Trauma sensitive yoga in New York, where every choice is yours
Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY) is an evidence-informed, body-based approach for people living with the effects of trauma, centred on noticing what you feel and choosing what you do.
TCTSY is not a fitness class, and there is nothing to achieve or perfect. We move through simple yoga forms together, seated, standing or on a mat, while you notice what is happening inside your body and decide how, or whether, to take part. For many people affected by trauma, this experience of choosing for yourself, in your own body, is quietly powerful.
“There is no correct shape to make here. The only expert on what your body feels and needs is you, and every form is simply an invitation.”
TCTSY treats choice itself as the healing ingredient, not flexibility, strength or stillness.
An evidence-informed approach to trauma sensitive yoga
TCTSY was developed at the Trauma Center at Justice Resource Institute (JRI) as a supportive treatment for complex and chronic trauma. It adapts familiar yoga forms so that they serve one purpose: helping you reconnect with your body on your own terms.
Trauma can disrupt our relationship with the body in deep ways. Sensations may feel dangerous, numbed or simply out of reach, and the experience of having had no control can linger in how we hold and move ourselves. Trauma sensitive yoga in New York, using the TCTSY model, offers a structured but gentle way to rebuild that relationship, one small and freely chosen action at a time.
At the heart of TCTSY is interoception: the ability to notice internal sensations such as muscle effort, warmth, breath or heartbeat. We practise noticing these without needing to change or interpret them. Alongside this, you are invited again and again to make choices: to move a little more or less, to hold a form or come out of it, to try something or skip it entirely.
Taking effective action in your own body, however small, can begin to counter the helplessness that trauma often leaves behind. Over time, many people find that they can feel their bodies with less fear and act on what they notice with more confidence. Change is gradual and personal, and the practice is offered without any expectation of a particular outcome.
Shared authentic experience
In TCTSY, I practise the forms alongside you rather than standing over you as an instructor. We are both having our own experience in the same moment. There are no hands-on adjustments and I do not correct your posture or tell you how a form should feel. This shared, non-hierarchical presence is a defining feature of the approach and helps make the space feel safer.
Invitational language
You will hear phrases like "if you like", "you might notice" or "when you are ready" rather than commands. This language is deliberate. It leaves room for you to decide, and it makes clear that doing nothing is always an acceptable choice. There is no wrong way to participate.
Part of an integrated plan
TCTSY facilitation can stand on its own or sit alongside psychotherapy, somatic trauma work and psychiatric care within our work together. Because I am a psychiatric nurse practitioner, we can keep the whole picture in view, including sleep, mood and any medication, while the yoga supports your connection with your body.
TCTSY may be a good fit if you
Trauma sensitive yoga is designed for people whose relationship with their body has been affected by trauma, including complex, chronic or developmental trauma. It can be especially helpful when talking feels limited or when you want a practical, embodied way to feel more present. No fitness level or yoga background is needed.
- Feel disconnected from your body
- Find sensations frightening or numb
- Have complex or chronic trauma
- Want support beyond talking
- Feel uneasy in typical yoga classes
- Struggle to make choices for yourself
- Want gentle movement without pressure
- Live with dissociation or shutdown
- Are any size, shape, age or ability
The core elements of TCTSY
TCTSY sessions follow a consistent structure built on a few key principles. Each is designed to give you back a sense of agency in your body, without pressure or performance.
Interoception
Rather than focusing on what a form looks like, we pay attention to what it feels like from the inside. You might notice the effort in a muscle, the contact of your feet with the floor or a change in breath, simply as information.
Choice-making
Every form comes with options. You can choose how far to move, how long to stay and whether to take part at all. Making these small, real choices in your body is one of the central ways TCTSY supports recovery from trauma.
Effective action
When you notice something and then act on it, such as easing out of a stretch that feels like too much, you experience your choices having an effect. This builds a felt sense of agency that trauma may have taken away.
Present moment
The practice gently draws attention to what is happening now, in this breath and this movement. For people whose minds are often pulled into the past or braced for the future, the present can become a more habitable place.
Shared presence
I practise with you, not at you. We share the experience side by side, with no hands-on assists and no evaluation of how you are doing. The relationship is collaborative and respectful, never authoritative or corrective.
Non-coercion
Nothing in TCTSY is mandatory. You will never be pushed to hold a form, close your eyes or breathe in a particular way. Keeping your eyes open, sitting out or leaving a form early are all welcome, valued choices.
How TCTSY differs from studio yoga
Many people affected by trauma find mainstream yoga classes uncomfortable or even distressing. TCTSY is built differently from the ground up.
Typical yoga class
- Focus on fitness, flexibility or form
- Instructor corrects and adjusts you
- Hands-on assists are common
- Instructions given as commands
- Goal of reaching a particular pose
Trauma sensitive yoga (TCTSY)
- Focus on noticing and choosing
- Facilitator practises alongside you
- No physical touch or adjustments
- Invitational, optional language
- No goal beyond your own experience
Getting started with trauma sensitive yoga
Beginning TCTSY is straightforward and entirely at your own pace.
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1
Free consultation 15 minutes
We talk briefly about what draws you to trauma sensitive yoga, any concerns about movement or your body, and whether TCTSY would work best alone or as part of broader care. You do not need to share details of your trauma to begin.
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2
First session
We start by talking through how sessions work, what you can expect and how choice is built into everything. Then we try a short sequence of simple forms, often seated, so that you can get a feel for the approach with very little pressure.
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3
Regular practice
Sessions follow a familiar rhythm, which can itself feel steadying. Over time we may gently vary the forms, always with options. You can also take elements of the practice home, using them whenever noticing your body or making a small choice feels supportive.
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4
Reflecting together
We regularly pause to reflect on your experience: what you notice in sessions, how it carries into daily life and whether you would like to combine TCTSY with psychotherapy, somatic trauma work or psychiatric support. The direction stays in your hands throughout.
Francesca Rome-Marie, PMHNP-BC
I bring together psychiatry, psychotherapy, somatic work and whole-body health, informed by years in primary care and further study in gender theory, feminist thought, culture and visual art.
I keep a deliberately small caseload so that every client receives consistent, unhurried and genuinely attentive care, held within one relationship rather than split across several providers.
Clear, upfront rates
I don't accept insurance. Modern Holistic Psychiatry is an out-of-network provider, so sessions are paid for directly. Depending on your plan, you may be able to claim reimbursement through your out-of-network benefits.
Find out how much your insurance may coverNeed urgent support? If you're in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or call 911.
Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga FAQs
What is Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga?
Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY) is an evidence-informed, body-based approach developed at the Trauma Center at Justice Resource Institute (JRI) for people affected by complex and chronic trauma. It uses simple yoga forms as opportunities to notice internal sensations and make your own choices. The emphasis is on interoception, choice, effective action and a shared, authentic experience between you and the facilitator, rather than on exercise or achievement.
Do I need any yoga experience or a certain fitness level?
No. TCTSY is not a fitness class, and there is no expectation of flexibility, strength or prior experience. Forms are simple and can be adapted for any body. Many can be done in a chair. If you have injuries, chronic pain or mobility differences, we simply work with what feels available to you on any given day.
Will you touch me or adjust my posture?
No. TCTSY does not use hands-on assists or physical adjustments of any kind. I also will not correct how you are doing a form. This is a core part of the model, because being touched or directed without real choice can be difficult for many people affected by trauma. Your body and its space remain entirely your own.
Is trauma sensitive yoga a replacement for therapy?
TCTSY was designed as a supportive treatment that can sit alongside other care, and it can be valuable on its own for some people. In my practice it can be combined with psychotherapy, somatic trauma work and psychiatric care in one relationship, so you do not need to coordinate separate providers. We decide together what combination makes sense for you.
What if I feel upset or disconnected during a session?
That can happen, and it is not a sign that you are doing it wrong. You can stop, change what you are doing, open your eyes, sit quietly or talk about it. Noticing that you feel upset and choosing how to respond is itself part of the practice. If you ever feel unsafe outside sessions, call or text 988, or 911 in an emergency.
What should I wear or bring?
Wear whatever lets you move and sit comfortably. There is no special clothing or equipment required, and you are welcome to stay in your everyday clothes. If you prefer to keep shoes on, keep a layer on or bring something that helps you feel at ease, that is completely fine. Comfort and choice come first.
Is TCTSY affirming for trans, non-binary and LGBTQIA+ people?
Yes. Because TCTSY does not ask your body to look or perform a certain way, it can be a welcome option for people who experience dysphoria or have felt judged in movement spaces. My practice is LGBTQIA+ affirming and non-judgemental, and the practice is shaped around your comfort, your language and your boundaries.
Reconnect with your body at your own pace
Book a free 15-minute consultation to talk about trauma sensitive yoga and whether TCTSY facilitation feels right for you.