Embodying Wholeness
After Infant Loss or Stillbirth
Trauma-Informed Yoga 6-Week Series
Saturdays, 9:30am - 10:30am
April 29, 2023 - June 3, 2023
at Alluem Yoga in Cranford, NJ
About The Series:
This 6-week group series helps loss mothers and their partners and companions experience the positive effects of a body-focused practice that blends Trauma-Informed Yoga, breath work, and somatic movement practices in support of your courageous journey. Your loss need not be recent to benefit from this series. All loss parents of all ages and experiences are invited and encouraged to participate.
This program is for you if:
- You're seeking a safe, positive group environment that honors where you are in your journey.
- You welcome the opportunity to be among other loss parents without pressure to discuss your experience.
- You're craving a movement practice that calms and regulates the nervous system.
- You want to build your mindfulness and self-care “toolbox” to support your well-being in everyday life.
- Experience the many ways to be strong and befriend your body during a very difficult time.
Six Weeks To Feeling More Grounded, Centered and Whole
Each class will address mind-body practices that are appropriate for two aspects of the loss parent's well-being:
1) Practices that will help to regulate the nervous system and mind, bringing them into greater coherence and harmony, and 2) Practices that will gently and safely start the process of postpartum body restoration for the birthing mother.
Week 1
Getting Grounded & Calm
When emotions are high or overwhelming, dissociation is a way to defend against difficult feelings. This week's practice will explore tools and techniques that help bring us back into our bodies in ways that are gentle and not overwhelming. They also help us learn to look for resources and support in the body, rather than needing to escape the body in order to cope.
Week 2
Befriend Your Center
Life can feel chaotic and unpredictable, especially after a significant loss. This week's practice is about finding and sustaining a sense of center within yourself. Consciously integrating mind and body to befriend our center helps us observe non-judgmentally how we're feeling and helps us intuit how we need to act in order to take care of ourselves compassionately.
Week 3
Align With Your Inner Flow
Grief is not a linear journey. Since there is no separation of mind, body, and feelings, a loss parent can feel constantly impacted by the environment, events, thoughts, food, people, and more. This week's practice will offer you techniques for activating and aligning with your inner flow to better manage your own dynamic mind-body state. When you have tools to stay "in flow" safely, moments of struggle and resistance transform into moments of creativity and resourcefulness.
Week 4
Cultivate Compassion for Yourself
This week's practice intention is to explore how to open ourselves to giving and receiving love - most importantly from ourselves. When we hold onto anger and resentment or settle into thoughts of feeling "not enough," we actually hurt ourselves most of all. Your practice is a safe, yet powerful, place to begin to replace toxic feelings and thoughts with better ones so that you can heal, grow and feel whole.
Week 5
Speaking Your Truth
This week's practice will help you establish a mind-body connection to your felt-sense of personal space. Paradoxically, when we are clear on our boundaries and how to set them, we are more willing to be open and really connect with others without fear. In addition, we'll explore the power of our words and what it would be like to speak your truth with compassion, clarity and love.
Week 6
Tapping Into Intuition and Inspiration
Connecting the mind, heart, and body - what’ we’ll call “embodied wisdom” is the focus of this week’s practice. Embodied wisdom tells us to trust our body, our felt senses, and our brain, not just one. The tools and techniques we’ll explore will help you quiet the busy mind and connect to the embodied wisdom you already possess so that your courageous journey after your loss becomes one that inspires you from within.
About Your Guide
NICOLE COONS, CYT/PCYT, PCES, Certified Trauma-informed Yoga Teacher, Level 1 HeartHealing Practitioner
A 20-year student of yoga herself, Nicole's journey through life and the challenges of motherhood have been deeply supported by the teachings of Yoga and mindfulness practices.
She, along with her sister, Kendra Fitzgerald, is passionate about helping loss mothers regain a solid foundation in their core and pelvic floor after pregnancy, heal their hearts, and restore a connection to their wholeness after loss.
We have been teaching postpartum repair and restore methods, as well as trauma-informed yoga for over a decade.
Beginning in 2019, we noticed a need for trauma-sensitive postpartum repair, yoga and strength training offerings that were MADE for moms after loss:
- Completely free of triggers or inappropriate content for a loss mother and her partner
- That provides the mother REAL and complete movement guidance and support - she deserves to recover as much as every other mother, and more
- Creating an inclusive space for mothers to be seen, supported and in community with other loss moms moving through the challenges of life after loss.
Not finding anything out there, people found their way to us by word of mouth. We have been taking on clients privately, creating resources and trainings just for them. The more we've worked with them, the clearer it's become how deeply this kind of support is needed.
We created Wholeness After Loss and this 6-week Trauma-informed yoga series to provide trauma-informed postpartum body restoration, yoga, and healing for mothers.
FAQs
Where are the classes held?
This series will be held in Cranford, NJ inside the serene meditation studio of Alluem Yoga. Alluem is located at 347 Lincoln Ave E, Cranford, NJ 07016 in the historic Droesher's Mill, tucked into nature overlooking the Raritan River. The town of Cranford also offers a wide variety of shops, cafes, and bakeries you may enjoy visiting after class with your new connections.
Is there the option to attend virtually?
Yes! This class will be conducted live with participants in-studio, as well as livestreamed and recorded so that you are able to choose the most nourishing way to practice on a given day. Upon receipt of your registration, we will reach out to confirm your preferred way to practice, as in-studio space is limited.
What is the difference between trauma-informed yoga and therapy or support groups?
Yoga is a mind-body practice that begins with building awareness of and connection to the physical and energetic bodies by moving the body. Unlike therapy or support groups, yoga class will not focus on thinking or talking.
With the focus on moving your body, you'll be guided in techniques to help you connect to an awareness of your breath and sensations in the body, gently release pent-up energy and tension through movement, and learn about practices that serve to build neural pathways for greater self-compassion, peace, and positivity.
The action-oriented practice of Yoga is a wonderful complement to therapy and support groups. Studies have shown that people who engage in both yoga and therapy after traumatic experiences notice an uplift of hope and positivity across multiple areas of their life.
Why is it called "trauma-informed" - how is this class going to be different from a regular yoga class?
A trauma-informed yoga practice differs from a regular yoga class in the pacing, the language that we use, the accommodations that we make, and the choices that are offered. This will not be a class where you'll be striving for a posture to look or feel a certain way. The practice will be facilitated at a pace that allows you to experience moving and breathing in your body safely while making nourishing choices about what feels good to you. The class will also include considerations and applications uniquely for the healing postpartum body.
What if I had a previous loss but have since had another baby?
You are encouraged to attend this series even if you had a previous loss and are postpartum after having another baby. All pregnancies impact our bodies. Your loss does not have to be recent for you to benefit immensely from this series. There are changes to the body from pregnancy and impacts from your loss, even if they were many years ago, that you may now feel ready to restore to balance.
Is this series open to people that are expecting?
This series is focused on birthing mothers who have experienced loss and who are not pregnant. That said, should you become pregnant during the series, you are welcome to complete the series and speak privately about it with me so that I can ensure the practice remains safe and appropriate for you. Your discretion is encouraged with the group, as others may not be comfortable discussing pregnancy after loss.
If you are currently pregnant after a previous loss, we've got you covered! Contact us at Devoted Mamas for more information about our Trauma-Informed Pregnancy Program.
Do you have more questions?
It's not always easy to know on your own what support will help you most - group classes or private 1:1 work.
That's why we offer a free Embodying Wholeness Strategy Session to help you get clear on your goals and the steps and support that will get you there.
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