I started yoga in 2013 when my favourite Pilates class changed to a yoga class. I went along reluctantly and a little begrudgingly at first. Luckily for me, as it turned out, I love yoga!! These days, I would say this happened for me, not to me, as the saying (philosophy) goes…
There were many things I enjoyed about yoga. The experience of being in flow. Feeling connected to my body. The funny jokes my lovely teacher Jason (@jasonpachol.yoga) would make. And, I was amazed to realise, yoga was a lot like psychotherapy, just on a yoga mat and without all the talking!!
I had been working as a clinical psychologist for a few years by then. Inspired by my experience of yoga, I wanted to offer a mindfulness and movement group at the psychiatric inpatient unit I was working in at that time. However, I did not feel qualified to teach mindfulness, meditation or movement for mental health. And so, I decided to begin yoga teacher training at Tamara Yoga.
It was amazing!!
I loved being immersed in practicing and learning about yoga. I learnt why yoga is beneficial for mental health and how a yoga practice can target particular mental health issues. I came to understand there was an overlap between yoga philosophy and some psychotherapies (like Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy).
One year into teacher training, I attended a workshop by Bessel van der Kolk in Sydney. He spoke about Trauma Centre Trauma-Sensitive Yoga or TCTSY as it is also known. The hatha yoga intervention that David Emerson, their colleagues and he had developed for trauma and complex trauma. He explained that not only was TCTSY a beneficial therapeutic intervention for trauma, TCTSY and yoga generally were also helpful for building resilience. I felt inspired to learn more about TCTSY and offer yoga therapy for trauma.
I went on to train in TCTSY. These trainings were informative, thought-provoking and invaluable. I began offering Trauma Informed Yoga at Tamara Yoga in Claremont. It felt rewarding being able to offer yoga as a therapeutic intervention.
This year, I started my own business offering trauma-informed yoga and yoga therapy for trauma recovery, mental health and well-being. Zosia Yoga.
Zosia pronounced Zo-shar (like washer with ‘z’ at the beginning)
I have been asked why Zosia Yoga. There are a few reasons. Mainly, Zosia was my grandmother’s name. My grandmother was a pivotal, maternal figure in my life. So I wanted to acknowledge and celebrate her.
Also Zosia means wisdom in Hebrew. Using Zosia therefore is my way of acknowledging the wisdom of yoga. As well as the wisdom we possess in our bodies, to adapt to traumatic and overwhelming experiences, and also heal and recover from them.
Welcome to Zosia Yoga. Thank you for being here.
