Survivors on the Yoga Mat: Stories for Those Healing from Trauma

by Becky W. Thompson, Rolf Gates (Foreword)

An inspiring collection of essays that reveal the healing power of yoga, Survivors on the Yoga Mat is an ideal companion for trauma survivors and yoga teachers alike. Weaving together stories from her classes, travels, and workshops, author Becky Thompson shows the brave and unique ways that survivors approach the creative ways that they practice, the challenges they face, and the transformative experiences they discover. Thompson skillfully draws connections between yoga and social-justice activism, demonstrating how a trauma-sensitive approach to yoga makes room for all of us—across race, class, gender, religion and nationality.

Survivors on the Yoga Mat offers stories, reflections, and meditations for people who are healing from a wide range of traumas—sexual abuse, accidents, child abuse, war, illnesses, incarceration, and other injuries. The book consists of 90 true stories—alternately funny, surprising, and irreverent—that together provide a roadmap for survivors on their journey to wholeness. Organized into six sections, the book explores the challenges of beginning a yoga practice; the unique strengths of trauma survivors; the circuitous path of healing; yoga's value as a lifelong practice; the special role of teachers; and the potential of yoga as an avenue for activism. Also included is a description of Pantajali's Eight Limbs of Yoga, a list of resources, an appendix explaining the different styles of yoga, and a beautiful photo glossary with over 100 photos of the yoga postures mentioned in the book.

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction

328 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Abby Nathanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a combination of many short vignettes on people who have used yoga as a way to deal with all kinds of different traumatic experiences. The way it is written makes it particularly accessible to people with busy lifestyles, who can't sit through long books on trauma because it is triggering, etc.- you can pick it up, read a five page story, and return to it later when you have time. I really appreciate this book for being honest and raw about the way different people process trauma and use yoga to heal. Highly recommended!

[Alison S ☯️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this a difficult book to rate, as it combined some beautiful insights into the power of yoga, with many passages that, to me, were laughably New Age and Woo Woo. I skipped most of the content relating directly to trauma as I found it a bit depressing. I haven't experienced trauma myself, so I appreciate that others who have may find this content helpful. Overall, it was a bit of a mixed bag.

[Diane Harriford · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is easy to read. It makes you feel good, hopeful, and like you are truly engaging with something larger than yourself. Whether you are a person who practices or teaches yoga, someone who does body work, therapy, or social work, or a person who has experienced pain that grips you or lingers with you even when you want it to leave, this book is essential reading for you.

[Liza · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was frustrated by the vignette form that to me feel scattered and underdeveloped. I felt that the author has profound insights to share, but favored breadth over depth. I also felt alienated when early on the author demonstrated that her body positivity is not fat positive (not unusual, of course) and was on edge as this continued to come up throughout the book.

[Caitlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was … fine? I found a lot of it very relatable but I kept getting knocked out of the narrative because the author kept mentioning Bikram yoga and how it helped her. This book came out a year after the first accusations were lodged against Bikram. It seems callous to mention his namesake style of yoga so much in a book about healing from trauma when he caused so much trauma himself.

[Cherie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really in-depth overview on how survivors of various traumas come to the mat, and how it's helped them. Very anecdotal.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm both a psychologist and a yoga teacher, so I thought this would be a helpful book for me to read. I should have paid more attention to the subtitle "Stories FOR Those Healing from Trauma" (emphasis mine). I think this book really is geared more towards making trauma survivors who practice yoga feel less alone. It's filled with anecdotal stories, the vast majority of which are about the author. Although it's organized into six parts, I found the themes to be rather loose, and the entire book felt rambling to me. Finally, the main section of the book is about 200 pages long, with the last almost 100 pages taken up by several appendices, including a pictorial glossary of yoga poses (not really sure why this was included?), the biography, and an index. I see that this book has resonated with many others - a survivor or someone without a mental health background may find it more enlightening than I did.

[Hillary · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a trauma survivor, yogi/teacher, social activist, or an "average joe" committed to learning and working with the dynamics trauma survivors bring to communities (particularly yoga), this book is for you. Becky Thompson has honored all trauma survivors by carefully elucidating the experience from dissociation on the mat to language survivors may be looking for to describe object permanence or the lack thereof. If you are teaching yoga to trauma survivors (you are...) this should be required reading!

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Among the top ten books I've read this year. I'll definitely be coming back to it! Recommend for trauma survivors looking for more understanding (and interested in yoga), all yoga teachers/yoga therapists, and psychotherapists looking at integrative care. This doesn't cover the science of trauma and yoga in depth, but offers the lived experience and nuance of someone who has been teaching and healing for years.

[Linda Kaban · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb!!

[Alissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The personal stories of redemption though practice are great. However, I particularly appreciate the call for karma yoga and for a social justice orientation to yoga. The essays were also the perfect length for when you just need just a little sense of perspective but wouldn't be able to focus on anything too involved.

[Camellia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is for everyone. It doesn't matter if you practice yoga or not. This book contains stories of healing from trauma that everyone can relate to.