Choice a prerequisite to safety
Choice as a Prerequisite to Safety: How Polyvagal Inspired Yoga and the Trauma-Informed Yoga Supports Empowerment
One of the most profound realizations on the path to healing from trauma is recognizing that you have a choice. For many who have experienced trauma, this understanding can feel foreign or even inaccessible. However, choice is a prerequisite to safety. When we begin to reclaim our ability to choose, we create a foundation for self-trust and empowerment.
“Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
Trauma and the Loss of Choice
During traumatic experiences, choice is often taken away. We may not have had the option to run, fight, scream, or seek help. Perhaps there was no safe support network to turn to, leaving us trapped in survival responses such as shutting down, disconnecting, or going into overdrive. Over time, these learned responses can manifest as autopilot behaviors—living reactively rather than from a place of conscious decision-making.
While it is crucial to acknowledge and have compassion for these protective mechanisms, we can also begin to recognize that although they were necessary for survival at one time, they do not have to define our present or future. Familiar does not always equal safe, and there is another way forward.
Rebuilding Choice Through Yoga
If reclaiming choice feels overwhelming, yoga offers a powerful and accessible starting point. A trauma-informed yoga practice provides a space to explore making choices in a safe and supportive environment. Every aspect of practice presents an opportunity for autonomy:
Choosing whether to keep your eyes open or closed
Deciding whether to participate in a particular movement or rest
Selecting a shape that feels comfortable rather than forcing one that does not
Opting for a vigorous practice or a gentle one
These small, intentional choices on the mat can help rewire our nervous system, making it easier to recognize and exercise choice in daily life. Over time, this practice fosters self-agency, allowing us to shift from reactive patterns into conscious, empowered living.
Dave Emerson is a yoga therapist known for his work in trauma-sensitive yoga. He co-developed Trauma-Sensitive Yoga (TSY), a body-based intervention for individuals with complex trauma and PTSD. His approach is grounded in neuroscience and emphasizes the role of interoception (the ability to sense internal bodily states) in healing trauma.
He co-authored "Overcoming Trauma through Yoga" with Dr. Elizabeth Hopper, a book that outlines the principles and practices of TSY. He has also worked with the Trauma Center at the Justice Resource Institute (JRI), where TSY was developed in collaboration with Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, a leading expert in trauma research. Here is a short video where he introduces the concept of choice in movement.
The Yamas and the Practice of Choice
In yoga philosophy, the Yamas—ethical principles that guide how we relate to ourselves and the world—offer a valuable framework for exploring choice:
Ahimsa (Non-Violence): Choosing self-compassion over self-judgment.
Satya (Truthfulness): Honoring our truth and making choices aligned with our authentic needs.
Asteya (Non-Stealing): Refraining from stealing our own time or energy by overcommitting or people-pleasing.
Brahmacharya (Moderation): Recognizing the power of balance in our choices.
Aparigraha (Non-Attachment): Releasing the need for control and embracing the fluidity of choice.
By weaving these principles into our decision-making, we embark on a path of self-discovery where choice becomes an act of self-respect and empowerment.
Dual Awareness: Turning Within at Our Own Pace
For those who have experienced trauma, turning inward can feel overwhelming, as the body often holds unresolved memories and sensations. Practices such as pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses) and dharana (concentration) offer gentle ways to develop dual awareness—the ability to stay present while also observing internal experiences without becoming overwhelmed.
A trauma-informed approach encourages self-paced exploration, allowing practitioners to engage with these practices in a way that feels supportive rather than triggering. Through this compassionate lens, we remind ourselves that we are our own best healers, and we can choose how, when, and in what way we engage with our inner world.
The Power of Choice in Daily Life
As we build confidence in making choices on the mat, we begin to see how this extends into everyday life. We realize that we have choices in:
What we eat
How we speak and interact with others
The relationships we nurture
The boundaries we set
The work we engage in
Choice is not just about making big life decisions—it is found in the small, daily actions that shape our sense of self and safety. Each decision, no matter how small, is a reclamation of autonomy and a step toward empowerment.
Embracing Choice as a Path to Healing
Healing from trauma is not about forcing change but about gently reclaiming what was lost. Through trauma-informed yoga, we learn that choice is always available to us. We can choose to move, to rest, to listen, to explore, and to honor our own needs.
Each moment presents an opportunity to remind ourselves: We are safe. We are capable. We have a choice.
This approach to Safety and Choice is a core part of the framework I use within all my Polyvagal-Inspired Yoga workshops, retreats, and courses. In fact, Safety and Choice form the foundation of my upcoming 6-week course launching in June 2025. Through this course, we will explore how reclaiming choice can be a transformative step toward nervous system regulation and deep healing.
Start to practice small choices throughout your day, include a mantra “I have a choice, I can make choices in my life” and watch the subtle changes as the concept of choice starts to take root.
Much love
Muriel Xxx
