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TOOLKIT-Trauma-Sensitive+Tools+to+Close+Out+the+Year

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how to use trauma-sensitive
chair yoga & mindfulness
tools in the classroom
how to use trauma-sensitive chair
yoga & mindfulness tools to close
out the school year
an introduction
As summer approaches, educators and students
alike are looking ahead to the close of their school
year with a mix of grief and relief. As vaccines roll
out and plans for the next school year begin, some
educators are being asked to return to in-person
learning, and all are still reeling from the ongoing
global-scale collective trauma.
Frustratingly, the world continues to ask more of
schools and teachers. In the U.S., many institutions
are being required to administer standardized
testing, adding even more stress to students’
and teachers’ mental health and potential lasting
negative impacts on students’ academic records.
This essential question looms large: How can we
close out the school year as healthfully as possible,
with resources that are already stretched so thin?
Traditionally, the last weeks of the school year are
a time for reflection and celebration. Classroom
communities acknowledge the milestones and
memories of their academic year together,
supporting a shared sense of closure and release.
As we reflect on the past year of quarantines,
shutdowns, and distancing, we recognize the
crucial role that schools fulfill in supporting the
emotional, physical, mental, and social wellness of
youth. Indeed, as the saying goes, “You don’t know
what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone.”
2 | TRAUMA-SENSITIVE CHAIR YOGA & MINDFULNESS TOOLS IN THE CLASSROOM • YOGA ED.
In addition, the elevated importance of mental
wellness has educators asking their students,
“How are you?” more attentively than before.
However, this familiar question often turns into
a tightrope walk as educators find themselves
balancing carefully in conversations more typical
of a school counselor’s or social worker’s realm,
while simultaneously navigating their own
responses to the pandemic.
presence—you are a caring human being, listening
to them and validating their feelings.
What we know about authentic presence,
however, is that it can require a lot of giving from
one’s own emotional reserves. After all, hearing
difficult things from others can be difficult for us
personally. Therefore, self-care and self-sustaining
practices are essential for the well-being of all
involved.
Foremost in all self-sustaining practices is
taking time to honor the thoughts, feelings, and
sensations we experience at any given moment.
With trauma-sensitive chair yoga and mindfulness
practices, we are equipped to hold space for selfawareness, emotional regulation, and staying
grounded in the present.
Trauma-sensitive chair yoga and mindful practices
aim to equip students with the skills to observe
themselves and choose their responses while
applying a tool such as physical movement, selfcompassion, or emotional support. When we feel
supported in our minds and bodies, we are more
empowered to learn and grow.
Trauma is a very individual experience. While
we may not be able to solve the problems of
COVID-19 as a whole, we can support and validate
current experiences with accessible, yoga-based
resources.
When a student shares that their family member
passed away from COVID-19, or they haven’t seen
their grandparent in over a year, what can you
offer them? And what if the same or similar is also
true for you?
The answer is, there is no right answer. Rather,
the best response can be to simply offer your
With this toolkit, we offer trauma-sensitive tools
and practices to support educators, caregivers,
mental health professionals, and students in their
emotional and physical wellness. The accessibility
of chair yoga allows each of the tools to be
facilitated and adjusted responsively to best meet
the needs of students.
3 | TRAUMA-SENSITIVE CHAIR YOGA & MINDFULNESS TOOLS IN THE CLASSROOM • YOGA ED.
We offer the following suggestions for the
application of these tools:
• Transitions into and out of the classroom,
whether physical or virtual space;
• Test-prep practices;
• Resetting the climate of the classroom or
session, e.g. bringing energy up or down; and
• Foundation of an at-home practice to support
students over summer break.
We at Yoga Ed. recognize the toll this year has
taken on educators, caregivers, and students.
We understand that the long-term impact of the
pandemic has yet to be fully realized; further, we
anticipate the need for significant ongoing support
for students.
Additional resources are available at YogaEd.com/
resource, including a library of toolkits, articles,
webinars, and more.
Join us in our online course, Trauma-Informed
Chair Yoga and Mindful Practices for Youth, to
bring these practices to your community, along
with the research-backed, evidence-based
training and live support from our team of expert
educators.
4 | TRAUMA-SENSITIVE CHAIR YOGA & MINDFULNESS TOOLS IN THE CLASSROOM • YOGA ED.
TOOLS | BREATH PRACTICES
constructive breath
Constructive Breath 1
Constructive Breath 2
Constructive Breath 3
benefits
instructions
•
•
1.
Let students know how many rounds of breath you will practice.
2.
Eyes can remain open with a soft gaze or closed.
3.
Begin sitting towards the edge of your chair, with your feet wider
than hips distance, feet on the floor.
4.
Interlace your fingers. Touch your knuckles underneath your chin,
with your elbows pointing down.
5.
Inhale, raise both elbows out to the sides, keeping your interlaced
fingers touching your chin.
6.
Exhale, soften your ribcage and let your elbows arc downward, still
keeping your knuckles connected to your chin.
7.
Inhale, raise your elbows out to the sides and up, feeling your
ribcage expand.
8.
Exhale, lower your elbows again, feeling your shoulders relax.
9.
Continue this inhale-up, exhale-down pattern.
Calms the mind
Releases tension in the neck and
lower face
10. When you are ready, unlace your fingers, and sit back into your
chair.
5 | TRAUMA-SENSITIVE CHAIR YOGA & MINDFULNESS TOOLS IN THE CLASSROOM • YOGA ED.
TOOLS | BREATH PRACTICES
sunrise/sunset breath
Sunrise/Sunset Breath 1
Sunrise/Sunset Breath 2
Sunrise/Sunset Breath 3
benefits
instructions
•
•
1.
Let students know how many rounds of breath you will practice.
2.
Eyes can remain open with a soft gaze or closed.
3.
Inhale, bring your right hand to your hip while your left arm swings
up and overhead.
4.
Exhale, start to bend to the right in your torso, and circle your left
arm down and back to your left thigh.
5.
Come back to a neutral seat with both hands on the hips and then
repeat to the opposite side.
•
Focuses scattered energy
Awakens the body, especially
arms, shoulders and torso
Releases physical and mental
stress
teaching tip
•
Depending on the energy
level you are observing in your
students and the theme of your
class, you can use language to
reflect this as a more calming
breath (sunset) or a more
energizing breath (sunrise).
6 | TRAUMA-SENSITIVE CHAIR YOGA & MINDFULNESS TOOLS IN THE CLASSROOM • YOGA ED.
TOOLS | YOGA POSES
swaying self hug
benefits
instructions
•
•
•
•
1.
Begin seated in your chair with your feet flat on the floor.
2.
Inhale.
3.
Exhale. Reach right hand to left tricep.
4.
Inhale.
5.
Exhale. Reach left hand to right tricep.
6.
With arms crossed, gently begin to sway side to side.
7.
Breathe.
8.
Pause facing forward with arms crossed still.
9.
Inhale.
Stretches shoulders
Releases tension
Grounds the mind
Self-soothing
teaching tip
•
•
•
•
Let students know where their
tricep is before cueing.
Offer to switch the crossing of
the arms.
Students can twist side to side if
it’s comfortable.
Try this suggestion for creative
language: “You can offer
yourself a gentle squeeze like a
hug.”
10. Exhale. Uncross the arms.
11. Let hands rest on the top of the thighs, palms facing up.
7 | TRAUMA-SENSITIVE CHAIR YOGA & MINDFULNESS TOOLS IN THE CLASSROOM • YOGA ED.
TOOLS | YOGA POSES
hands interlaced behind back
benefits
instructions
•
•
1.
Begin seated in your chair with your feet on the floor sitting up tall
in your spine.
2.
Inhale, reach your arms out in front.
3.
Exhale, bring your hands behind your back interlacing your fingers.
4.
Inhale, sit up tall in your body
5.
Exhale, extend your arms back until you feel a stretch.
6.
Breathe.
7.
When you are ready, exhale bring your hands back to your low back
and release your hands to your side.
•
•
Lengthens the spine
Stretches the shoulders, back,
and neck
Builds concentration and focus
Energizes the mind and body
teaching tip
•
•
Try this suggestion for creative
language: “You may feel this
stretch with your elbows bent,
or you may feel the stretch
with your elbows extended.
Wherever you feel the stretch is
okay.”
Offer an option for students
to grasp their forearms if
interlacing their hands is not
accessible.
8 | TRAUMA-SENSITIVE CHAIR YOGA & MINDFULNESS TOOLS IN THE CLASSROOM • YOGA ED.
TOOLS | BRAIN BREAKS
gentle shake
benefits
instructions
Read or paraphrase the following script.
•
•
•
Release tension in the body and
mind
Coordination and
proprioception
Breath awareness
teaching tip
•
1.
“Let’s begin by settling into our seats, finding some comfort and
ease. You’re welcome to soften your gaze or close your eyes. Take a
deep breath in, and let it out.
2.
“Notice if you can allow your spine to become just a bit taller by
rolling your shoulders back.
3.
“I invite you to notice where your energy is on a scale of 1 to 5 — 1
being the lowest amount of energy, and 5 being the highest amount
of energy. There’s no right or wrong here. We’re just bringing a
gentle awareness to how our energy is showing up right now.
4.
“Let’s give our hands a gentle shake. Take a deep breath in, and let it
go. Keep your hands shaking. Notice how that feels. You’re welcome
to close your eyes or keep your eyes open, whichever you’re most
comfortable with. You can shake your hands faster or slower.
5.
“You might imagine that you have water on your hands that you’re
trying to shake off, or sticky honey on your hands, so a bit heavier,
that you’re working to fling off gently.
6.
“You could imagine you’re shaking off anything that isn’t serving
you anymore. Maybe it was something that happened earlier
or something you’re anticipating for later. Shake it off, allowing
yourself the gift of presence in this moment.
7.
“Now, you’re welcome to try the same practice with your whole
arms. You could try with your feet and your legs too. We’ll be here
for another 30 seconds. You could shake your whole body, whatever
feels good for you.”
8.
Hold the space for 30 seconds of clock time.
9.
“Now bring your shaking a bit slower, slower, and come back to
stillness. Take a deep breath in, and let it go. Notice how you feel.
This practice can also be done
standing.
10. “Gently open your eyes or lift your gaze. Thank you for practicing.”
9 | TRAUMA-SENSITIVE CHAIR YOGA & MINDFULNESS TOOLS IN THE CLASSROOM • YOGA ED.
TOOLS | BRAIN BREAKS
inspiration circle
benefits
instructions
•
•
•
1.
On a piece of paper, students draw a circular pattern. It can be an
abstract pattern, or students can put themselves at the center of
the circle like the nucleus.
2.
Students write or draw all the different things that make them who
they are and support the different aspects of their life. This is an
Inspiration Circle.
Creativity
Focus
Connecting to internal and
external supports
teaching tip
•
•
Circles represent wholeness. They model the organizational structure of life itself. They remind us, like cells in
the body or stars in the sky, that each of us is separate and also part of a much larger, even infinite, world that
extends both within and beyond our bodies and minds. Circles appear in all aspects of life: the celestial circles
we call Earth, sun, and moon, as well as conceptual circles of friends, family, and community.
To support students who may struggle to identify people in their life to include in their Inspiration Circle,
share some examples of supports that are not people. Examples may include pets, hobbies, fictional
characters, nature, and others.
10 | TRAUMA-SENSITIVE CHAIR YOGA & MINDFULNESS TOOLS IN THE CLASSROOM • YOGA ED.
TOOLS | RELAXATION
layers
teaching tip
instructions
•
Read or paraphrase the following script. Let
students know this practice will be 2–5 minutes
long. Before you begin, invite students to come
into Legs up the Chair or Forward Fold at the
Desk.
•
After practicing this tool, you might reflect on this
relaxation with your students and inquire about
any thoughts they had during the visualization.
Example reflection questions:
• What judgment thoughts came up, if any?
• Were they engaging in negative self-talk?
• Did they discover any resources they didn’t
realize were there earlier?
1.
“You’re invited to close your eyes or keep your
eyes open, whichever feels comfortable for you.
We’ll be practicing this for about [insert minutes].
Breathe, and rest. As if you’re falling asleep, let
go of all thoughts. Just feel your breath. I’ll wait
for everyone to settle, sigh and melt. Release
any movement and tension. With every breath,
release any tension... great.
2.
“With kindness and non-judgment, bring
awareness to yourself as you see yourself. Picture
fully your whole being and notice what or if any
feelings start to arise. Breathe in and breathe
out. Breathe in and breathe out. Breathe in those
feelings, then breathe them out.
11 | TRAUMA-SENSITIVE CHAIR YOGA & MINDFULNESS TOOLS IN THE CLASSROOM • YOGA ED.
TOOLS | RELAXATION
layers
3.
“Now, imagine seeing yourself as a collection
of layers—a carefully and beautifully stacked
arrangement of all the pieces that you are.
4.
“Start with your topmost layer, the external.
Perhaps, this is who you imagine people see you
as, or who you want people to see you as. Breathe
in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe
in this layer, and breathe out as you peel that layer
away.
5.
“Take a moment to think about what’s
underneath. What makes up that second layer of
you. Maybe the person you are to your friends or
even your family. What’s different or the same
about this layer? Breathe in and breathe out.
Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in this layer,
breathe out and let it peel away.
6.
“The third layer is who you are to yourself, the
internal, who no one else truly knows, except
for you. This may be a place of vulnerability, of
uncertainty, or of strength and resilience, or
even creativity and that which is still yet to be
discovered. Breathe in and breathe out. Breathe
in. Breathe out. Before you peel this layer away,
ask yourself: How can I make this part of myself
feel more loved, supported, and appreciated?
7.
“As emotions or sensations arise, use your breath
as a reminder to acknowledge the positive and
release the negative.
8.
“I’ll give you a few moments to reflect.”
9.
Pause for a few moments.
Breathe in all the layers as they work together,
and breathe out any unhelpful expectations of
yourself. As you breathe, experience you, exactly
as you are.
11. “ Gently begin to move your fingers and your toes.
Take any final movements that feel good to you in
your body. Take any final stretches that feel good
to you and slowly come back to a comfortable
seated position in your chair.”
10. “Take a deep breath in, and a deep breath out.
Breathe in that which makes you uniquely you,
and breath out anything holding you back.
12 | TRAUMA-SENSITIVE CHAIR YOGA & MINDFULNESS TOOLS IN THE CLASSROOM • YOGA ED.
TOOLS | RELAXATION
count down
teaching tip
instructions
•
Read or paraphrase the following script. Let students know
this practice will be 3–5 minutes long. Before you begin, invite
students to come into Legs up the Chair or Forward Fold at the
Desk.
•
You are welcome to decide how
many breaths to count down
from to meet the needs of your
students. If 10 seems like too
much, try 5.
Starting to count from the
higher number provides
predictability for your students.
1.
“This practice will be about [insert minutes]. You can keep your
eyes open or close your eyes, whichever is most comfortable for
you. Take a deep breath in, take a deep breath out. As if you’re
falling asleep, let go of all thoughts. Just feel your breath. I’ll wait
for everyone to settle, sigh and melt, release any movement and
tension. With every breath, become more and more calm... great.
2.
“Breathe in and breathe out. I’m going to take you through a
progressive relaxation. We will be counting down from 10 focusing
on taking one breath at a time, allowing our bodies to become more
and more still and soft. Here we go.
3.
“Take a deep breath in and a deep breath out. Ten.
4.
“Deep breath in, deep breath out. Nine.
5.
“Deep breath in, deep breath out. Eight.”
6.
“Breathe in, breathe out. Seven.”
7.
Keep repeating breath cues and counting down with each breath
cycle. If students start to show irregular or labored breathing,
encourage them to breathe whenever they need. If students
become unfocused, encourage them to whisper along with your
countdown.
8.
“Now, take your slowest, deepest breath in… and a long, deep
breath out.
9.
“Notice how you feel in your body. Notice your thinking or your
feelings. On your next breath, gently begin to wiggle your fingers
and toes. Take a long body stretch from your fingertips to your toes.
Take any final stretches that feel good to you and slowly come back
to a comfortable seated position in your chair.”
13 | TRAUMA-SENSITIVE CHAIR YOGA & MINDFULNESS TOOLS IN THE CLASSROOM • YOGA ED.
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