— “Being trauma-informed means every part of me needs to be present for that class, I am mindful of my language, my demeanour even what I am wearing, how I smell, and how my voice sounds, this is all an important part of it.” Knowing when someone needs touch, Sophia De Fossard might adjust their shoulders, or place a soft support under their elbows, or whether someone needs to be left alone for now, helps people to learn what they need to feel safe in their bodies again. And parallel to that, is the understanding that she also accepts her own traumas, and that is what is great about acceptance; you don’t have to have it all sorted out, you just need to know it is there, and learn to hold space for your own trauma, and from that, Sophia can help her students to accept theirs. It’s so very simple, but very powerful for healing. With the Yoga Nidra, particularly when working one on one with clients, Sophia will develop Yoga Nidra scripts that are particular to what they are needing.
Valeria Teles interviews Sophia De Fossard — Yoga Teacher, Social Worker, And Speaker
In teaching restorative yoga, Sophia de Fossard started to notice how exhausted we are becoming in our lives. There are a lot of social pressures to achieve, to be the best parent, to be fit and healthy, successful. Through her own journey of auto-immune disease she found that active rest was an important part of her recovery, and is now a vital part of her life. Our everyday lives do not often allow a space for rest and reflection as an everyday part of our well-being, like sleep and food. Sophia lives in a city, so she sees many people juggling responsibilities with work, parenting, caring for family members, and really just burning out in the process. Her practice aims to allow a safe place to rest and reflect. Being trauma-informed is a crucial part of her teaching, and it aims to make her classes inclusive for all, no matter what you are living with. You can turn up as you are, with all your life’s troubles or stresses, and through creating a safe space, you can find some time to learn to first, accept where you are, then rest into it. It can lead us back to feeling safe in our bodies again, safe to let go, and quiet enough to get in touch with our own inner wisdom, which allows the student to learn how to heal and take these tools beyond the class and into their lives. Sophia de Fossard is a yoga teacher and Social Worker. She started practicing yoga as a child, aside from teaching vinyasa flow, her passion lies with teaching trauma-informed restorative yoga, and Yoga Nidra. She also has a master’s in social work professionally, and works in early intervention with children, focusing on well-being and healing from trauma.
To learn more about Sophia De Fossard and her work, please visit: yogawest.co.nz
— This podcast is a quest for well-being, a quest for a meaningful life through the exploration of fundamental truths, enlightening ideas, insights on physical, mental, and spiritual health. The inspiration is Love. The aspiration is to awaken new ways of thinking that can lead us to a new way of being, being well.
