By Stacy Ruse, LPC, RYT, EMDR & IFS Consultant
As therapists and healers, we like to explore integrative methods to aid in our own and our clients' healing journeys. The convergence of psychotherapy and ancient wisdom traditions creates a profound opportunity for transformation, particularly when incorporating trauma-informed approaches like Internal Family Systems (IFS), Somatic Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), bilateral stimulation tools, and transpersonal psychology, which are my areas of expertise. Another powerful fusion is the incorporation of yoga and yoga philosophy into psychotherapy.
By weaving the deeper insights from yoga philosophy and other ancient wisdom methodologies into therapy sessions, therapists can assist clients in finding more meaning in their healing journey, perceiving past pain as part of a more extensive process of growth and self-discovery.
Yoga extends well beyond physical exercise, it represents a science of well-being, a life philosophy, and a therapeutic means for self-awareness and healing. Its ancient teachings and embodied practices, which stem from India and even further back from Egyptian cultures and other cultures across what is now Africa and Asia, significantly complement contemporary therapeutic methods, especially in trauma therapy. This blog delves into integrating the science of yoga and its philosophy into psychotherapy, fostering comprehensive healing of the mind, body, and spirit.
The Power of Integrative Therapy
Integrative therapy combines various therapeutic approaches to better address the whole person, including recognizing and including all parts of the person, and to be able to honor their goals, culture, and both lived and legacy experiences, even if they are different from yours. Additionally, it fosters a healing space that can promote a variety of healing tools so the client can draw more meaningful resolutions.
By incorporating techniques from trauma-informed therapies such as IFS, Somatic, EMDR, Mindfulness-based therapies, as well as transpersonal and yoga therapies this approach allows individuals to explore and resolve underlying issues that may contribute to emotional, physical, energetic, and spiritually-related distress. The synergy of these diverse methods fosters a more comprehensive understanding of one’s experiences, leading to profound transformation and enhanced well-being. Ultimately, integrative therapy empowers individuals to cultivate resilience and develop healthier coping mechanisms, paving the way for lasting change.
Yoga and the Science of Healing
Yoga is rooted in a deep understanding of the human nervous system and how we process emotional experiences. Modern research supports what yogic teachings have known for thousands of years that our bodies hold our traumas, and healing must involve both the mind and the body (Schwartz, 2024; Lutz, 2021; Collette, 2015; Emmerson, 2015).
Trauma disrupts the nervous system, keeping us in a cycle of dysregulation that can manifest as anxiety, depression, chronic stress, and physical illness (Lam & Fung, 2024; Schwartz, 2023). Yoga offers a pathway to regulation, fostering neuroplasticity and the integration of fragmented parts of the self (Schwartz, 2024; Yamasaki, 2022)
The Polyvagal Theory Connection
Dr. Stephen Porges’ Polyvagal Theory helps us understand the link between yoga and nervous system regulation. Breathwork (pranayama), mindful movement (asana), and deep relaxation (yoga nidra) activate the vagus nerve, shifting the nervous system from fight-or-flight (sympathetic dominance) to a state of safety and connection (parasympathetic dominance (Schwartz, 2024). In trauma therapy, this is essential for helping clients move out of survival mode and into a space where healing can occur.
Integrating Yoga with IFS Therapy
Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy aligns beautifully with yoga philosophy, as both emphasize a a healing journey towards greater self-awareness, inner balance, and compassion for all. In IFS, we explore our internal system of parts, which can hold wounds, or protective strategies to keep us from feeling those wounds. Similarly, yoga philosophy describes the koshas as the layers of being (physical, energetic, mental, wisdom, and bliss bodies), which could also be understood as different aspects of the Self.
Practices like breath consciousness, body scanning with interoceptive awareness, and gentle movement can assist clients in internal connections that promote deep healing and release stuck nervous system energies from the body and mind. This integrative approach can benefit trauma survivors, enabling them to experience emotions and sensations through gentle somatic expressions. By combining IFS and yoga therapies, clients can develop a deeper relationship with their Self, the core of their being, or as referred to in yoga philosophy, the 'Atma' or the pure consciousness, the spark of universal consciousness beyond the physical body and mind. Each is a compassionate essence with the power to heal.
Somatic Therapy and the Embodied Wisdom of Yoga
Somatic therapy and yoga are natural partners. In these empowering methods, trauma is released from the body by gently guiding your clients to connect to implicit (unconscious) memory in the mind and body and accessing the root of where the pain and tension reside. Through somatic awareness and movement, we can help clients access and release stored trauma safely and structured.
Practices such as grounding postures, intentional movement, touch, breath, and interoception (the ability to sense internal body states) allow clients to develop a sense of safety in their bodies and send signals to the nervous system of safety. Yoga-based interventions like trauma-sensitive yoga provide an empowering, choice-based approach where clients can reclaim agency over their physical and emotional experiences.
EMDR, Bilateral Stimulation, and Yoga’s Role in Trauma Reprocessing
EMDR is a powerful tool for reprocessing traumatic memories through intentional protocols and bilateral stimulation (BLS), facilitating the brain's bodies, energies, and nervous system's innate ability to heal. For thousands of years, yoga has offered organic forms of bilateral stimulation through movement, breath-work, and eye tracking.
For example, specific yoga sequences, such as alternating side-body stretches or rhythmic breath patterns like alternate nostril breathing, create a gentle bilateral stimulation effect, helping to process emotions nonverbally. Similarly, yogic gazing techniques like softening the eyes and finding a focus for the eyes (drishti) could further support EMDR processing by stabilizing attention and fostering mindfulness during therapy sessions.
Combining yoga with EMDR can enhance the therapeutic process, especially for clients who struggle with traditional cognitive processing. Furthermore, using interweaves that acknowledge the body-mind connection, bring in Self-energy (Atman) awareness, or recognize the layers of consciousness (koshas), using language that the client can relate to, could make the processing more meaningful, enhancing sacredness in the therapeutic space. By integrating movement and breath into reprocessing work, we allow trauma to be released more comprehensively and holistically.
Drawing Transpersonal Meaning Through Yoga Philosophy
Incorporating yoga philosophy into psychotherapy invites a deeper exploration of transpersonal meaning that goes beyond the individual self, or ego, and beyond the limitations within the mental health and medical field to connect with a larger sense of purpose, spirituality, and interconnectedness. This integrative approach may be particularly healing for trauma survivors, who often feel isolated or disconnected from themselves and others. Please adjust and tailor it to resonate personally with your client, using their preferred language, honoring cultural humility, and respecting varying worldviews.
Yoga’s teachings on the Eight Limbs provide a framework for self-inquiry and growth:
Yamas & Niyamas offers compassionate living and self-acceptance principles.
Asana & Pranayama cultivate physical and emotional resilience.
Pratyahara encourages inner reflection and self-awareness.
Dharana & Dhyana develop mindfulness, interoceptive awareness, and cognitive flexibility.
Samadhi opens the door to connecting with the true Self (Atman) for the greatest healing force and finding the answers within.
When clients engage with yoga philosophy alongside trauma-informed therapy, they may find greater meaning in their healing journey. They can better reframe and validate past pain as part of a natural growth cycle that opens us to self-discovery.
Bringing It All Together: A Holistic Approach to Therapy
By integrating yoga, IFS, somatic therapy, EMDR, and transpersonal psychology, we create a genuinely holistic approach to healing. Clients benefit from an embodied, compassionate, and transformative therapeutic experience that honors the mind, body, heart, and spirit.
A Client’s Story: Rebuilding Trust in the Body and Self Through Integrative Healing
Nina, a 38-year-old woman, entered therapy struggling with chronic anxiety, emotional numbness, and a deep-seated fear of relationships. Though she functioned well professionally, she often felt disconnected from herself and others. Over the years, Nina had tried talk therapy but found it challenging to access emotions or create lasting change. She described feeling like she was "watching life from the outside" and often had physical symptoms like digestive issues, tension headaches, and insomnia.
As the work unfolded, Nina disclosed a complex trauma history, including childhood emotional neglect, a highly critical parent, and a past relationship marked by betrayal and manipulation. Her nervous system had learned to survive by staying hypervigilant while simultaneously dissociating from painful emotions and sensations. She had internalized a belief that she was "too much" for others and struggled with self-worth.
Recognizing the depth of Nina's trauma, it was essential to take a gentle, integrative approach that combined Internal Family Systems (IFS), Somatic Therapy, EMDR, and culturally responsive Yoga Therapy to rebuild safety, connection, and Self-trust. The therapeutic journey honored Nina's personal and ancestral experiences, recognizing that healing can happen at the individual, collective, intergenerational, and cultural levels.
Step 1: Establishing Safety and Self-Connection
Using IFS-informed language, we explored Nina's protective parts, mapping out the anxious hyper-vigilance, self-criticism, and numbness that disconnected her from her emotions. She began to recognize how these parts had been trying to protect her from overwhelming pain. Instead of forcing change, we practiced compassionate witnessing, allowing her to observe her internal system without judgment.
We introduced grounding techniques through trauma-sensitive yoga, including gentle body scanning, forward folds, gentle self-hugs in the chair (to create a sense of inward safety), and pranayama practices like conscious breath awareness to regulate. The yoga-inspired tools were framed within her cultural understanding of healing to make the approach more personally meaningful.
Ancestral and collective gifts that held wisdom and strength from her lineage were acknowledged, giving her a sense of support. She could reflect on practices from her family's traditions that brought comfort through storytelling, nature connection, or sacred rituals of remembrance.
Step 2: Somatic Awareness & Processing Trauma Through EMDR
Nina developed more trust in her internal world. Somatic tracking was introduced to help her notice body sensations associated with emotions and gently name them. She realized that before dissociating, her chest would tighten, and her throat would close.
Using an EMDR with bilateral stimulation, starting with shorter sets and building our way up, we began processing core traumatic memories of abandonment and betrayal. Rather than re-experiencing overwhelming emotions, she engaged in dual awareness, keeping one foot in the present moment through breath and movement while accessing the past trauma.
Resonant interweaves, such as mantras and affirmations, were introduced that reflected her spiritual and personal beliefs about what felt safe and healing. Visualizations were used and rooted in her connection to nature, and the elements and metaphors aligned with her lived experiences. This approach ensured her healing was deeply personalized, respectful, and attuned.
Step 3: Reclaiming the Self & Finding Meaning
As Nina's nervous system began to balance, she could reconnect with the Self, the deep well of compassion and wisdom within her. She explored the koshas (layers of being) through IFS and yoga philosophy, better understanding her physical, emotional, and spiritual selves.
Through gentle dharana (focused attention) practices, she cultivated an inner dialogue of trust, asking, "What does my body need right now?" rather than overriding sensations with fear, tension, and doubt. She also explored principles from her cultural background emphasizing balance, interconnectedness, and healing through relationships with Self, others, and the natural world.
She resonated with teachings from the Yamas and Niyamas, particularly Ahimsa (non-harm, self-compassion) and Satya (truthfulness, honoring her emotions without judgment). Yet, rather than rigidly applying these concepts, we invited her to frame them in ways that resonated with her own understanding—whether through traditional wisdom passed down in her family or personal meaning-making.
The Transformation
Over time, Nina described feeling "more at home in myself than ever before." She could set healthy boundaries in relationships without being guilt-ridden or shutting down, which honored her emotions. She was able to establish trust that she could self-regulate without dissociating.
By integrating IFS, Somatic Therapy, EMDR, and Yoga, she no longer saw healing as "fixing" herself but rather as reuniting with the parts of her that had been waiting to be seen, held, and healed. She also reclaimed her healing on her terms, honoring both her individual and ancestral resilience.
Conclusion
Integrating yoga science and philosophy into psychotherapy can offer a more grounded and holistic approach that bridges ancient wisdom with modern healing modalities. By blending IFS, Somatic therapy, EMDR, and transpersonal psychology with yoga, we create space for transformative healing that is both scientifically supported and spiritually enriching.
In this evolving field of integrative psychotherapy, may we continue to learn, explore, and embody the wisdom of these healing traditions, guiding our clients toward profound self-discovery and well-being.
Stacy Ruse, LPC, RYT is a psychotherapist, EMDR & IFS consultant and international trainer dedicated to integrating mind-body healing practices into trauma therapy. Learn more @ www.aglowcounseling.com
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References
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