Trauma-Informed Mindfulness Practices  

While mindfulness and meditative practices can be beneficial for many people, not everyone is able to engage in traditional mindfulness practices. For some people, paying attention to their inner world, body or breath can be overwhelming. For those who experience trauma, this sustained attention and stillness can be activating and cause distress.  

How does Trauma Informed Mindfulness Work?  

Memories, emotions, and sensations from trauma are often stored in the body. One of the ways people adapt and cope with trauma is by becoming disconnected from the body. Because of this, some people with a history of trauma can become triggered when they try to turn inwards and focus their attention on the body and breath. Trauma-informed mindfulness applies this understanding of trauma to mindfulness practices and works to help survivors to avoid triggers and expand their window of tolerance. 

Trigger: a distressing reminder of pain and trauma often in the form of a 

• Sensation  
• Image 
• Emotional Feeling  
• Thought  

How to Engage in Trauma-Sensitive Practice:  

Honour your window of tolerance  

You know yourself best. Throughout the practice, monitor your level of comfort and arousal. While it is normal for people to feel some level of discomfort when engaging in mindfulness practices, it’s important to take care of yourself if you feel overwhelmed or flooded.  

Take time to transition  

Before you get started, you may want to support yourself by grabbing anything you might need to be comfortable (i.e. a blanket, some pillows, a pet, or some water). Take a look around the room. Maybe locate any doors or windows to help yourself feel secure. It may not feel safe to close the eyes completely. Feel free to adopt a soft gaze or maybe focus your eyes on a safe point or object in the room. Adopt a posture that feels right for you in the moment. This could look like sitting on the floor, sitting in a comfortable chair, or lying down.  

Find anchoring points in the body  

Because the breath is intertwined with the sympathetic nervous system, focusing on breathing to start a practice may not feel safe for some trauma survivors. Focusing your attention on sensations like your feet on the ground or the seat beneath you may be more accessible to start. Throughout the practice, you can come back to these sensations if you find your attention drifting, or you experience mild discomfort.  

Take breaks or change postures  

While engaging in trauma-sensitive mindfulness practices, it is important to be gentle with yourself. To avoid becoming too overwhelmed or flooded, make sure to move your body as needed and take breaks when necessary.  

Here are Some Additional Resources for More Information: 

Check out these resources:

If you are looking to connect further or receive support around negative thought patterns or other supports, please get in touch with us at 250-718-9291 or email us at [email protected].

If you are interested in specialized services, our team is here to help those experiencing Trauma find healing. You can also refer to our EMDR page for more specialized information on Trauma Therapy – https://okclinical.com/emdr-trauma-therapy/ or visit our booking page here

• https://psychcentral.com/health/trauma-informed-mindfulness 
• https://davidtreleaven.com/tsm-podcast-episode-20-dan-siegel/ 
• Trauma-informed practice guide. (2013). https://cewh.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/2013_TIP-Guide.pdf  

Written by: Emma Fletcher, Practicum Student

[email protected]

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