What to Expect in a Trauma-Informed Yoga for Beginners Class
So you’re thinking about trying yoga for absolute beginners… but also (maybe) kind of dreading it?
If the idea of yoga practice makes you feel excited and self-conscious, curious and overwhelmed, welcome! You’re not alone, so many people have a very similar experience on the yoga journey.
Maybe you’ve tried a class before that felt like a bootcamp in stretchy pants.
Maybe you’ve never stepped on a mat because you weren’t sure your body, your anxiety, or your trauma history could actually feel safe in that space.
Maybe you’re just ready for something different, something that helps you reconnect with yourself instead of pushing you harder. Trauma-informed yoga helps individuals become more attuned to their bodies, fostering acceptance and empowerment. Starting a trauma-informed yoga practice can positively influence your life, supporting personal growth and overall well-being.
If that’s you… you’re in exactly the right place (learn about Abby’s yoga journey here!).
This post will walk you through:
What beginner yoga actually looks like (spoiler: it’s not about being bendy)
How we make it trauma-informed and accessible
What to expect in your first class
The most common beginner poses (with props + options)
And how to get Abby’s free, gentle 30-minute Yoga 101 class
What Is Beginner Yoga (Really)?
Yoga for beginners isn’t a downgrade. It’s not the “easy” version.
It’s the most foundational, and honestly, most important, kind of yoga there is.
In our classes, beginner doesn’t mean basic. It means:
We move slowly
We explain everything
We focus on helping your nervous system feel safe enough to try
Trauma-informed yoga supports a balanced approach to emotional stability and physical harmony, helping you feel more centered and connected within yourself.
If you’ve experienced trauma, chronic stress, or disconnection from your body, a fast-paced, performative class can feel like too much too soon.
We’re doing the opposite here. Mindfulness and focused attention on present-moment experiences are central to our approach, supporting healing and self-regulation.
The Benefits of Yoga for Trauma Recovery
Yoga practice offers a powerful pathway for healing trauma, blending gentle physical movement, mindful breathing exercises, and meditation to support your overall well-being. Trauma-informed yoga is designed with your unique needs in mind, creating a safe, supportive space where you can reconnect with your body and explore physical sensations at your own pace. Whether you’re just beginning your yoga journey or returning after a break, trauma-sensitive yoga provides tools to help you manage stress, build body awareness, and find moments of calm in your daily routine.
One of the most significant benefits of trauma-informed yoga is its ability to help regulate the nervous system and promote stress relief. Through mindful yoga poses, breathing techniques, and guided meditation, you can learn to soothe anxiety, reduce hypervigilance, and gently shift your focus to the present moment. This approach not only supports mental health but also encourages self-care and emotional balance, helping you develop skills for self-regulation and resilience both on and off the yoga mat.
In a trauma-informed yoga class or yoga studio, you’ll find a welcoming environment where your comfort and safety come first. Yoga teachers trained in trauma-sensitive practices offer modifications and support, so you can adapt each pose to your own body and fitness levels. Whether you’re practicing hatha yoga, restorative yoga, or another style, the focus is always on meeting you where you are—no pressure, no judgment, just compassionate guidance as you explore what feels right for you.
For those new to practicing yoga or healing from trauma, starting with gentle, restorative poses like child’s pose or simple breathing exercises can help you build trust in your own body. As you grow more comfortable, you might choose to explore balancing poses or more dynamic movement, always at your own pace. Each step on your yoga journey is an opportunity to strengthen your connection to yourself, relieve lower stress, and support your overall well-being.
The benefits of trauma-informed yoga are supported by research and the experiences of countless individuals who have found healing through these practices. By focusing on body awareness, mindful movement, and emotional regulation, yoga can be a valuable complement to talk therapy and other healing modalities. Whether you join a yoga group in person or practice at home, trauma-informed yoga offers a collaborative approach to healing trauma and nurturing your mind, body, and spirit. Your yoga journey today is valid, and every breath is a step toward greater balance and well-being.
What to Expect When Practicing Trauma Sensitive Yoga with Us
You’ll notice a few things right away:
No pressure to “push through” or “go deeper”
Lots of permission to rest, adapt, or opt out
Emphasis on breath, pacing, and choice
Cues that invite you into your body gently, without demand or judgment
Participants are encouraged to engage at their own pace, honoring their unique experiences throughout the class.
We’re not here to perfect a pose. We’re here to offer a different kind of relationship with your body. One built on listening, trust, and care. Each session is designed to foster a positive yoga experience, supporting empowerment and emotional regulation.
How We Make Yoga Trauma-Informed and Accessible
Trauma-informed yoga isn’t a trend or a buzzword for us (if you want to learn more about trauma informed yoga, head here) it’s a deep commitment to creating safety, choice, and nervous system support in every class. Our yoga program is structured into sessions that focus on specific themes and participant needs, ensuring a supportive and adaptive environment for healing.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
Choice is central.
You’ll always be invited into poses—not forced. We offer options, not expectations. You decide what feels okay today, and that decision is respected.
Props are encouraged, not optional.
This isn’t about “advancing without them.” Props are tools to meet your body where it is. We’ll show you how to use blankets, books, pillows, and straps (or home alternatives) so you’re supported from the start.
Pacing is intentional.
We move slowly. Not because you’re slow, but because your nervous system needs time to orient, integrate, and feel safe enough to explore. This approach focuses on supporting participants' ability to take effective action in response to their emotions and triggers.
Language is invitational.
We use cues like “if you’d like,” “you might try,” or “another option is…” instead of commands. We avoid body-shaming, fixing language, or spiritual bypassing.
Rest is valid. Always.
You are never expected to push through discomfort. Resting is part of the practice—not something you earn at the end.
You’re in relationship with your body, not performing for anyone.
This is about connecting with yourself, not keeping up or getting it “right.” There’s no gold star for touching your toes.
Common Yoga Poses for Beginners
Here’s a breakdown of the core poses Abby will guide you through in our FREE yoga for beginners class, step by step, with plenty of options and no pressure to do them “right.”
You don’t need to remember these. You don’t even need to try them all. But if you’re wondering what to expect, here’s your preview.
Many yoga postures form the foundation of most classes, and different yoga styles may incorporate these movements in unique ways to support strength, balance, and emotional regulation. Remember to always listen to your body—distinguish between discomfort and pain during practice, and prioritize safety and self-care.
Common Yoga Poses for Beginners
🐄 Cat-Cow
Common yoga poses for beginners
A slow spinal movement often used at the start of class. On the inhale, you arch your back and lift your chest (Cow), and on the exhale, you round your spine and tuck your chin (Cat).
This one’s a favorite for easing into movement, waking up the body, and syncing with your breath.
🐶 Downward Facing Dog
The one you’ve probably heard of, but might’ve avoided.
Abby breaks this one down with modifications that protect your wrists, low back, and hamstrings.
Spoiler alert: Your heels don’t need to touch the ground. Not even close.
🌅 Sun Salutations
Think of this like a slow, flowing sequence that links breath with movement. It helps build warmth, focus, and body awareness, without turning into a bootcamp.
🧍♀️ Standing Poses
These postures help build strength, balance, and presence and they can be done with or without props.
Crescent Lunge
A strong, active pose that builds lower body strength and helps with stability. Abby shows supported versions (including with the back knee down).Warrior II
A grounding posture that invites expansion through your arms and steadiness in your legs.
🛌 Cooling Down Poses
These shapes help transition from effort to ease, so your nervous system can start to settle.
Bridge
A gentle backbend done on your back, lifting your hips while grounding your shoulders. You’ll feel strong, stable, and supported, especially with the right cueing.
(We also show how to modify this with a block or pillow to make it restorative.)Happy Baby
A playful, floor-based pose that opens the hips and encourages softness. Great for releasing tension after effort. It’s not about looking cute, it’s about letting go.Shavasana
The final resting pose. Abby offers lots of variations: on your back, on your side, with blankets, knees bent, legs long, so you can find what feels safe and supportive.This is where we integrate everything. It’s not “just lying there.” It’s the nervous system exhale you didn’t know you needed.
“What If I Don’t Have Props?”
You don’t need fancy yoga gear for online beginner yoga classes. Abby shows you how to make it work with what you already have.
Here’s a cheat sheet:
Want to Try Yoga for Beginners With an Emphasis on Mental Health? (grab your free video class!)
Abby has created a 30ish-minute beginner yoga class to help you take that first step, without the pressure of a studio or mirrors or doing it “right.” Think of it as Yoga 101.
Inside the class, you’ll get:
A gentle, grounding yoga practice taught by Abby from Reclaim Therapy
Clear breakdowns of each pose with multiple options
Trauma-informed pacing and cues to support nervous system regulation
Permission to move, or rest, the whole time
Practicing yoga in this way can help boost your energy and reduce stress, supporting your overall well-being.
Click here to get the free class
It’ll land in your inbox with a warm welcome and an invitation to come back to your body, one breath at a time.
Honestly, for us and many of our clients, this is about more than yoga.
It’s about learning how to stay with yourself, gently.
It’s about repairing your relationship with your body, one moment of movement, one pause, one breath at a time.
Whether you try every pose or just sit and watch… it all counts.
You don’t need to be ready. You just need to be here.
And Abby will meet you right where you are.
🧡,
Reclaim Therapy is a small trauma therapy practice in Horsham, PA. Abby Albright, our trauma therapist and yoga teacher, offers online group classes and therapeutic yoga groups.
If you’re looking for a trauma-informed yoga space, or for a trauma therapist in Pennsylvania, we’re so glad you found us. Our trauma therapy practice in Horsham, PA. also supports individuals dealing with eating disorders and those seeking to lose weight as part of a holistic wellness approach.
To learn more about who we are and how we can support you, schedule a free consultation today! As a trauma therapist and yoga teacher, I understand how trauma can impact the brain by disrupting neural pathways and delaying trauma processing. Yoga, along with other therapies such as eye movement desensitization, can help heal these pathways and support your recovery journey.