labeled ingredients Lacto-vegetarian Gluten-free and vegan options Salad bar Large herbal tea selection Coffee is available for purchase at Mandala Cafe

What's Included

Accomodations
Meals
Meditation Sessions
Yoga Classes

What's Not Included

Transportation
Airfare

Customer Reviews

No reviews available.