Self centered trauma informed
You stand at the center. You as an instructor and coach need to begin this process of becoming trauma informed by first understanding the powerful influence you hold at the front of the room.- Ericka Thomas
Transcript
Trauma informed integration starts with you
Welcome back to the Work IN. Today I’d like to begin a series of episodes on integrating trauma informed principles in the fitness industry. Ready or not, everyone who comes to you for health and fitness goals is also carrying some level of stress and trauma and being affected by that in known and unknown ways. And Fun fact, you are too.
Last week we talked to Andrea Hanson about complex trauma and how we can be more trauma informed in wellness. It’s my opinion that everyone in and out of wellness should have at least a basic understanding of what that means. For most coaches and instructors in fitness, we have a fundamental understanding of the physiology and anatomy of the body and how it moves and the basics of how things are supposed to work. If you come from the yoga world you probably have a good handle on the energetic and subtle body. Perhaps some knowledge of the brain body connection. But rarely do we find a fitness professional with a deep practical understanding of how those two worlds overlap with the nervous system and how harness fitness and wellness in order to have an impact on mental health. We know now that this is a bi directional relationship. Our physical health affects our mental health and our mental health affects our physical health.
If we want to provide the absolute best results for our clients we need to at least be aware of that nervous system connection even if it’s for no other reason than to do no further harm. While it’s outside our scope to promise trauma resolution in any of our fitness classes, ideally we can use that knowledge to customize and create trauma informed classes and workouts that build resilience and get results rather than becoming yet another contributing cause of chronic stress and tension. I believe this is possible to do across any format.
Our Work IN today begins at the center.
My kinetic Grace Integration program is designed around a compass rose with each of the cardinal points representing an aspect of trauma informed instruction and class design. But The most important cardinal point in the program is the center point.
The center point represents you and where you are physically, mentally, emotionally, energetically, spiritually, personally, professionally. You stand at the center. You as an instructor and coach need to begin this process of becoming trauma informed by first understanding the powerful influence you hold at the front of the room. That influence is why it’s so important for you to first understand what’s going on with your own NS.
Because True North in any good trauma informed class is co-regulation - and safe co-regulation begins with safe self regulation.
Centering self
Safe Co-regulation starts with safe Self regulation _ sometimes the easiest way to explain this concept is to describe the opposite - unsafe regulation. Perhaps you’ve experienced this at the DMV or maybe at the airport. Dealing with customer service who is grouchy, uncommunicative or perhaps won’t even look you in the eye. Maybe you or in that state of irritation for whatever reason and the other person feeds it back to you. Basically co regulation is how we influence each other.
You can’t give what you don’t have
But many instructors become skilled at performance
Fake energy over ride any sensations in our own system
Disconnects you from your own body.
Also separates you from your students.
Makes it that much harder to read the room
Overtime leads to burnout one of the many sources of burnout
trauma informed instruction integrated into how you teach naturally establishes ritual resilience and can mitigate that long term.
ABC’s for you instructor
Awareness Perception - Interoception and exteroception
Check the level in your energetic well and refill it
Their time v. YOUR time
Authentic + professional = credible
Curate your education/self study
Nutrition/hydration
Boundaries Personal + professional How to leave your baggage at the door
Create a sacred space - your work can be that
what you will and won’t talk about
Know your scope
Mindful YES Intentional NO
Rest/recovery
Play
Connection Self + others
Clear intention for you and them
Develop your own personal practice (of anything)
Elevate the importance of your boundaries
Understand and embrace your influence
Integrate energetic support
Burnout Busters
Rolling recovery
Specific actions you can take to immediately turn down the “burn”
Ie: tapping, singing to the radio, Lion’s breath
Ritual resilience
“Normal” things that you can elevate to special sensual experiences
Ie 10 AM Chai, particular space in your home, your skin care routine
Immediate mission moments
Taking care of any quick task (under 5 min) now, that will make a future moment feel easier. Then actively celebrate it. Give yourself a mini dopamine hit.
Ie dishes, quick email, etc. anything you procrastinate
I had a security system set up in one of the homes I lived in and there was a glass break sensor. It was somehow faulty, and I never did figure out what was wrong with it. It would randomly go off with this ear piercing alarm. To turn it off of course you have to put in your code but the touch pad was older and had become desensitized so it never read the numbers correctly. Resulting in friendly visits from law enforcement.Then when actual glass did break when a picture fell off the wall, it didn’t do anything. I think about the nervous system that way. The kind of system that when the wires get crossed or the batteries get low, will randomly go off for the slightest thing. Part of this work of being trauma informed is cultivating a deeper understanding and care for our own safe self regulation practice. And no it does not mean MORE exercise. It’s actually the opposite of that.
I’d like to leave you with 2 simple suggestions to get you started on your ABC’s
The first is to think about your S curve scale. This is your Stress scale. I like to use 1- 10 for simplicity where 1 is unconsciousness/lethargy 5 is calm and engaged and 10 is hair on fire freakshow. Take that scale and observe your non-exercise moments during your week. Note what activities take you higher on that scale and what activities bring you lower. Try not to attach any meaning or judgment to them, just write them down for your own awareness.
Then for fun write down or look at your class/coaching/workout schedule for the week. Next to each brainstorm activities that could be the exact opposite of what is there. Ie: bootcamp /snuggle up with a good book or PT with an injured client / listen to a comedy podcast. These things don’t have to take a lot of time or take you out of your day at all. Could be as simple as practicing lion's breath while you drive home.
I hope you found this helpful! I truly believe that fitness professionals can have a profound impact on the world. What you do is important, no matter what format you teach. If you’re looking for resources to help you get started I have a free guide to holding space for trauma informed fit pros on my website. Savagegracecoaching.com This guide is one of the first steps into safe co regulation, so check it out.
Hey there!
I’m your host Ericka Thomas. I'm a resilience coach and fit-preneur offering an authentic, actionable realistic approach to personal and professional balance for coaches in any format.
Savage Grace Coaching is all about bringing resilience and burnout recovery. Especially for overwhelmed entrepreneurs, creators and coaches in the fitness industry.
Schedule a free consulttation call to see if my brand of actionable accountability is right for you and your business.